Power Ball 5

I noticed that my last blog did not arrive on the scene until the wee hours this morning. I apologize for that, Frannie; I should have gotten it done before going to my sister's house yesterday. Anyway, the important thing is that it did publish and the words came from the heart.

I just happened to hear the first announcement of the Power Ball drawing just before 11:00 PM. The man welcomed North Carolina Tarheels to the world of "Government-approved Gambling"; then, he showed a red ball that he said was the multiplier before drawing 5 more balls and a power ball. I don't really understand this at all, have seen no instructions or guidelines, and have no clue as to how any of this works. All I do know is that I have seen many people spending many dollars buying these little papers. I have a feeling that in the morning, we will see an increase in highway litter.

Tonight I went in one of the local stop n shop and there were 2 silly little girls in there flirting with the young male cashier. I have not heard such giggling in quite some time. When I went to pay for my purchase, the cashier said to the girls: "Here, you better take this with you before you get me into trouble." I looked at what he handed her and I almost had a heart attack! (not really) He handed her a weird looking snake! Yes, a snake! Now, why would she be walking around with a pet snake and in a store at that! Is this lawful? I mean, I let out an unladylike yelp and so did another customer! One of the girls looked at me and said, "don't feel bad, Lady, I don't like snakes either, and I won't touch it." At that point, the other customer and I headed, as casually as possible, toward the door. If this snake was supposed to be the girls' bodyguard, it worked, for 2 senior ladies, that is; however, the 2 young guys didn't seem to mind very much. The problem I see is that the girls didn't need protection from us, but the guys? hmmmm... ( I also wonder how safe that snake must have felt in the hands of that giddy-acting teenager who was running around the store and through the aisles).

A Friend named Fran

I have been gone most of the day with my sister who recently lost her husband to cancer. We really had a restful day together, enjoying each other's company. First we went to check out some vacuum cleaners, then on to Wally World and later to Target. Both of us ended up spending more than planned. That seems to be the way of things many times.
I wanted to get back in time to write about a dear friend of mine who is having a birthday today. (Perhaps this blog will show up before the day ends). Fran and I have been friends longer than I can remember. We were neighbors, schoolmates, and the best of playmates. When one of us got something for our birthday, etc., the other had to get one very soon. Our mothers thought we should have been sisters since we liked the same things, enjoyed the same games, even liked dressing alike. This "we" I am referring to is my sister, Fran and me, the 3 playmates. We were even a singing trio when Sis was 11, Fran was 10, and I was 9. We visited all the country churches within 30-mile radius and sang gospel music. (Fran's mom was our pianist). We even made some records (that would have been the 78 rpm type). These recordings were often heard on a nearby radio station.
Now, more about Fran; she always tickled me telling everyone that I was 6 months younger than she. Well, she turned 68 today and I'm still 6 months behind her. There could never be a better, more devoted friend than Fran. She always got along with everyone; her way was your way. She never insisted on having her way about anything (except when decorating her playhouse, it had to be decorated just the same as we had decorated ours). I remember playing paperdolls with her, cowboys and indians, house, cars, treehouse, making up plays with my cousin, or just riding our bikes. When she received her first bike, she learned quickly how to ride but had not mastered the "how to stop" technique. So, Fran would ride awhile, then yell for me that she was ready to stop. I would catch up with her, throw down my bike, and run to catch her as she came to an unladylike halt! What fun we had! We tried to be together from morning till bedtime but, often, our moms thought better of that.
One day in November (my birthday as a matter of fact), Fran and her family moved out of the neighborhood. I was devastated! Why had they done this? They only moved about 4 miles away but that was like 40 to a young child! Because traffic was light during those days, I sometimes rode my bike to her house whenever my mom would permit. It still wasn't the same as being 3 doors away from us though. When we grew up, Fran went to a different college from me but we remained friends. In fact, I recall visiting her there on several occasions. We grew up, married, and both of us moved from our hometown; yet, we still kept our friendship alive. Since then, we have moved closer to each other, attend the same church, and have children who are friends. We have taken many trips together during the past 20 years and hope to continue this tradition.
Why have we stayed so close? Because Fran is that kind of friend; one who will always be there for you; one who cares how you are and is interested in your problems. Even though she has many issues crowding her own life, she always takes a moment to check on others, to listen to them, and, most importantly, to lift them up in her prayers. I know many people whom I believe are God's children; Fran is one of those people who lives the life God wants His children to live. Her faith always shines brightly. If someone asks me what a Christian looks like, I could honestly say, "look at Fran."
Happy Birthday, dear friend. May you have many, many more. May God continue to walk with you each day. Thank you for being my friend, for being a great example for others to follow.

Favorite Things

I don't understand why it takes so long for my blogs to appear on the screen. I posted at 5:00 PM today and that blog is still not showing. I will have to see what can be done about this.
I was talking with a friend the other day when I heard someone complaining about various problems we are facing in our world. Of course, most of them were far more important than why my blog is not showing up after 4 hours. What really caught my attention though, was when I heard one man say this: "I heard some political figure talking about my favorite problem today." Well, that really got me to thinking. Do people have favorite problems/concerns? By my eavedropping, I learned that some people do just that. I had never, ever thought about having favorite problems/concerns and I really don't know how I feel about that. I guess I just think the word "favorite" is not one to be used when talking about problems because none of my problems/concerns would I consider favorite. I think that I hate problems or at least, dislike them very much. I could say that I have most and least disliked concerns. Maybe we have favorites that we like to discuss and that's what was meant by the original statement. Whatever, I do not have a favorite problem/concern. I just don't like problems of any nature. This is kind of like politics. Let's drop it and move on to the happy talk!

Belk Belted the Best!

My friend and I went in a nearby store today, one of the nationwide chain stores as a matter of fact, and it was playing only patriotic music! I was very impressed! I thought, I'll just go into several more shops in the strip mall to see if they were following suit. Of course not! I wanted to say something to the clerks but realized that they probably had nothing to do with the choice of music so I stayed quiet. Now that I'm back home, I regret that I didn't ask for the managers whom I could actually have encouraged them to get in sync with the day. Sometimes we really fail to speak up when we should; other days, I know we should keep quiet. I made a mistake today. It was early enough in the day that I could have made a difference. I will say this: I'm very impressed with Belk store! When this female singer began belting out a beautiful rendition of "America the Beautiful", I wanted to stand at attention! From now on, that store will get more of my business than they have in the past.
Today is the day to memorialize all of the fallen military men and women who gave their lives for our freedom. Maybe you think they were all strangers to you and that may be true; but, just imagine, you were a stranger to them too; yet, they gave their lives for you, for me. They believed in this country, our flag, our freedoms. Now, it's our turn to protect this country, our flag, our freedoms. What can you do? What can I do? We need to first thank God for these lives and, every day, we need to lift up our country to Him and seek His blessings.

A Lazy Weekend

Today has been a very lazy day for me, mainly because I feel like a "medicine head". I'm sure you know the feeling. We always have to feel worse before we can feel better, I suppose. I'm not really complaining. I stop and think about all the really sick folks in this world and I'm ashamed to even mention how I feel. I don't know what I would do today even if I had more energy. To me, it feels like one of those "dog days" that are talked about in the Western movies. Perhaps it is just taking me a bit longer to overcome all of the excitement from last weekend. I just received an email from the chairperson of our Relay for Life and she said she regrets that we are not having another all night affair this weekend. Boy, is she younger than I! I saw her dancing around at 7:00 AM last Saturday after being up running around since Friday noon.
My daughter and her family are spending the weekend at the nearby lake. Clay told me that they were going camping in their new camper. He and Livvy really enjoy those outings, heat, ticks, mosquitoes and all. My nephew and his family are also camping with many of their young friends. I believe everyone who has a camper is out this weekend...that is, except us. Hubby decided that he wanted to wait until next week to hit the road when most everyone has gone back to work. He says the traffic is awful around here this weekend so we've stayed close to home; however, I think we will head toward the Northwest where it should be a bit cooler.
I hope that you and yours are having a great Memorial Day weekend and that you are remembering all the service people who have and are defending our freedoms.
God Bless America!

Good News about Shingles!

After a brief visit to the good doctor, he confirmed my diagnosis of a sinus infection. These things are so annoying, don't you think? I sniffled my way back home and enjoyed a long afternoon nap! You know, those interludes with Mr. Sandman are just getting more and more appealing!
While listening to the news tonight, I learned that there is now a vaccination available for the "over 60" set which should prevent or at least ease the horrible pain of shingles! I think this is wonderful! Though I have never suffered from the problem, I have friends who have, and, from what they say, Shingles are an awful thing to endure. One of our neighbors in Florida had it all last winter and he was unable to come out of his home because the heat only made them worse. My minister's wife also had a bout with them and she, too, agreed to how unbearable the pain was. I understand that anyone who has had Chicken Pox is a prime candidate for Shingles. When I was a child, I, along with all my friends, had Chicken Pox. Perhaps I shall see about taking this vaccination. Even though the cost is $150, if it will prevent my getting them, it will be well worth the cost. Isn't it wonderful to see the medical advancements we are making? I am so thankful to God for giving these doctors and scientists the wisdom to find cures for diseases. We should all thank Him every day for loving care of us, even when we are so undeserving.

What's Wrong with our Thinking?

I only have a couple of minutes to blog right now but plan to get back to it later today. I have a doctor's appointment in 20 minutes (I'm having to take my sinuses for a visit). I thought that I had escaped the allergies this spring...NOT!...I guess the cool, damp air last Friday night and Saturday morning made these unwanted visitors show up in my "temple". Since we have a long weekend coming up, I decided it best to have the doc prescribe something for me. You know how it is: when the doctor's away, the germs and allergies want to play.
This is Memorial Day coming up and schools are closed, banks and post offices around the country are closed, some other businesses close their doors also. I don't know if you have been listening to the Veterans' complaint about some cities wanting schools to remain open. Cities say the students would learn more in school and could be taught what Memorial Day is all about. Well, I, for one, agree with the Veterans! The very idea of taking away a day that honors our veterans who died for our freedom! I think it's disgraceful! To say that the students could learn more about the day if in school is a crock! Teach it the day before, the day before that, and the day before that! I say if we do away with this holiday, let's do away with MLK Day (which they can also learn about at school on that day); let's do away with Labor Day and Thanksgiving (the same principles apply). What is our country coming to? Do we no longer honor America and those who fight for our freedoms? Everything is just so "taken for granted", a "you owe it to me" attitude. Let me get to the doc before I have to go for other reasons besides sinus!

"Idling Through American Idol

I missed Choir Practice tonight, not because one of my favorite programs was coming on, but because of a scratchy throat. I considered going and listening to them practice, then decided against it, thinking I might spread the germ if I did that. So, I stayed home, but I surely did miss all of my Choir buddies! I thought about them during that entire hour! I hope they had a good practice.
What did you think of American Idol? I was not surprised at the outcome, actually because Simon is usually right and that was his prediction. So far as the 2-hour program goes, I was not impressed with the golden idols (silly, in my opinion). I also thought the show stayed in "idle" most of the 2 hours! I would rather have seen more singing by the top 12. I cannot remember the African American's name, the slender one (someone refresh my memory), but I really thought she had one of the better voices tonight. Katherine was also better than usual, too, at least to my amateur ears.
Will the Silver Fox dye his hair now that he is a star? And, what has Clay done to his hair? What a shocker that was! Frankly, I like the old Clay better. The impersonater was a definite flop and should have moved out when Clay moved in!
And now, we can move on to some other reality show. I must say that I'm not excited about the cooking show that will begin soon. I won't watch that one, that's for sure. It seems that when one network does something different, all the other networks jump on the bandwagon, and that makes TV boring to me. I guess I will just continue spending more and more time on my antique computer which is still giving me heartburn with its stubborn antics!

2,000 Hits!

I am celebrating this morning! I have now have reached 2000 hits on my blog! I know, that's not very many at all compared to some blogs I read; however, for me, I think that's great! I hope that you will keep reading.
To follow up on my trip with my sisters, we did have a great time. We spent a lot of time in the mall, in one of our favorite stores, Hecht's. Unfortunately, all of three of us spent far more than we had planned. In fact, we only went to exchange a blouse, but we ended up buying more blouses, slacks, and even shoes! We were told that Hecht's will very soon be converted to Macy's. Now, I don't know if that applies to all their stores or just this one. I hope that we will like it as well; however, I always thought Macy's was more expensive.
After the mall, we enjoyed dinner at O'Charley's, one of my favorite places for soup and salad, then on to Target, before returning home at the early hour of 10:30 PM. For people our age, we are often told that we are nightowls. I say, when you're still able to hoot, keep it up! Like I read somewhere one time, it's better to wear out than to rust out.

Aging & Still Having Fun!

In just a few minutes, my younger sister and I will be going to my older sister's home to take her out for an evening of fun and fellowship. What is fun to us, you may wonder. Well, it's much different from most folks, especially the younger group. We will be going to the mall and to dinner...that's it. And no, we won't be looking the guys over either (well, maybe we will notice that there are some around). Our older sister recently lost her husband as you may have read about in another blog so we want to spend some time together (that's the way it is with close families and we are very tight).
Two of us are already senior citizens and "Sister Babycakes" is reaching for that status symbol. There is much to enjoy about being a senior though. One thing is that you don't have to be so concerned about how you dress or act: no excuses are usually asked for so long as you are decent, and of course, we are. George Burns once said that you can't help getting older, but you don't have to get old. That's the way we feel. Let's go have a good time, Gals!

Strangers Can be Friends

I stayed on the computer almost 3 hours last night trying to catch up on my emails, blogs, and other folks' blogs. I know that I shouldn't have done this because, yesterday morning, my left eye was bothering me so I called the local optometrist (whose phone # just happens to be 2020) who scheduled me for an appointment at 6:40 PM. Sure enough, I had an eye infection. Now, tell me, should I have even gotten on the computer? Of course not; however, I so enjoy reading emails, blogs, and comments, that I really didn't concentrate on any repercussions as a result. I do have a more sore eye than I would have had I behaved, but that just didn't fit my agenda. When I received a comment from an unknown friend in Sweden who indicated that my blog meant a lot to them, I just had to get on again! Thank you, Friend, for your very nice comments. May God grant you happiness, healing, and assurance that you are loved, that you are special (even to folks who have never met you), and that there will always be someone across the ocean who will be praying for you. May God bless you.

Great Relay News

My antique computer is been down since Friday so I had to get the technicians out here today. They said there was nothing wrong, but after they left, the internet appeared right by itself! Wow! Netscape just gets smarter every day, doesn't it? The computer is still slower than molasses so it may go out again. (I'm typing real fast trying to beat it! heehee)
About the Relay for Life results: our team did really great we think! We made $650 the night of the Relay alone! I talked to one team captain who said they only made $21 for the entire night! Thank all of you who prayed for our success. Our town was able to reach the total of $165,000 as of 9:00 AM Saturday. There were a few teams who had not turned their money in at that time and other teams still have moneys coming in. Last year, our town raised $240,000; however, I don't think we will make that goal this year. We are really striving for an even $200 grand. The weather was not as good (had some rain); not as many people actually participated in the Relay (there were 12 less teams involved this year for some reason); attendance was down as a result of the weather; and, some people just got burned out from last year's Relay. I do hope that next year will be better although I'm not complaining about this one. Team captains just wear themselves out because they are working on various money-making projects all year long. I know my sister and I were busy all year and we had little help from most of the other team members. You know, so much more can be accomplished if every single team member feels the need to be active. We need to share ideas, become involved in projects, get excited about doing for others. Our small team did raise a total of $4,167 I believe. Now that is really an accomplishment and I'm proud of everyone who worked to reach this amount! This is about the same as we raised last year and we had a few more active members last year. I hope if you have not had your local Relay for Life that you will consider becoming involved if possible. It will do your heart good to know that you are working toward such a worthy goal.

Reach for the Goal!

Relay Day has finally arrived and I'm busy as a beaver trying to get all the last minute things done so that we can get to the track. Let's see, do I have everything now? Flashlight, luminaria lighter, jacket, sleeping bag (in case we decide to take a nap), cap, sunglasses, lawn chair, cash box, raffle tickets, cookies and candy to sell, and, of course, money for food. I wonder what I have forgotten. Whatever, I plan to have a great time for the next 20 + hours! I tried to sleep in awhile this morning so that I could stay awake. There will be entertainment going on all night long so it will be somewhat noisy anyway, I imagine. The main thing is that I hope we reach our town's goal of $200,000 + and the result will be a cure for cancer!
God bless all the survivors and remember the families of those who lost their battle with the disease. Stay well, everyone, and stay tuned for our results.

Relaying for a Cure

I cannot believe how busy this week has been for me! I am co-captain of our Relay for Life team and you cannot believe the time it takes to get everything done. We started our fund raising back in the Fall making Christmas light presents (we made $800 + on those); then, we made a few aprons to sell at the Relay (Last year we made $3000 + on those); we sold candles which would be lighted on Mother's Day in honor and memory of mothers (that brought in $174);and, we are raffling a donated wheel barrow loaded with garden supplies and a cedar chest the night of the Relay (so far, we have raised over $900 and hope to sell more at the Relay). We will also have a bake sale at the Relay and hope to raise at least $200 there. We are very proud of our team and its hard work to raise money to fight cancer. My sister and I debated not doing the relay this year due to all the hard, hard work; however, when we thought of our brother-in-law, sister and their family, we decided to try again to get more enthusiasm going. Actually, we would probably do better just donating all that we spend to get the team up and running than we do this way. Yet, if we can help to find a light at the end of this dismal tunnel, we feel that our work has not been in vain.

I hope that you, too, are involved with a Relay for Life event. If so, God Bless you! It's such a worthy cause and we need to do all we can to fight this disease.

What day is Mother's Day?

Let me begin by saying that I hope all of you mothers out there had a great day yesterday; that your children were with you at least part of the day; and, that you received a wonderful gift. Well, about the gift: mine was not seen from my children. I did get some Happy Mother's Day cards but no gift such as some of you probably received. (I know my older sister received a DVD/VHS player from her children. My daughter made me a beautiful card and that was very special!) Yet, no one could have gotten a better gift. I had 2 of my children and 2 of my grandchildren present with me...now, what could beat that? And they all attended church with me, too, which made church even more beautiful and special. The only thing that could have made it better would have been my other 2 children present; however, I really do understand that they live farther away. My son in California did call and wished me a Happy Mother's Day and he is planning to come visit sometime this summer. I realize that he has to come at a different time and that's okay. After all, Mother's Day can be any day or everyday. And, my other daughter was just here the weekend before and then returned for her uncle's funeral as well.
So, what day is Mother's Day? It's whenever our children make a day special for us. As for me, I will take as many of these days as my 4 children want to give me! The more the merrier! That can be a phone call, a visit, a card for no reason, or any other surprise! Bring 'em on!... I'll take 'em!

Red Rose...White Rose

I've had another busy day today, this time preparing for our Mother's Day program at church. This event has been my responsibility for probably 10 years (would you say that it's someone else's turn?). I have had the job of doing Father's Day programs as well as several other special events from time to time. We try to do something special for all mothers, living and deceased. In the past, we gave a single red rose; however, some mothers should receive white roses since that indicates that their mother is deceased. I will never forget the year that I was first eligible for a white rose. Believe me, I didn't like that, not one bit! I missed my mom so much and I wanted to wear a red rose so badly! I remember, as children, Mother would always go out in our yard and pick us a red rose to wear on Mother's Day Sunday. That was a special treat. One year, Mother's roses didn't do well so we ran to my aunt's house to see if she had any. No luck there, either, so we continued rambling the neighborhood until we found a few red roses, not the most beautiful, but red roses all the same. Since then, I have always felt like I was supposed to wear a red rose. Now, I cannot make myself wear a white rose. I don't even like them anymore!! BUT, there is one bright note which I shall always cherish: My mother was a fine Christian lady. And although, I must needs wear white roses on this earth, I have no doubt that she is living...living in Heaven with my Lord and Savior! What comfort that is! I truly believe that she would tell me: "Daughter, wear a red rose. For, I am alive...I am alive in Jesus!" Some day I will see her again and I hope we will both be wearing a beautiful red rose.

Thinking about our church's celebration of Mother's Day, last year, we began the tradition of lighting candles to honor and/or memorialize mothers; members of the church purchase the candle for a donation of $2.00 which will go toward cancer research. This year, we are nearing 100 mothers to remember. We, then, honor all mothers present with a small token of our love and appreciation. Lastly, we select a mother to honor by presenting her with a corsage, then spend a few moments elaborating on her background, her Christian work-past and present-, and tidbits of interest, sometimes humorous ones. Maybe I will share a bit of this with you in a future blog. It's a lot of fun and it gives our church members a chance to know this mother a little better.

Proud Mother

I have just returned from a dinner meeting of our National Honor Society. Tonight was the night for installing new officers for the 2006-2008 biennium. As a past president, I was honored when asked to perform the installations. Why would I be so excited to be in charge of this? Because my daughter, Kendra, is the newly-elected president! And, she will be a fine president! She has already identified her first project which is a great one! I'm very proud of Kendra and her many accomplishments. She is a nationally certified teacher which is also a great honor. Her students' scores on end of grade tests are always excellent. Why wouldn't any mom be proud to call her daughter!
If you will skip over to Kendra's Blog (click on the Kendra's Blog icon to the left of the page), you will note that she is an excellent writer, very entertaining... I'm proud!

Thinking First

I have just moved from my daughter's blog to mine and want to suggest that you skip over there to her blog and read her description of my brother-in-law who just passed away. She has such a wonderful way with words and I think you will appreciate this blog. Her description of Brother MC is perfect.
When I think of MC, I remember the way he always hesitated before answering a question or before making any comments. After thinking about this, I realize what he was doing. He was such a kind person that he would never want to hurt anyone's feelings, so when he spoke, he had always chosen the right words to say, the right words that the listeners needed to hear. Now, I believe we can all take a lesson from MC. Think before we speak, choose our words carefully. MC had so many, many friends; now, I understand why. He was an honest, caring, and tactful individual, one that others would seek his opinions. I wish I were so respected. I will have to work on this.

How Many do you Know?

My Hubby was doing a crossword puzzle in the local newspaper this morning and got hung up on this: the state capital that is the last one in the alphabet (7 letters). Needless to say, we were both unable to get this in an adequate amount of time and we were both very embarrassed! Well, we thought and thought, mentally and verbally ran through the list of states, and still didn't locate the right one. Finally...finally, we decided to turn to "Good ole Google" and there we found it right away. We were so done away with that we both said this would not happen to us again any time soon. Now, we are determined to refresh our memory with this information and also with other trivia. (Charles, our 10-year-old friend, we needed you here this morning!! I know you would have known this right away!) What about the rest of you readers? Do you know the 50 state capitals? How many can you name right away? I challenge each of you to name them, learn them, and remember them. Good Luck! And, may your recall key work better than ours!

Message Received

I just received a sad message that a friend of ours from Florida has just this morning passed away. This has not been a very good week in our household. I pray that it will get better for everyone involved. Flo had been suffering with bone cancer for 5 years; yet, she had the best attitude of anyone I have ever seen! She was always happy, upbeat, and friendly to all; a real pleasure for everyone! We will miss her cheerful and smiling countenance in the years to come. And, we cannot forget the dedication and support shown by her husband; he was always there for her. Another example of why we need loving family members. I hope you have one and that you are one.

Needing a friend

This has been a very sad time for me and my family. My sister lost her husband of 50 years to that dreaded disease, cancer, May 5, so I have been in mourning with her and her family. If you don't realize the importance of family and close friends, then hopefully, you have not experienced any heart-rending sorrow. I truly have more love and admiration for family and friends since I have witnessed first hand, how comforting it is to have these folks nearby during times of grieving. I would encourage all of you to build a firm and lasting bond with others. How do we do this? We, too, must be a good family member, a good friend, a good neighbor. My mother always told me that to have a friend, I had to be a friend. The fact is that some day in the future, whether near or far, we will face unpleasant events. So, in the meantime, let us all become a true and caring person, a friend. My brother-in-law was such a person: quiet, sincere, unassuming, gentle, and so caring of others, even when he was so very sick. We will miss Marcus so very much.
Thanks to my readers for continuing to read this blog. I ask for your prayers for my family at this time. We're needing a friend.

The Power

Thursday, May 4: National Day of Prayer...I hope that you are participating in this day's activities. And, the great thing is you don't have to go somewhere to participate if you prefer not to. We can pray wherever we are. Our state is having its prayer services on the grounds of the State Capitol but I won't be attending; however, I will be praying all day somewhere. We need to remember that there is power in prayer and our nation is in dire need of God's guidance. Billy Graham is encouraging us to remember all of our local, state, national and, yes, world leaders. I don't know about you, but I have special people in my life that I will be lifting in prayer, people who are facing health issues, family issues, and decision-making issues. I believe that God does answer prayer, that "no" can be an answer, and that no answer at the time is fine if my timing is not in keeping with the timing of Christ. Sometimes, I feel like I don't know what to pray for and need to just ask God to teach me to pray, to reveal to me what I should pray for; and, in all things, I need to ask that God's Will be done.

I am so thankful that I live in a country that allows me to express my beliefs and I thank God everyday for America. Thank you, Lord, for the Power of Prayer.

Make Time to Listen to the Young

Tonight was choir practice and we enjoyed the fellowship time together. It gets pretty funny with everyone unwinding from a busy day. Our pastor closed our time together with prayer for the many sick church family and friends. That's the sad part of life, knowing that someone is hurting. We just have to turn to God for His guidance and support during such times but it's not easy with deal with pain.
After practice, my sister and I enjoyed talking with one of the newest members of our church, a boy who will soon be going into Junior High School. He is one of the smartest boys and most interesting to talk with. His vocabulary is excellent; he speaks with precision; he excels in courtesy; and, I could go on and on about this young man. Many other boys could learn a great deal from Charles; in fact, all of us could learn a lot from him because he is absolutely full of trivia answers. Do you want to be entertained? Then, do as I did: find a young person, encourage them to talk with you; and, just sit, relax, and enjoy a time of great entertainment! It will lift your spirits, brighten your day, give you a good chuckle, and make you a new friend for years to come!

Vote or Not Vote

Election Day has once again passed with a very few of the people getting out to vote. Did you decide to vote or not vote? I have a feeling that we will hear more folks complaining than the number of people who voted. Our county had a fairly large turnover with most incumbents being ousted. Now, we will have to see what happens and pray for God's guidance that these leaders will call upon Him for His Divine guidance and support.
It's time for me to go to my Curves Weight Management class now. I'm doing okay but Hungry I am!! If you've ever tried to lose weight you know what I mean. Have a good rest of the day!

Kiddie Proof the Place

I just heard a conversation on CBS this morning about the safety of furniture, etc. in our homes. I wonder if you heard it or if you had even thought about some furniture being hazards for kiddies. They showed how dressers, chest-0f-drawers, etc. can be unsafe because children can use them to climb and try to get something out of their reach, ie, TV control, DVD's, toys, etc. It seems that many children are fatally injured just using furniture to give them a boost. I know my home is not childproof but I had not thought about some of the things shown. They also showed a strap that could be used to attach heavy furniture that's likely to tip over to the wall (I had never seen these but I'm sure you mothers out there know all about these safety tips but maybe not grandmothers like me). I wouldn't want anything to happen to one of precious ones and know you don't either.
I should know about some unsafe things since my youngest son, at the age of 3 pulled his brother's TV off a chest onto his foot. We were fortunate in that no bones were broken and it didn't hit his head or other parts of the body. We rushed him to the ER for X-rays and were so blessed that all was okay.
Would today be a good day for all of us parents and grandparents to re-evaluate the safety of our homes?

Have a great day, be safe, and keep your loved ones safe.

Act American

I decided to make today a day of visitation, not a fun thing to day when the people I visited are not well; however, it does the heart good to know that you may have made someone else's day a little brighter or that you may have lifted their spirits a little. We have a neighbor who has pancreatic cancer and, since January, has been given 5 to 6 months. She is now in a hospital bed and Hospice comes by every other day I think. She has only her grandson living with her but her sister and friends from a distant hometown spend time with her. Please remember her in your prayers. I'm going now to see a neighbor friend who had knee replacement last week. How blessed you are if you have good health; it seems there is so much sickness in this world.

What do you think of the walk-out/walk-off yesterday? I'm hearing mixed ideas. Personally, I don't believe that is the way to solve a problem. I have no problems with the legal immigrants and I admire them for trying to better themselves. I don't dislike illegals and I believe that everyone should have a chance to better themselves and their families; but I think they should enter in a legal way, become citizens, learn our language (English), and become contributing community members, paying taxes and social security like the rest of us. I do not believe that illegal immigrants have a right to assemble legally and make demands. Could we do that in their countries? NO. If we don't do something soon about the situation, the problem may get so big that we will lose all of our identity and the principles on which this country was founded. Perhaps if the people born and raised in our country showed more respect for its flag, its traditions, then others would react in a more acceptable manner. We need more Billy Graham's in our nation today and I pray that God will send more like him with his charisma and persuasive manner. I suggest that we stand up for America and shout, "God Bless America".

She Couldn't Keep a Secret!

Both of my blogs finally showed up I noticed. Now, I thought I would add another since my grandchildren and daughter came over later this afternoon. Livvy came with her doll that she wouldn't turn loose for anybody. She asked for a piece of candy, and I agreed to give her one. She said, "let's stay inside while I eat this, then Mommy won't know. No, Mommy won't know I ate a piece of candy." When she finished, we went outside and she runs up to her mommy and said, "Mommy, I ate a candy!" I thought this was great because now I believe that she will not be able to keep her dark secrets from her parents. Honesty always pays and Livvy learned this lesson when her mom allowed her to have a second candy later.
Clay was playing in the den and Livvy was heckling him. He looked up at me and said, "Sissy is getting on my nerves!" They were being so cute! Then Livvy responded, "No, I'm not getting on Clay's nerves. I'm resting." That's a joke, really, because she is constantly on the go if she's awake. Once again, I enjoyed their antics. There's nothing more entertaining than two three-year-olds! (I'll probably change that to four-year-olds next year!) The funny thing is that Hubby was sitting within 6 feet of both of them and had tuned them out completely! How does a man do that?

Where's my blog gone?

I blogged this morning around 8:00 AM and I noticed that at 1:00 PM, it is still not up but is in the viewing mode for me. So, I'm trying again to see which of the 2 may appear first.
I have had a burden to do some witnessing on my blog lately. I hope that I'm not turning you off and that you will continue to read my blog and refer others to this site; I feel the need to try to reach people for Jesus and to let you know what my convictions are. I still love all of you regardless of your beliefs. That's part of the American way and also God's way: the choice is yours. Please bear with me, indulge me this privilege and I will be grateful to you.

Weekend Review

As you see, I neglected my blog over the weekend, mostly because I had nothing special to blog about. The weekend was enjoyable in some ways and not in others. We visited my sweet brother-in-law who is in the hospital. I would like for my readers to remember him in their prayers. A sweeter man one could never find; considerate, quiet, unassuming, gentle, and caring. This man loves the Lord and lives his life in submission to Him. Please pray for God's Hand to be upon him at this time in his life.
I went to the wake of a father of one of our church members on Saturday. It was most obvious that this man and his family was well loved in his community because the crowd that showed up for the wake was huge. Actions speak more than a thousand words.
Yesterday morning, our Sunday School teacher had a wonderful lesson as always. One thing she impressed upon us to consider is to examine ourselves for any idols we may have in our lives. This might be food, clothing, habits, hobbies, children, spouse, friends, etc; anything that we may put before God. Sometimes, we may not think that we worship something other than God, but, if we ask God to reveal such idolatry to us, we may find that we are guilty of this. I like the way Millie asked us, symbolically, to place the idol in our life in the palm of our hand; make a fist; hold the fist up and let go, asking God to remove this idol from our lives. In all situations, it makes you feel really good when you let go and let God.

My daughter, her hubby and the 2 grandchildren came over for lunch. As always, they were so cute. Livvy had to sit in my lap awhile (like Granny didn't eat that up!) and Clay had to tell us all about his new Thomas the Train DVD he watched while camping this weekend. There is nothing sweeter than the voice of a happy little child sharing his or her excitement. Try it if you haven't. What fun!