. Anyway, have a good one to you. Neat blog and you have interesting contents here. 
hAVE A GREAT dAY! Thanks so much for your tag. 
I really appreciate you taking the time to drop by. I was looking for some great blogs and I found yours. Your layout is great, posts are easy to read... All around, it's a great journal. 
Have a great weekend! 
Welcome to my blog! Writing helps me to clarify the things that are banging around in my head. How about you? Do you work through your thoughts and feelings by writing them down? Then come on over for the dialog! Your feedback is appreciated! Just sign up in the box in the right hand column that says, "Subscribe to Journal," and you'll receive regular updates in your email.
Sally
It’s time for a mid-year check up! How are you doing with your goals for 2009? Have you met them? Surpassed them? Thought about them?
If a goal is not clearly defined, then it will be clearly missed. Look back to see what was at the top of your list at the end of last December. Is it still a priority? If not, then scratch it off of your list. If yes, then what steps have you taken to meet it? Do you need to break it down into chunks that are more manageable? Is it realistic? Are you still heading in that direction, or do you find your life taking a different course? Examine your steps. Adjust your course, if needed. Look ahead to the outcome you want, and then backtrack to find out what it will take to get you there. Have you asked the Lord for help? I talked more about this here, but the bottom line is that God wants to be a part of every decision we face in life. He wants us to reach beyond mediocre to do the things that He created us for…the things that make Him shine because He created them in us.
So, how about it? Are you ready to tackle those goals with renewed purpose?
Sally
The Uganda Mission Team is sponsoring a chicken dinner at 12:30 for everyone who can come! Thereafter, we’ll have a wild time bidding on items from restaurant certificates to china dolls to flowering plants to a load of gravel to babysitting to… The list is endless!
This morning as I was baking bread for the auction, I kept thinking about the Sunday School lesson. We’re studying David Gudgel’s book, Before You Get Engaged. In chapter 11 David talks about waiting until after the wedding to have sex, and God’s Word says “It is God's will that you should be sanctified: that you should avoid sexual immorality;” 1 Thessalonians 4:3 (New International Version)
Since that goes against the grain of our culture, I know the question could be, “How do we know we’re sexually compatible?”
But think about that bread that’s baking in the oven right now. How do I know it will turn out good? What if an ingredient is missing from the recipe? How do I know the recipe will work for me? Can I slice it when it comes out of the oven, just to be sure? NO! I can’t take bread to the auction that’s already been broken! That’s where I have to have faith in all the cooks that have gone before me. And we have to have faith in God’s recipe for marriage. Others who have gone before us know that God’s recipe works. And that’s a delicious recipe for those who bake it right!
Rhonda Clark reviewed A Cup of Comfort at her site and is giving away a package from my friend, Karen Whiting. The interview with Karen is posted on Rhonda's site here and Karen's site is here. Enjoy! It's great to see the connections.
Sally
Some 28 years ago, seniors at Heritage Christian School in Indianapolis began the journey of a lifetime. We went our separate ways into the unknown to carve out a niche for ourselves. I am loving the opportunity to catch up with my classmates on facebook, and had to share this with you. My classmate, Scott McElroy, has an interview about his book on youtube!
Last night, Dawn Samuelson said: The doctors just told us that the biopsy was positive for rejection but they seem confident that they can get a handle on things. The medication they will give will protect the liver and help with some of the other problems Ry is having. Still in ICU. Ryan wanted lunchables and the doctor said I could go get him some. Things are looking up. Thank you everyone for all the prayers they do work.
Today: the doctors got Ryan out of bed and sat him in a chair for the first time since surgery. He is not happy about it. The kidney numbers are giving him problems with all the steriods given to protect the liver. What a game of meds. He looks good for all that he has been through.
Yesterday, Julie Sadowski said: John's surgery was over at 1:00pm, but they hadn't spoken to the surgeon. We just rec'd word that the surgery went well and he only needed 2 bypasses! Thanks so much for all of the prayers, Love and God bless, Julie
Today, Laura Jean Short SilvisThank you Sally for spreading the updates. I want everyone to know what God did for my family this weekend. You are the greatest. Thank you again.
Prayer. The tool God uses to connect us to Himself and to one another. Where would we be without it?
Sally
Please pray for two families going through surgery this a.m.
Seven year old Ryan Samuelson is having difficulties with a liver transplant. Pray that the blood vessels will heal and allow his body to accept this organ.
John Short is having 2-3 bypass and has had at least two heart attacks since Saturday.
God hears the prayers of His people!
Sally
Kay Warren calls herself “a seriously disturbed woman.” When she invited God to change her perception of the AIDS pandemic, she found such disturbing pain that her heart shattered too. Kay says “while I had been raising my family and serving in my church, a humanitarian crisis of gargantuan proportions had been escalating on our planet.” (p. 19)
What shatters your heart? What topic gives you a queasy stomach and makes you want to flee? Could it be that God wants to use that aversion for good?
In her book, Dangerous Surrender, Kay’s compelling words urge you to release your self-sufficiency and surrender to God “in the boldest and riskiest step you can take.” (p. 24)
I don’t know about you, but I’m tired of “doing business as usual.” I want to step my involvement in life up a notch. What will that mean? I don’t know yet, but Kay says God uses ordinary women like me to multiply His work in the world, when surrendered to Him! So, surrender is the first step I will take.
How about you?
Sally
World War II Memorial, Washington, D.C.
Vietnam Veterans Memorial, Washington, D.C.
Korean War Veterans Memorial, Washington, D.C.
Freedom is never free.
Sally
The school was all abuzz tonight. Smiles were everywhere. The Spanish Club brought in baked goods, and sold Tom’s BBQ Chicken. Other clubs sold cotton candy, bottled drinks, ice cream and more. Even though my teens wouldn’t dream of hanging out with their mom, they were polite and came to see me a couple of times (for money to spend on the food and games 
). It was a pleasant nite of visiting with other parents.
The Art Dept displayed the latest masterpieces; the Home & Careers classes brought out their works in progress, and the Music Dept had concerts for parents to observe.
And, here we are, almost to the end of another school year.
Will Nate’s senior year go by this fast? Will I blink and miss Anna’s sophomore year?
People say that life slows down immensely when you’re no longer a Taxi Mom and the kids head off to college. It’s hard to imagine that stage of life right now; everybody’s low on sleep & short on patience.
But that’s what I thought when they were babies…seemed like we would never leave the diaper stage! And yet, here they are in high school.
Have they learned the tools they’ll need to function as adults? Has their self-esteem been established on a firm foundation? Will they survive on their own in the world?
A mom can do more than hope. I can pray…for wisdom, discernment, protection…
My kids have come so far in the short span of their lives. And I know the Lord is not finished with any of us yet. He will continue to equip all of us for our tomorrows. We just have to live one day at a time and revel in His Goodness. When I lay my head down on the pillow tonight, I can rest assured that The Lord will shelter us in the palm of His gentle hand. Praise His Name!
Sally
My college age Sunday School class is studying a book called “Before You Get Engaged,” by David Gudgel & Brent Gudgel with Danielle Fitch. It asks interesting questions about couples and how they approach the dating relationship and progress toward marriage. We have been engrossed in the dialogue that results and really learned a lot about ourselves.
As I prepare for class tomorrow, I am a bit bothered by chapter 9, “Are You Better Together Than Apart?”
When I married my Honey almost 22 years ago, I don’t remember being mature enough to honestly answer the questions of interdependence. Brent asks, “Are there places in my life where I need someone else to help me be better and more capable?”
When I think back over my years of marriage, I can’t think of too many times when I’ve been teachable. I’m pretty head-strong and independent. I get defensive when someone tells me I’m not doing something right. Ouch!
Can you relate? Are you aware of your weaknesses and willing to face them rationally? Women tend to beat themselves up for shortcomings. Yet, the Gudgels assert that in a marriage, we can celebrate our weaknesses because we have the other to compliment those weak spots with their strengths.
Hmmm. That’s a novel idea. We don’t have to compete with our spouse but we can each shine as a part of the whole!
How do you work through personality differences with your spouse? Have you found ways to compliment each other?
Looking forward to your insight,
Sally
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