
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.
Happy Easter !
we can make a difference if we all do a little
Have a blessed week!
I wish we had fall color sooo much - but down on the coast we don't get much color. Hope you enjoy it.
Steven Curtis Chapman was on Larry King Live Thursday night. As his family talked about the tragic death of their five year old, I wondered how people would respond to their comments. It seems we have a lot of pat phrases we use when people are hurting, many of which fall on deaf ears. The Chapmans said the most comfort they received was when people didn’t try to say something clever, but just came alongside them in their grief.
We don’t know why God allows bad things to happen, but His Word assures us that He cares.
Isaiah 49:13 (NIV) “…the Lord comforts His people and will have compassion on His afflicted ones.”
Isaiah 51:12 (NIV) "I, even I, am He who comforts you.”
Isaiah 66:13 (NIV) “As a mother comforts her child, so will I comfort you;”
2 Cor. 1:4 (NIV) “who comforts us in all our troubles, so that we can comfort those in any trouble with the comfort we ourselves have received from God.”
2 Cor. 7:6 (NIV) “But God, who comforts the downcast, comforted us”
1 Peter 5:7 (NIV) “Cast all your anxiety on Him because He cares for you.”
John 11:35 (NIV) “Jesus wept.”
Sally
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Has God called you to be a...
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HE PASSED! On the way home from the Road Test and from dropping Nate off at football conditioning, I started to realize what was happening. I was going through a series of “lasts” and not even realizing it! That was the last time to drive him to practice. The last time to carry on a conversation in the van about his day. The last time to give him play by play directions to the destination point. Maybe the last time to drive him to youth activities.
How does a parent learn to let go? I’ve heard that it is a process we begin the day they are born. We let go with a series of “firsts.” The first day with a babysitter. The first day of school. The first sleepover.
So it is with life. Endings become new beginnings and we step into a new chapter of life. One day at a time.
Sally
I got to watch a photo shoot today! I’m still pinching myself, but it really did happen! Country Woman Magazine came to catch
With digital cameras, they were able to set the pictures behind computer templates for the magazine cover, to see if they were getting an angle they liked. They also caught great shots of the horses in the background and could work on them to adjust images. It was fascinating to watch the process.
Don’t you love it when the Lord lets you see a slice of life that is different from your own? We each have a story, a tale to tell of God’s presence in the difficult times, and of His mercy in the good times. We learn so much from sharing those experiences and seeing God’s faithfulness. So take David’s advice today: Be strong, show your character, and follow God’s ways (I Kings 2:2-3). You have things about you that are “uniquely-you” and much to offer to the world. Go and tell!
Sally
P.S. Dawn will be the cover girl on the June/July 2009 issue of Country Woman!
Hubby returned late last nite with our 16 year old son. They had driven three hours one way to see the Cleveland Browns do a scrimmage. They also added a tour of the Indians’ Stadium (that’s sacred ground in the
Yup. It was a good day.
Us gals did what gals like to do. We went shopping. Of course, it was a necessity, ‘cause we had to get school clothes (for both of us). I think we hit almost every store at the Mall. We decided to Shop ‘til you Drop (me, not her – she’s 14 and can outlast any seasoned shopper!). Then we had supper at Applebee’s. Appetizers and all.
It was a very good day.
Ya know what I’m thinkin’? I think God must love to spend time with His kids as much as we love to be with ours. He loves to laugh with us and giggle and share a good appetizer. He chuckles when He sees us enjoying what He created for our good. And He sees all that He has made, and all of His hopes and dreams for His people, and on the day when we come and ask Him to be the leader of our lives?
He declares it, “That’s a very, very good day!”
Sally
Genesis 1:31 NIV “God saw all that He had made, and it was very good.”
Zephaniah 3:17 (NIV)
The Lord your God is with you,
He is mighty to save.
He will take great delight in you,
He will quiet you with his love,
He will rejoice over you with singing."
If you’re Born Organized, then I have a question for you.
How do you stay on-task when it means disrupting other people?
Yesterday I had great intentions to Finish What I Start. (Don’t laugh at me.
) I declared war with the spiders in our house. And off I went with the vacuum cleaner and hose. I scoured every nook and cranny I could find. I chased every spider and grabbed its’ webs. I was a woman on a mission! Until…I came to the TV room. Everything came to a halt because I didn’t want to bother the ones who were viewing.
Today, the vacuum cleaner is in mourning because it still sits where I left it! 
How do you stay on-track without bullying others to accommodate you?
Sally
1 Corinthians 14:40 (NIV)
But everything should be done in a fitting and orderly way.
Usually we think of habits as those bad things that are ingrained. How about some good habits, like exercise, keeping up with clutter, or hugging your family every day? (If you have teens, then you know that is a lofty goal!)
A habit I would like to work on is the self-discipline of staying on-task. But I struggle with the tyranny of the urgent. I tell myself, “I don’t want to focus on just one thing, because it would become an obsession.” But, truthfully, I am just easily sidetracked.
Marla says the BO people (born organized) are able to get more things done because they finish what they start. (Hmmm. I thought being sidetracked was a normal part of a mom’s life!) Well, I’ll have to add some more self-discipline to the mix.
I want to…but will I?
According to Dr. Jay Adams, it takes six weeks to develop a habit. Three to get comfortable with the new practice. And three more to incorporate it into yourself. So, how about turning over a new leaf? For today, I’m going to finish what I start. That sounds like the beginning of a good habit!
Sally
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My kids have been staying up late with their summer freedom. They spend a lot of time talking to their friends on the internet, who evidently are also getting to stay up late. Actually, it’s nice for me in the morning, as it gives me a quiet house in which to work while they catch up on their sleep.
Well, I noticed they watched Mrs. Doubtfire the night before last. If you remember the storyline, it’s about a dad who learns take care of the house and his life in unconventional ways. Somewhere between returning from the youth convention in 
There was a note on the countertop when I got up in the morning: “we just wanted to do something special for you so that you didn’t have to worry about the dishes…we love you.”
I think I must have read it four or five times before my brain finally registered what had happened. Behold; a clean countertop!
So, I got a glimpse of what can happen when we don’t give up on our kids. They really are listening. They really do care about their families. And, 
Sally
For supper, we went to The Blue Heron.
The first shop I must visit is called Wonderments (716-769-7190 ) . I have found many treasures in this special place over the years. Lace and tea, bath soaps and garden adornments fill this shop. Today, my treasure was an adorable teacup and saucer with birds and branches. It is a nice memento of our trip to
Beth’s Candle Cottage is a great place to go for gifts. When you walk in the door, your nose immediately kicks into high gear as you sniff the myriad of offerings. In the production room out back, a new scent is always on trial as the candles are being poured into molds. Our Own Candle Co. has a boatload of woodsy items. Bear designs are a big theme there, right alongside candles. And another unusual treat is at Pick-A-Bouquet (716-769-7557  
. Here you can wander through all kinds of flowers to make your own arrangement.
The cozy feel of small-town friendliness is a part of the whole experience at
Sally
At a week-long 4H camp in
Isn’t that what Jesus did for us? He came to translate the Father’s love in a way we could comprehend it. And more than understanding, He wanted us to personally experience it!
Now that’s better than horse sense!
Find out more about Dawn’s work at www.dawnscoat.com
Volunteers are needed in all kinds of organizations, all across the world. Every city has need for people to step up and help others. From nursing home visitors to pet shelter walkers to neighborhood cleanup crews, we can make a difference and show pride in our own arena.
I’ve started a new blog for our local community center. It houses the soup kitchen, thrift store, and many other programs to help people who are in midst of a difficult time.
You can help out by leaving comments about ways that your vicinity lends a helping hand. Or maybe you have been on the receiving end? When my son and I went to
Stop in at http://thegate.braveblog.com
Blessings to you as you give to others,
Sally