My Collection

I have the greatest friends in the world. So, if you are my friend...THANK YOU, and if you are not...well, you should be, you'd be in great company. But it is funny, my friends are so very...well how should I say this???? VARIED. I have a well-rounded group of friends. And my relationships with each of them individually are just as varied. Some I talk to almost everyday. Some, once every week or two. Some, every month or two. Some are wild and crazy. Some are quiet, wall-flowers. I have friends that are always the same day in and day out, and some that seem to change daily. But all in all, I am incredibly blessed. I have friends...good friends. Loyal friends. Caring friends. Silly friends. Wise friends. Deep friends. Young and old friends. Giving and generous friends. Loving friends. Simply beautiful friends. A collection of souls that are so near and dear to my heart. Ahhh, the joy of amazing friends. Thank you God for all of the friends you have placed in my life and have so richly blessed me with. I am humbled and grateful for each of them.

3-C's

Seems like I am always running into 3 C's.

Well here is another set that I ran into today and I liked.

The Three C's of a Successful Relationship:

1. Commitment-The first key trait is Commitment. This is the foundation that undergirds every good relationship. Solomon says that "love is as strong as death" (Song of Solomon 8:6). Commitment is a serious thing because when we commit in marriage, we are also committing to a Holy God.

2. Communication-The second key trait is Communication. This is something that takes a lifetime of practice. But it has to be a serious pursuit, especially for men. In Song of Solomon 8:13, the Shulammite says, "Let me hear it (your voice)." Talking about what is happening in our life, both the big and small things, and truly sharing with our spouse adds strength to our relationship's foundation. And when communication breaks down, refer to #1.

3. Compassion-The final key trait is Compassion. We have to be sensitive to our spouses. Sometimes it is easy to take them for granted, to overlook their feelings, and to be nicer to others. Meeting each others needs, even during the difficult times, is a true act of compassion. And when being compassionate is difficult, refer to #1.

Based on what Solomon says your relationship can't go wrong if you concentrate on developing these three C's.

-Bob Hudson-

Worth quoting...

Repentance is not only saying, “I’m sorry.”

It is also saying, “I’m through.”

Tee Hee Hee!

Want to make God laugh out loud?!?!?!?

--Tell Him your plans.

Rainy Day Joy

Finally...Jacket-weather.

Little Bit was so excited this morning about the rain.

She LOVES rain.

Snapped a pic from my phone this morning to capture her rainy day joy in her little pink jacket.

Ahhh, cooler weather. I love it!

Foot Prints of Satan

I was in an emergency room late one night last week.Victims of Satan filled the halls. A child—puffy, swollen eyes. Beaten by her father. A woman—bruised cheeks, bloody nose. “My boyfriend got drunk and hit me,” she said, weeping. An old man—unconscious and drunk on a stretcher. He drooled blood in his sleep.

Jesus saw the victims of Satan, too.

He saw a leper one day … fingers gnarled … skin ulcerated … face disfigured.And he got indignant … angry.Not a selfish, violent anger. A holy anger … a controlled frustration … a compassionate disgust. And it moved him. It moved him to action.

I’m convinced that the same Satan stalks today,causing the hunger in Somalia … the confusion in the Mideast … the egotism on the movie screen … the apathy in Christ’s church. And Satan giggles among the dying.

Dear Father,

May we never grow so “holy,” may we never be so “mature,” may we never become so “religious” that we can see the footprints of Satan and stay calm.

-Max Lucado-

Happy Friday!

"As we grow up, we learn that even the one person that wasn't supposed to ever let you down probably will. You will have your heart broken probably more than once and it's harder every time. You'll break hearts too, so remember how it felt when yours was broken. You'll fight with your best friend. You'll blame a new love for things an old one did. You'll cry because time is passing too fast, and you'll eventually lose someone you love. So take too many pictures, laugh too much, and love like you've never been hurt because every sixty seconds you spend upset is a minute of happiness you'll never get back."

I don't know about any of you, but over the course of my life I have wasted WAY too many 60-seconds intervals upset with myself, someone else, or circumstances in life. Life is too short, too wonderful, and too precious to waste any of those treasured and numbered minutes...upset. Watch a sunset, blow bubbles with your child, turn up the music and dance in your living room, hug a stranger, use the good china, share yourself with others--your REAL self. LIVE and LOVE with reckless abandon! Give up the past, stop dragging it behind you. (Take it from someone who has done it long enough!!!!) Cut the ties that bind you, take a deep breath in, and go really live life and love deeply...it is exhilarating!

HUGS,

C

Power of Temptation

The tuna were running for the first time in 47 years, only 30 miles off Cape Cod. And they were biting! Last fall all you needed to catch one was a sharp hook and some bait. And the rewards for doing so were substantial. Rumor had it that Japanese buyers would pay $50,000 for a nice bluefin!That's why many would-be fishermen ignored Coast Guard warnings and headed out to sea in small boats. But what these new fishermen didn't realize was the problem is not catching a tuna—the problem comes after they're caught.On September 23, the Christi Anne, a 19-foot boat, capsized while doing battle with a tuna. That same day the 27-foot boat Basic Instinct suffered the same fate, while Official Business, a 28-footer, was swamped after it hooked onto a 600-pound tuna. The tuna pulled it under water.These fishermen underestimated the power of the fish they were trying to catch. That is what temptation does to us. It takes us by surprise. It looks manageable on the surface. Only after we hook into it do we discover its strength.—

(Edwards, Kent. Taken from Boston Globe, (10/2/99), quoted in Leadership Journal, “To Illustrate Plus,” Spring 2000, Vol. 21, No. 2, p. 69.

See: Proverbs 14:12; James 1:13-15; 2 Peter 3:8-15)

~Hooray for Hay~

Fall Fun

My little 'punkin' picking her pumpkin!

2 years old, today!

Happy Birthday my angel! I love you SOOO much!

Pure Joy

Oh my goodness...is there anything cuter than this smile? She is such an angel! Her joy bubbles right out of her. It is contagious. I catch it everytime I am around her. What a blessing she is!

I'm not THAT lonely!

I saw this over the weekend and laughed out loud. I had to get a picture. The good thing is that it did make me laugh... That's progress. But I also know that I have found Mr. Right. The only one that I need and the only one that is exactly RIGHT for me. We all know this, but sometimes we think that some human being is going to be able to sustain us as well and that is simply not true. God is all that we need. People are just a bonus! They are icing on the cake. They make this life a little sweeter, but alone, they are not enough for any of us. So, this scene made me laugh because I know that I am not going to sit around die waiting for Mr. Right. I know God has it covered. If he sends me an earthly love...I will be thankful, if He doesn't...I will be thankful. He's got it covered. So enjoy this pic...I did.