May 3rd Mega Post...Reflections

This is a reflection on who I met and what I enjoyed most about the A-Z Challenge issued by Arlee Bird over @tossing it out for the month of April.  Arlee is the reason all this has happened, and I am forever changed because of meeting him.

The list of writers, poets, and photographers listed below are in no way in order of favorites, as everyone I have met in this challenge is a favorite of mine.  I am only listing a few, but please know that I am thankful  for each and every one of you that participated in the challenge issued from Arlee @tossing it out!

Let's take for instance Yvonne @Welcome To My World of Poetry.  She has a remarkable way of writing poetry and pulling you in. She is a wonderful commentor who never fails to make me feel like I did a good job on my piece for the day.  I have enjoyed her posts ever so much, and feel like I made a new friend in her as well. Yvonne, you are a peach.

Of course I have to talk about Gregg @Gospel Driven Disciples.  This has been such a sweet reunion of families, I can't even begin to tell you how sweet it is.  Gregg and his wife are old "Best Friends" to my parents and their children and my brother and I grew up together, for awhile anyway.  We were a tight knit group, who did everything together it seemed. Us kids played all sorts of games together, went skating in the cul-de-sac, the girls and I made mud pies and pretended to cook wonderful food under the Walnut tree, we even hunted for blue belly lizards together. God used this challenge to bring us back together again, and I am forever grateful!   Gregg is a wonderful writer with a wealth of knowledge that astounds me every time I read something he has written. Gregg, so glad to know you all over again.

Rae over @Porch Ponderings with Rae always has a sweet comment to make on my blog post, she is a wonderful writer herself i,f I may say so.  She certainly has a witty way of writing, that is for sure, as I have enjoyed reading many of her posts. Rae, I am so happy to have met you.

Leo over @Symphony is a wonderful poet who I am better off for knowing. I cannot wait to read more of his stuff in the future. Leo, glad to have met you.

The Alliterative Allomorph is wonderful at alliteration, and that is the understatement of the year.  She can just turn a phrase like no one else, and I have enjoyed her posts very much.  She is someone I can see myself returning to on a more regular basis, as what she writes is very interesting indeed.  Happy to have met you.

Ron @The Old Geezer Blog is such a sweetie.  He has been a wonderful cheerleader for this challenge, and has worked hard to read and comment often.  Wonderfully glad to have met you Ron.

Over at Bry's place @trying to reason, I have found some hilarious posting going on.  She has done a wonderful job and is a joy to read as well. So very happy to have met you Bry.

Fifi @Fifi's Flowers has posted some absolutely lovely pictures from Paris.  She is a wonderful blogger and I do so enjoy her Virual tour of Paris she has been doing this month of April.  Such beautiful and exquisite paintings she has shared as well as some very wonderful looking photos of food and settings.  I have so enjoyed living vicariously through your wonderful posts of Paris.

Bud @B-e-ing Transformed is a wonderful friend.  He is so honest and open in his writing, and I so enjoy that.  He is a sweetie and has read and commented on many of my posts and I thank him for that! Bud so glad to have you as a friend and a brother.

Wanda @The Watered Soul is a sweetie and I feel I made another good friend in her. I have so enjoyed the comments she has made and also reading her wonderful posts. So very glad to have met you Wanda.

The writings and reviews over at Alex J. Cavanaugh's place are over the top great.  Alex is a wonderful writer as well as someone who makes an awesome effort to comment on my humble blog. Thanks Alex, I am glad to have made your acquaintence.

Ellie over at Ella's Edge is just as sweet as can be.  She has such a wonderful blog, you just have to go see for yourself.  Ellie, thanks so much for all the commenting and encouraging you did on my blog posts, it has been so nice getting to know you.

I have to say that one of my favorite finds has been Ruby over @Blabbin' Grammy.  She is such a sweetie, who has so much to share.  Her stories of days gone by are wonderfully detailed and take you right to the place and time she is talking about.  Reading her posts is like sitting at her kitchen table having a muffin and a wonderful visit with her.  It feels like I found another Grandma in her, and I will definitely be keeping in touch. Ruby, you are a breath of fresh air and I am so glad to call you a friend.

I have met so many wonderful people and for that I am grateful.  Arlee probably had no idea how big this challenge would grow to be, but I am forever in his debt because of it. The people I have met are all wonderful and I feel like because of this challenge, I have a much bigger circle of friends to share life with. I also feel I have become a better writer as well. I have a larger group of blogs to follow and comment on, but that is a good thing, for I say you can never have too many friends, now enemies...that is something entirely different. I have made no enemies here, just wonderful friends and I thank you for enriching my life even more.

I am sending out a BIG Thankyou to all who participated in this Challenge not just to the ones named above...THANKYOU FROM THE BOTTOM OF MY EVER LOVIN' PEA PICKIN' HEART!  Take a minute and give yourselves a well deserved round of applause, you certainly deserve it.

“I am only one, but I am one. I cannot do everything, but I can do something. What I can do, I should do and With the help of God, I will do." ~Everette Hale

Z is for...Zero, Zinc and Zither

 

Zero is defined as...the origin of any kind of measurement; line or point from which all divisions of a scale, as a thermometer, are measured in either a positive or a negative direction.

Zero can be a positive or negative thing said about someone other than yourself, for instance; "She has zero fat on her body"...or, "He is a total zero in my book."  Zero can tell you if there is any nutrients in the food you eat, or carcinogens in the hairspray you use.  It's all in the way you use the word, isn't it!

Zinc is A bluish-white, lustrous metallic element that is brittle at room temperature but malleable with heating. It is used to form a wide variety of alloys including brass, bronze, various solders, and nickel silver, in galvanizing iron and other metals, for electric fuses, anodes, and meter cases, and in roofing, gutters, and various household objects. Atomic number 30; atomic weight 65.39; melting point 419.4°C; boiling point 907°C; specific gravity 7.133 (25°C). *When I think of zinc, I think of the stuff we painted on our noses before going out in the sun at the beach..lol...or the essential mineral Zinc*

Zither is a musical instrument, consisting of a flat sounding box with numerous strings stretched over it, that is placed on a horizontal surface and played with a plectrum and the fingertips. Here is a picture of a Hebrew Zither. It is a very beautiful and melodic instrument.  Don't you think so?

I have to say this was a hard post, mostly because I am in so much pain and did not have the wherewithall (yes it's a word in the urban dictionary, I checked) to do this one in advance. This has been a wonderful challenge over all and I have had a lot of fun coming up with various posts. Hope ya'll enjoy this last post of mine, now go on over to Arlee's @tossing it out and comment on way more than Zero other posts.

“I am only one, but I am one. I cannot do everything, but I can do something. What I can do, I should do and With the help of God, I will do." ~Everette Hale

Y is for...You are Holy

This is a beautiful song and due to the amount of pain I am in, it is all I will be posting today.  I truly hope you enjoy this wonderful song.

“I am only one, but I am one. I cannot do everything, but I can do something. What I can do, I should do and With the help of God, I will do." ~Everette Hale

X is for...eXtra

I know extra doesn't start with the letter X, but hey, ya gotta do what ya gotta do!

We live in a world of extra's don't we! Whether it is extra butter on your popcorn at the movie's, or extra cheese on your hamburger at your local fast food restaurant, extra's are everywhere, you can't get away from them. 

You can get extra minutes on your cell phone, extra time on a payment plan, you can even get extra extra's on your new car.  Anywhere you look you find extra's.

I even found a British television program called Extras.  It is a sitcom about extras working on film sets and in theatre.  It was co-produced by the BBC and HBO, and is created, written and produced by Ricky Gervais and Stephen Merchant, both of whom star in it. 

There is also a movie called The Extra (2005) starring no one I know or recognize.  The plot is about a simplistic bloke with innocent eyes who sees movie stars getting money and girls, and says, why not me? It is only a 4.3 out of 10 stars...and no I have never seen it. 

My point is everywhere you look, you can find an extra of some sort or another.  It is kind of like super sizing it at certain fast food places.  I mean you can ask for extra time on a court case, extra miles on your rental car, and even extra pillows for your bed at the bed and breakfast you are staying at.  I myself have a set of extra deep pocket sheets for my extra deep pillow top mattress, extra long pillow cases for my queen sized pillow and extra channels for my cable box.

So now I can have extra butter on my popcorn, while laying on my extra deep pillow top mattress, watching my extra channels and snuggling back against my queen size pillow with the extra long pillow case.  I will be holding my extra special puppies and watching something or another with my extra special sweetie as well. 

Now go on over to extra special Arlee @tossing it out and find some extra special people to comment on!

“I am only one, but I am one. I cannot do everything, but I can do something. What I can do, I should do and With the help of God, I will do." ~Everette Hale

W is also for...Weight loss

Hey all, I just wanted to post a short update on my weight loss.  It has been a challenge to keep my calories below 1500 and to get up and get moving.  I was doing great in the moving department for quite awhile, but as you know I have been sick for about 3 weeks, so that has put a damper on that. 

I have been keeping track of my calories through a great website here that allows you to track your calories, weight and activity.  It also has a place for you to blog or journal about your journey, as well as meet others in your situation depending on your age, weight loss or medical needs.  It has been nice to be able to go and see how I am doing throughout the day, or week.  I can also look back and see my trends on a scale chart. This website has it all, so far I cannot complain, it's also....free!

I have Bronchitis so I am not getting in any exercise, but I am watching what I eat and how much I eat and today I am at 20lbs down, 40 to go.  The excitement is palpable, I'm just sayin'.  So there is your update from me, I have appreciated all the kudos and concern for my health, I am getting a bit better in regards to the Bronchitis, but have a ways to go.  Perhaps next week I can start up my exercise again, yay...for bike rides!  I miss my new beach cruiser...her name is Dory because she is blue and yellow like on Finding Nemo...I know it's silly, but she is just a cutie patootie!

“I am only one, but I am one. I cannot do everything, but I can do something. What I can do, I should do and With the help of God, I will do." ~Everette Hale

W is for...Word Verification

Warning...what you are about to read is just my opinion and in no way should be taken as an offense...it is meant in jest and fun and in no way is about anyone in particular.

This post is going to be about Word Verification because I find it annoying, but that is just my very humble opinion.  Some find it necessary and that is okay, but I got rid of it a long time ago due to complaints about it being a pain in the butt for my commentors.  I quite honestly felt offended when I read a comment from a fellow blogger that said basically "Great blog, I'm a follower, Now if you could just get rid of the word verification." Since I got rid of it I found more people commented...coincidence, maybe...maybe not.

Now that I have been doing a lot more commenting I totally understand what she was talking about, it is very annoying to have to do word verification for 98% of my commenting.  *(notice, it does not stop me from commenting)*  For me and my blog it serves no purpose but to suppossedly annoy my sweet and loyal group of followers and I certainly don't want to do that, so it is *POOF* gone. *(see how easily I am persuaded)*  Here is a list of word verification prompts I have had in just a two days of commenting:

hapoosti
emitions
irdse
mychante
boregi
imnityla
medun
codwie
consi
witem
cticize
nesho
consia
inaticia
panaer
sagifa
chictin
cappr
baunt
strobers

That being said, I personally do not like word verification, but if you do that is perfectly fine, to each their own.  I just thought it would make for interesting fodder...um...material to blog about.  Now have a good day and hop on over to tossing it out and read up on some other interesting blogs. 

 *I am still recovering from my Bronchitis and had a hard time coming up with a "W" post, and I am on medication so I will blame that for this dismal post, it is not up to par with what I normally do, so I do apologize to any and all I may have offended* I love you all, I really do!

“I am only one, but I am one. I cannot do everything, but I can do something. What I can do, I should do and With the help of God, I will do." ~Everette Hale

V is for...Video

This video is just words but I really just wanted to share the song and sound with you, so just close your eyes, sit back and enjoy!

This past weekend was a wonderful time of catching up with old friends. We talked of days gone past and shared memories as well. Unfortunately for me, it included a trip to the E.R. Dept. of the local Hospital, but alas I am okay, I survived.  As you all know I have been sick lately and I was under the assumption I was getting better, but the day after I arrived at my mom's I was finding myself not able to breathe well at all, to the point of panic.  So Mom, me and my friend Shannon's mom took a trip to the E.R.  where I was diagnosed with acute Bronchitis, given a lesson on inhaler's and spacers, written an Rx and sent on my merry way.  I am resting and breathing a little better. 

 Today I will share with you this little snipet of my weekend with my Friends and this video above, as well as the Very tongue twisty post below this one.  I will write a bigger more detailed blog post when I have had a chance to really sit and reflect on our special time together, and when I'm feeling a bit better. Have a wonderful day and God bless!

“I am only one, but I am one. I cannot do everything, but I can do something. What I can do, I should do and With the help of God, I will do." ~Everette Hale

Very Tongue Twisty

Do you remember these things? I had fun as a child trying to say these as fast as I could without tying my tongue in knots. I thought this would be a Very fun post, so have fun going down memory lane.  I challenge you to try saying each one as fast as you can. but watch out, don't twist up your tongue. 

How much wood would a woodchuck chuck
if a woodchuck could chuck wood?
He would chuck, he would, as much as he could,
and chuck as much wood as a woodchuck would
if a woodchuck could chuck wood.

Peter Piper picked a peck of pickled peppers.
A peck of pickled peppers Peter Piper picked.
If Peter Piper picked a peck of pickled peppers,
where's the peck of pickled peppers Peter Piper picked?


Sally sells seashells by the seashore.
The shells Sally sells are surely from the sea.


Swan swan over the sea,
Swim, swan, swim;
Swan swam back again,
Well swum, swan.


A sailor went to sea
To see, what he could see.
And all he could see
Was sea, sea, sea.


The fishy fish

Went swishy swish swish

As it swam along the shore

It had two baby fishes,

That would fit in two dishes

And who could ask for more?

How many boards

Could the Mongols hoard

If the Mongol hordes got bored?


A tutor who tooted the flute
Tried to tutor two tooters to toot
Said the two to the tutor
"Is it tougher to toot
Or to tutor two tooters to toot?"

Now go on over to Tossing it out and have a great weekend ya'll.

"I am only one, but I am one. I cannot do everything, but I can do something. What I can do, I should do and, With the help of God, I will do.”
~Everett Hale

U is for...Us

Us
You and me
Together
Make us

Our thoughts
Tumbled together
Collectively thus

Making sense

Our love entwined
Fashioning our children
Their eyes reflecting
Us

Your heart
And mine
Together
Make us

This is my attemp at poetry, hope you enjoyed it, now go on over to Arlee @tossing it out and have a great day ya'll. 

“I am only one, but I am one. I cannot do everything, but I can do something. What I can do, I should do and With the help of God, I will do." ~Everette Hale

T is for...Toby Mac

TobyMac

TobyMac, born Kevin Michael McKeehan October 22, 1964 is one of my Favorite music Artists.  His style of music is eclectic to say the least.  He first came out singing with the group DC Talk 1989-2000 and has since enjoyed a successful solo career with the release of four studio albums "Momentum" 2001, "Welcome to Diverse City" 2004, "Portable Sounds" 2007, and "Tonight" 2010, with some remixes in the mix as well.

Between DC Talk and his solo career he has sold more than 10 million albums, six #1 hit Christian singles, and received the Grammy Award for Best Rock or Rap Gospel album at the 51st Grammy Awards in 2009.  I will leave ya'll with this...my favorite TobyMac song of all...Boomin!



Go on over to Arlee @tossing it out and comment on some others blogs, but first leave me a comment or two as I love to hear what you have to say.
“I am only one, but I am one.  I cannot do everything, but I can do something.  What I can do, I should do and,
With the help of God, I will do.”
~Everett Hale

S is for...Shannon

My name is Shannon.  I have found a few different meanings on the "world wide web".  The first being of the Gaelic origin meaning old or wise river. The Shannon River is the longest river in Ireland. I also found my name to mean little wise owl.  As a given name it first became common in America after the 1940's.  The other meaning is of Hebrew origin meaning God is gracious.   

When I was a little girl, the people who bought our house had the last name of Shannon, and in my many years I have met a few boys with the name also, so it is not necessarily a gender specific name.   Some additional tid-bits on people with the name Shannon:

Shannon Lucid-Astronaut

Shannon Elizabeth-Actor*

Shannon Tweed-Actor*

Shannon Bramer-Canadian Poet

Shannon Doherty-Actor*

Shannon Lee-Actor* (Daughter of Bruce Lee)

*Actor is defined as someone who acts-it is not a gender specific word*

Male Musicians:

Shannon Hoon-of Blind Melon

Shannon Leto-Drummer of 30 Seconds to Mars (Brother is Jared Leto)

Shannon Larkin-Drummer of godsmack

Shannon Noll-Austrailian rock singer

Athletes:

Shannon Sharpe-American football player

Shannon Stewart-Major League baseball outfielder

Shannon Rempel-Canadian speed skater

Shannon Moore-professional wrestler

Shannon Miller-American Olympic gymnast

...and last but certainly not least...

My very good friend growing up was also named...Shannon and I will be reuniting with her on the 24th of this month for some much needed catching up. I saw her last when I was just about 14 or 15 when her family came through our area and stopped in for a short visit.  We are each bringing photo albums with memories to share and reflect on, and she may bring her bike so we can take a nice ride together while she is here.

Anyhoodles, go on over to Arlee's @tossing it out and check out some other wonderful bloggers but don't forget to leave me a comment or two first.

“I am only one, but I am one.  I cannot do everything, but I can do something.  What I can do, I should do and, With the help of God, I will do.”
~Everett Hale

S is for...satan

satan...is described as an angelic being or personality.  He was one of the most beautiful of creatures God created.  No he does not have red skin, or a pitchfork, and he does not breathe fire and brimstone.  satan was the most beautiful of the angels that God created, and is one of the most intelligent of God's creation.  In Ezekiel 28:11-19 the Bible says this about satan...

The word of the LORD came to me: 12 "Son of man, take up a lament concerning the king of Tyre and say to him: 'This is what the Sovereign LORD says:

" 'You were the model of perfection,
full of wisdom and perfect in beauty.

13 You were in Eden,
the garden of God;
every precious stone adorned you:
ruby, topaz and emerald,
chrysolite, onyx and jasper,
sapphire,  turquoise and beryl.
Your settings and mountings  were made of gold;
on the day you were created they were prepared.

14 You were anointed as a guardian cherub,
for so I ordained you.
You were on the holy mount of God;
you walked among the fiery stones.

15 You were blameless in your ways
from the day you were created
till wickedness was found in you.

16 Through your widespread trade
you were filled with violence,
and you sinned.
So I drove you in disgrace from the mount of God,
and I expelled you, O guardian cherub,
from among the fiery stones.

17 Your heart became proud
on account of your beauty,
and you corrupted your wisdom
because of your splendor.
So I threw you to the earth;
I made a spectacle of you before kings.

18 By your many sins and dishonest trade
you have desecrated your sanctuaries.
So I made a fire come out from you,
and it consumed you,
and I reduced you to ashes on the ground
in the sight of all who were watching.

19 All the nations who knew you
are appalled at you;
you have come to a horrible end
and will be no more.' "

**********************

The five "I wills" of satan from Isaiah 14:12-17

12 How you have fallen from heaven,
O morning star, son of the dawn!
You have been cast down to the earth,
you who once laid low the nations!


13 You said in your heart,
"I will ascend to heaven; ~1
I will raise my throne
above the stars of God; ~2
I will sit enthroned on the mount of assembly,
on the utmost heights of the sacred mountain. ~3


14 I will ascend above the tops of the clouds; ~4
I will make myself like the Most High." ~5


15 But you are brought down to the grave,
to the depths of the pit.


16 Those who see you stare at you,
they ponder your fate:
"Is this the man who shook the earth
and made kingdoms tremble,


17 the man who made the world a desert,
who overthrew its cities
and would not let his captives go home?"

I think scripture speaks for itself on satan and who he was and is.  In my experience, satan enjoys messing with you at any opportunity, so don't even give him a micro millimeter...not sure if that is a proper phrase, but I'm going to go with it...for he needs no invitation, he has no morals, no boundaries that he respects, no guilty feelings for anything he does so if I can coin a phrase from a Bible School song we used to sing...shut de door, keep out de devil...shut de door, keep de devil in the night, shut de door, keep out de devil, light the candle everythings all right! Blessings to you all on this fine day, now go on over to Arlee's @tossing it out and read up on a new blog today!

Q is for...Quirks

People have a lot of Quirks. This word is defined on Dictionary.com as…a peculiarity of action, behavior, or personality; mannerism.

Like take, for instance, my Granny Ann, she is very QUIRKY.  She is a southern gal who has a wonderful accent, and her style is eclectic to say the least.  Bright colors are everywhere in her home, car and clothes.  Granny Ann's home is brightly decorated in plastic flowers, baskets, Smiley face magnets and horses of all colors, as well as a frog that croaks when someone comes near her front door.  Granny loves to quilt and spend her time with her friends at her local Senior Citizens club. She is very active in her community and enjoys a rousing game of cards or dice, and even pool if she so pleases. I even have a few newspaper articles of her in a pool tournament for her community.

Granny Ann is QUIRKY in every way I can think of. She loves smiley faces, and has made several aprons with Smiley faces all over them. Smiley faces adorn her pictures, quilts, and her refrigerator. If she sends me anything I can be sure there will be a Smiley face packet of stickers to go with it.

She is quick to give a smile and a hug wherever she goes and to whomever will take one. At around 66 she is spryer than I am, and has so much energy, it astounds me. I hope some day to have her QUIRKINESS and her spunk. Now go on over to tossing it out and check out some other QUIRKY blogs ya’ll, and May God bless you on this fine day. My new Motto: Quirky makes the world go around at a more tolerable pace!

P is for...Praise

Praise God from Whom all blessings flow, Praise Him all creatures here below; Praise Him above ye heav'nly host; Praise Father, Son and Holy Ghost ~Thomas Ken 1674~ According to Dictionary.com Praise is the offering of grateful homage in words or song, as an act of worship: a hymn of praise to God. (they put God in lower case). 

My heavenly Father is the Creator of this earth and all that is in, on and above it, and He most certainly deserves our Praise.  In Jeremiah 1:5 The LORD told Jeremiah..."Before I formed you in the womb I knew you, before you were born I set you apart; I appointed you as a prophet to the nations." If God knew Jeremiah before he was even formed in his mothers womb, then He knew you and I as well.  That just astounds me to no end, to think that my Father knew the color of my hair, how my nose would turn out, and what color my eyes would be, before my parents even got their first look at me. 

To take this word Praise even farther, I have to go into just a few things my Father has done for me in my 39 years.  He has seen me through my toddler years, and my very tumultuous teen years, as well as my fiesty young adult years.  In all those years He has brought me through a few near death experiences, 4 births, and even more, I am surviving my childrens teen years. (So far at least) 

This does not take everything into account, but even with this shortened version of my trials and triumphs He is more than worthy to be Praised.   I truly hope that each one of you will go back through your lives and give God the Praise He is do for all He has done for you in your lives. May He bless you today as you go on your way and even beyond.  Head on over to tossing it out and see what you can find to Praise God about!

O is for...Others

OTHERS.   This word is important because Christ calls us to love OTHERS (or neighbors) as we love ourselves in the Gospel of Matthew 22:38-39.  This does not mean only other Christians, it means everyone.  God loves us and commands us to love OTHERS.

OTHERS can be your sister, or brother, mother, or father, husband or wife, or even your neighbor next door or your friend down the street.  OTHERS are anyone but yourself. I have a lot of OTHERS in my life, and I strive to love them just as I am commanded by Jesus to do.  My husband is one of the OTHERS in my life, and I work hard to love him as I love myself.   For instance when he comes home from work, I try to discuss how his day has gone so far, and make him comfortable and let him know that I appreciate all he does for this family. I also work hard to keep our relationship running smoothly by communicating with him how I feel and what I need, as well as listening to him tell me what he needs and what his feelings are.

 My children are some more OTHERS my life. Their needs come before mine, because they are not yet self-sufficient and cannot take care of themselves. I make sure they get up for school on time, make them brush their teeth and get them out the door on time for the bus.  I also cook their meals, help them with homework, and problems with friends, or just life in general.  They are important to me and I work very hard to love them like Christ loves me.

My friends are some of those OTHERS as well. Christ showed me how to love OTHERS by his example.  I don't always agree with my friends or their choices but I love them in spite of our differences. When we have disputes and I feel I have been wronged, I choose to forgive despite how I feel. I have learned over the years that to forgive is a decision to make not a feeling to feel.

Strangers I meet outside my home are OTHERS as well.  The lady down our street who works at The Market is someone I strive to be friendly to and engage with in conversation.  The homeless guy who I see on the corner by Wal-Mart is another stranger who I love, and I show that love by taking him a hot meal and a soda, or slipping him a $5 when I have it on me.  The ladies at the school office or the cashier at my local grocery store, these are all strangers that I have decided to love the way Christ taught me to do in the New Testament.  As well as my neighbor who smokes and drinks and sometimes has loud parties, and whose kid comes home at 3am with stereo blasting away for 30 minutes in the driveway, I love him too, although sometimes I find it difficult..lol..

I hope that when you run into OTHERS you decide to love them because once upon a time Christ loved you and then commanded that we act in kind.  Have a wonderful day and go over to tossing it out and have a look see at some OTHER wonderful blogs.

N is for...Nothing

N is for…Nothing


As in…I got Nothing. I tried and tried to think of something to share that started with the letter N, but alas I am stumped…

I thought of Nacho’s my favorite quick meal to share with my family. I love all the toppings like, chicken or beef, and then the peppers, onions, tomatoes, and lettuce. Then top it off with some Queso melted cheese and Voila’ perfection.

I also thought of No. I have said this word a lot to my children. Mom, can I have some candy? No, you’ve already had enough and your teeth are going to rot out of your mouth. Mom, can I go to David’s house? No, I don’t know his parents and you know the rules, if I don’t know the parents you aren’t going over to their house.

Then I thought of Naked. I don’t know why, but I did. We come into this world completely naked. We are all pink and perfect and have that new baby smell…my favorite smell in the world. Our little feet are still cute, and our noses, not too big. Our hair is just fuzz and looks cute the way it is, no need for gel, and no need to be straightened or curled. Our belly is perfect for blowing raspberries on, who care if it is a little pudgy? Not us. It’s even okay to drool a little, no one will mind too much!

 So there are your N words for the day, I hope you have enjoyed my post. I know it was short and not so glorious but sometimes I just got nothing. Now go on over to tossing it out and read up on some other wonderful blogs today!

M is for...Miracles

Miracle is defined as…


An effect or extraordinary event in the physical world that surpasses all known human or natural powers and is ascribed to a supernatural cause.
such an effect or event manifesting or considered as a work of God.
A wonder; marvel.

Miracles happen all the time, you just have to look for them. I thought I would share 3 miracles that have happened to me, well 3 that I am aware of anyway.

Miracle #1...

When I was about 17 I was dating a man who had just gotten out of the service. He was quiet and very respectful and his story was one that tugged at my heart strings. He told me of being abandoned as a young child, in and out of foster homes, and finally of being taken in by his grandparents. He said he had been medically discharged from the military because of a tragic and painful incident; he never really went into detail. One day while looking with him through his things we came across a gun. A Black Hand gun. I did not really think much about it at the time. (Much too late I did find out all he had told me was a complete and utter lie, but by then it was too late.)


About a month or so into the relationship things turned dark and scary, with a little violence thrown in to the mix. I got scared and asked my parents to let me join the Job Corp and go to Seattle, Washington. Thankfully they agreed and off I went, while there I got into drinking and drugs, life wasn’t so great there either, it turns out. I tried to get into my courses but to no avail. One day HE called me and told me if I didn’t come home to him he would hurt my family. I went home, saw him once to tell him goodbye forever, and tried to stay out of sight and hopefully out of mind. My friends told me he was looking for me and was saying he wanted to kill me. We all thought this was just talk because I had broken up with him a week or so after coming home. If only it were just talk.


Sitting on the floor watching the news one day, a horrible sight came on the screen, changing my life in ways I never thought possible. Two men had kidnapped, raped and shot two female hitchhikers, execution style. The pictures they showed were of my ex-boyfriend and another gentleman I had met only once. I had been dating a murderer, and he had wanted to kill me, but for the grace of God, it could have been me. Trials and testifying left me scared and scarred for life, and the nightmares took years to disappear completely. I am alive today, and for me it’s a miracle I am here writing this post. There is more to this story and perhaps one day I will share the rest but for now this is all I can put down on paper.


Miracle #2…


When I was in the delivery room with baby #2, Jacob got stuck. His shoulders were just too big, and for some reason I could not push him out. So after about 20 minutes with me pushing with all I had and a nurse pushing my stomach as hard as she dared, out popped Jacob, grey and not breathing. My OBGYN had not arrived yet, so they had to call down to the ER dept. and have a doctor from there come up to labor and delivery stat. They beat on my poor little baby boy with a rubber mallet and whatnot and finally got him to breathe his first tiny labored breath. He was blue and looked very angry in his first picture but oh, so beautiful, my miracle child was alive.


Miracle #3…


During a routine ultrasound for my 4th and final baby the ultrasound technician found 3 abnormalities that indicated that she might have Down syndrome. After calling in the doctor to confirm, we were rescheduled for a second more intense test and told they found the same 3 abnormalities that indeed looked as if she had Down syndrome. My husband and I were heartbroken and went home to try to make sense of what had just happened. One moment we were on cloud nine after finding out we were finally having a baby girl, and the next we are told to be prepared for life with a child with Down syndrome.


We were beside ourselves with fear and grief, but not once did we think to have an abortion as the doctor suggested. For us, any child is a gift from God, no matter what disability she came with. Skip ahead to the day when my doctor told us she was breach and had to be turned manually or taken by C-section. Turning her did not work, so we were rushed into the surgery suite and Molly was born by C-section. The first miraculous words out of my doctor’s mouth were “She’s perfect”. Boy she could scream and let me tell you she had some head of hair. She had dark brown hair that was about 2 inches long already. No wonder I had so much heartburn…lol. When the doctor said the words “She’s perfect” I was sure I had been witness to a real life miracle. She had more than enough evidence to indicate Down syndrome including a small hole in her heart. Two weeks after being born she had a heart test that showed the hole had all but closed up. Praise God, from whom all blessings flow!


So yes, I for one believe in miracles, because I can think of 3 that I have been witness to in my very own life. How about you, what miracles have you seen in your own life?


Blessings to you all, and please go check out tossing it out and have a look around at all the other blogs in this wonderful challenge we are in.

L is for...Living and Loving My Life

Childhood…Growing up in the house I did was difficult to say the least. Children were expected to be seen and not heard, to look neat and tidy, and to behave at all times. My parents loved me; they were just unprepared and inexperienced at being in charge of wee ones. My brother and I are about a year and four months apart, me being the youngest. My brother was the typical big brother in that he liked to play tricks on me, like with the bees I wrote about here . All in all I had a good childhood, my parents loved me, they provided for me nicely, and I felt relatively safe.


Teen years…As a teenager I felt alone, and misunderstood. My father and I did not get along at all, and I did not make it easy on him. If a day went by and I was not getting lectured, my dad was probably on the road. He was a truck driver some of the time and a pastor at other times. We were members of mostly conservative Baptist Churches and when I say conservative, I do mean conservative. For example girls did not wear pants, or makeup, and men wore buttoned shirts with ties. I absolutely hated living with all the rules I felt were forced upon me. Most of the rules were unspoken but completely understood by me to be real. Like, don’t voice your opinion, and do as you’re told but not what you see being done. Living wasn’t enjoyable for me as a teenager would be putting it mildly.

Adult years…After I got married and started to settle down, life got a little easier. I learned to make my own decisions and started getting more into my relationship with God. Four children and 17 years later I am starting to get comfortable in my own skin and with my experiences. Having cancer changed me a lot. I now look at life as something to be enjoyed, and cherished, not just observed. It is enjoyable for me to just sit back and breathe in this life I am living and loving right now.


Head on over to tossing it out and check out some other blogs in this fantastic challenge. May God bless and keep you and may His face shine upon you today and beyond.

K is for...Kids

I have four children. G is the Oldest at 16. He plays guitar, has long hair and thinks he knows a thing or two. I love him for who he is now, not what he hopes he will become. We haven’t been seeing eye to eye lately, and this reminds me that he is growing up and away from me toward independence and self sufficiency. I hate it, but at the same time I love it.


Ja is age 14 and loves to wrestle, watch UFC, and ride bikes. He is my miracle child; we both almost lost our lives when he was trying to come into this world. He has very broad shoulders and got stuck, when they finally got him out, he was grey and not breathing, I was losing a lot of blood and fading fast. The doctors eventually got him breathing but his first pictures are of a blue and angry baby with very broad shoulders. I was okay as well, just weak from so much blood loss.

Je is 13 and growing up fast. He is the short one in our family and he likes to think of himself as a Ninja. I would describe Je as what a hug feels like; he is a sweetie pie, and the best one to take with me when I do the grocery shopping. I can always count on a hug and or a kiss from this one.

M is my 9 yr old daughter and lucky sister to all these boys above. She is a beautiful and loving girl, and my baby. She is growing up too fast for my taste, but there is nothing I can do but sit back and watch…oh I guide her and all that, but as far as growing goes, it’s out of my hands and into God’s. M loves her mama a lot and rarely likes to leave my side, except for the occasional sleep over at her friend’s house.

All my kids are being raised in a godly manner by my hubby and me. We know that God has a perfect plan for all their lives, and we are blessed to have been loaned these 4 beautiful children of ours. Proverbs 22:6 says…Train [a] a child in the way he should go,
and when he is old he will not turn from it. This is exactly what my hubby and I are doing.

Have a great day and head on over to tossing it out to see some other wonderful blogs. May God’s face shine upon you today and beyond.

J is for...Jelly Belly's

Jelly Belly’s are the best jelly beans you can get. They come in a myriad of colors and flavors, and are oh so yummy for your tummy.


There’s…A&W Cream Soda, A&W Root Beer, Berry Blue, Blueberry, Bubble Gum, Buttered Pop Corn, Cantaloupe and Cappuccino, Chili Mango, Caramel Corn, Chocolate Pudding and Cinnamon, Coconut, Cotton Candy, and Crushed Pineapple, and these are just from A-C in the 50 most popular category. Wow!

J is for…Jujubes

Jujubes are small, chewy candies in assorted fruit flavors of cherry, lemon, lime, orange and grape. These are my hubbies’ favorite chewy candies. I am not such a fan of chewy candy though, I much prefer dark chocolate.

J is for…Jason Mraz

I love Jason’s song Lucky with Colbie Caillat, the sound is amazing and eclectic…but that pretty much sums up his music. The song geek in the pink is funny and fun to sing to, as well as The dynamo of volition. I love his music flavor.

J is for…Jeep Wrangler

I would love a Jeep Wrangler…They are gorgeous, and look like a lot of fun to drive.  Jeeps are a fantastic, car or um…truck…not sure exactly what they are! They don’t really fall into the car category or the truck category…they are kind of a cross between the two. I have always thought it would be so exciting to have one.

J is for…Jump-off Joe Creek

I have always loved the name of this creek. It is close to where I live, and I have always wondered how it got its name. Here is what I found…In 1828 Joe Mcloughlin, son of Dr. John McLoughlin, was in a trapping party that camped one night on this stream. Joe came in after dark, fell over the edge of the bluff and received very severe injuries. I just learned something new…and I figured it had to do with someone jumping off something into the creek, so I was close.

I hope you have all enjoyed my fun post today; I like to switch it up a little every now and then, all the better to keep you on your toes. Have a look see over at tossing it out and check out some other blogs today, but first leave little ole me a comment or two. Blessings to you all!