What in the world am I doing up at 3:34 a.m. on a Saturday writing a blog?  If you have the answer to this question, please share it.  I simply could not sleep.  So much is going through my mind.  Try as I may, sleep simply is not going to happen for me this morning.  What better way to spend this time than chatting with you!

​Great news!  I have updated my "About" page on my website, and I received a new prayer request this morning.  I am averaging over 600 hits a month and steadily growing.  I am so glad I am back to writing and sharing.  I had not done so for quite sometime.  I think besides being so busy with life, I was sort of in a dark place without even realizing it.  Satan is so sleek at times, and we have to be even wiser.  This is why we need to remain in His Word daily, whether we feel like it or not.  Pushing through and doing what is needed is the key.  Not allowing our flesh to rule us is not an easy feat, by any means, but it is a necessity!

​What is on your plate for today?  I am heading out to Sam's Club to pick up some items for a project a friend of mine has put together to honor our men and women in blue.  We are stuffing goodie bags and distributing them to the local precincts to show our gratitude for men and women who put their lives on the line for us each and every day.  Kudos to my friend for thinking of this.  She has worked very hard in getting people to join her in this effort.  I look forward to being a part of it today.

I also need to get a gift certificate in the mail today.  I feel so horrible about this, but I promised someone weeks ago I would contribute a donation for a worthy cause.  I have yet to get the funds in the mail.  Every day I say I am going to do it today, and then you know what happens ... ​what always happens!  I get busy and before I know it the day is gone and I have not done it.  Well today is the day!  How horrible of me!

​My son is supposed to start behind-the-wheel on Monday, but I have to say I am a bit frustrated with the company I choose to go with.  They came highly recommended to me but I am having my doubts.  I scheduled his driving classes over 3 weeks ago.  They advised me they would be in touch prior to Monday to advise exactly where we needed to meet, etc.  I have heard absolutely nothing from them and here it is Saturday.  I have left a detailed message ... two days ago ... ​and I still have had no response.  I will try again today as we need to get this taken care of.  Please pray I have favor today!

​My son went to a sleepover last night at a friend's house for their birthday.  I love seeing this same set of friends striving to remain together even though they have graduated.  I pray they continue to value their friendships and make the added effort to remain in touch over the years.  I have been so hurt by people I thought were truly my friends for life, only to find out that it was not worth the effort on their part to keep in touch.  I realize life takes over ... children, jobs, husbands, and the such ... ​but isn't friendships just as important.  Without them, we can become very lonely in life.  Children and jobs will someday be gone, and then what?  I am sure somewhere along in life ... I know it for a fact ... ​that I have failed people as a friend.  Now with age, however, I have realized just how valuable friendships are and they truly need to be cherished as a rare gem.  Of course, I also have to accept that some people are in our lives for a reason, a season, or a lifetime.  It is not always our choice which season they are to share with us.  I guess I am just sad at the people I would love to have held on to and have lost.  I miss them!

​It is amazing how God has touched the health of my brother who has Parkinson's.  A few weeks back we thought for sure we were on our way to losing him.  Now, he is back 100%.  It is a joy to spend time with him, which I try to do every Monday evening.  He is walking, talking, and tending to his own needs. He is good as gold, as the saying goes.  If I have not said it before, I will say it again ... what an awesome God we serve!  Amen!

​Sunday is a special day for my sister and her family.  My brother-in-law is being ordained as an Elder in his church.  This is a big deal for us.  God has brought him so far over the years.  I remember when ... but I remember this even more!  God truly will meet us wherever we are in life if only we will surrender it all to Him and become willing vessels.  He cannot change a mindset ... remove addictions ... heal the body ... place forgiveness in our hearts for others ... forgive us our trespasses ... and so much more if we do not give Him something to work with.  He is willing but the flesh is not!  Cry out for Him today and allow Him to bring you peace you never thought you would ever have ... allow Him to be your anchor during the storms!  He is standing there with arms wide open.  All you have to do is walk towards Him and allow His embrace to be the beginning of a new life.  Today is the day of salvation as we are not promised tomorrow.   

​Lastly, here is another excerpt from the book my mom gave me in 1978 entitled "To Be A Woman" ...

Metamorphosis

Yesterday, a lovely child
Enchanting those she meets,
Pouring tea for favorite dolls
Begging Mom for sweets . . .
All too soon a leggy girl
Discovering boys and clothes,
Spending hours before a mirror
Powdering her nose . . .
Presently a woman grown,
​A tender bud unfurled,
Ready now to prove herself
Before a watchful world!
​(D. J. Faulhaber)

​​Enjoy your day!

Hello, World!  I hope you are up and looking forward to another day God has blessed you with.  I certainly am!

​I had a wonderful 3 days with my son, daughter, grandson, son-in-law, and his family.  It just did not last long enough.  I felt as if it was time to leave and we had just arrived.  On our last night there, they decided to have a water balloon fight.   I was the photographer, and they had a blast.  It was fun to just sit back and watch your loved ones enjoy each other's company.  Isn't that what life is all about ... God first and then family?  I am very blessed to have the family I do, and I thank Him for everyone of them every day!

​My son starts behind the wheel on Monday.  The last step to him becoming a licensed driver.  I know I have said this before, but this moment in life has to be one of the scariest for a parent.  If I truly thought about it, fear would over take me.  I can remember when my daughter pulled out of the driveway for the very first time.  I walked the floor until she returned.  Now I get to do it all over again.  All part of being a parent!

​As some of you may know, I have become a Mary Kay consultant.  At our last meeting, we were given the challenge of getting 30 orders in 7 days.  Well I met the challenge, but I have to admit I was a bit surprised at the people who stepped out to support me and the ones who did not.  We are funny creatures at times ... so unpredictable and unreliable.  I like to think that I support all those that I can as I so enjoy watching others fulfill their dreams and obtain their heart's desires.  If I can contribute to that in any way, I am all for it.  I do not think it is this way for a lot of people, and to be honest, it would probably not be this way with me if it were not for the love of Christ living in me.  When I look around at the world and all which is happening in it, I ponder how people survive without His love.  Where is the hope for  a better tomorrow?  Where is the defeat of death?  What would we have to look forward to if it were not for Him?  I just know life is difficult enough as it is, but to try to navigate it without Him in control is beyond my human comprehension.

​Got to visit with my brother this past weekend also.  It is always good to spend time with him as it is a very rare opportunity.  We had to laugh because right now he has only one tooth in the front of his mouth on top.  Needless to say, we did not get our picture taken together. 

​Well, I do not have much to share this morning.  Work is good ... family is well ... striving to fulfill my heart's desires and see my dreams come to pass ... working ... in good health ... loving my children more than life ... missing my grandsons whom I never get to see ... and on and on!  Life is good!  Not perfect but good, and what more could we ask for?!

As I close, here is another excerpt from the book my mom purchased for me in 1978 entitled ​To Be A Woman:

"IF"

If you can live each day with the assurance
That "a girl" is something wonderful to be
If you can find a way to meet your problems
With courage and with true maturity
If you can be attractive and in fashion
Yet never swayed by any vulgar style
If you can choose the finer things life offers
Rejecting what is worthless with a smile . . .

If you can guard the principles you live by
Hold fast to truth and honor all life through
And stand for right in every situation
No matter what the world may say or do
If you can try to offer hope or comfort
To those who seem to need a helping hand
If you can do some little act of kindness
Or say a word that shows you understand . . .

If you can take delight in little children
​And be a friend to older folks you know
Can give your warmth and deepest understanding
To fill the lives of those who love you so
​If you can practice all the arts of giving
With gracious kindness and with real integrity
You're bound to be a happy person, always
​And the lovely woman you were meant to be. (J. Kyler McManus)

​Have a blessed day!  Say a prayer for me and I promise to do the same for you!

Morning, dear Friends!  I hope your day is off to an enjoyable start.  Mine ... well again I had problems sleeping but I did manage to get more sleep than the night before.  You would have thought since I had practically no sleep the night before, then I would have fell into a deep, long sleep last night.  Not so!  Oh well, it is Friday and life is good!

​God has showed His Hand so much this past week in my life.  I truly said to Him, ​"God, why?  I have been so undeserving of it lately ... truly I have!  Yet, You still watch over me and grant me favor."  I heard no response but it did make me ponder a few things.

​I had two instances this week where I was standing in 'silent' faith for God to grant me favor.  One of these was for something I had in the works for over two months and the other for a few weeks.  Every time it got even near to looking successful in either situation, something would happen to pull it away from me.  This week was a 'do or die' timeline.  Something positive had to happen or the moments would be no more.

​When you are surrounded at times by naysayers, you have to fight to hold on to your faith and believe in His favor.  Not really naysayers, but just negative feedback when you shared what you believed God would do.  It got to the point that I sort of smiled to myself and said, "God, I just wish now you that you would grant me favor to make me victorious over the negative and not so much as a reward any longer."  ​I so wanted to prove that the negative does not win out.  Lo and behold, He did exactly as I had asked.  This morning I am feeling blessed but I am smiling more because of the negativity which was pushed to the ground to be overcome by His Favor.  Either way, praise You, Lord, for Your Hand over both situations and for your favor.  I was so undeserving but I guess you needed more for lessons to be had than favors to be given.  Again, praise You Lord for both!

​Keep me in prayer today as I have the first opportunity to sign on a new consultant for my Mary Kay business.  I am so excited.  This person is young, full of life, and God laid her on my heart months ago when I met her at a pampering session someone else was hosting.  I had tried to reach her numerous times without success, and then BAM ... the opportunity presented itself for us to speak again and the rest is history, as they say!  We are meeting for dinner to discuss the possibilities of what Mary Kay can do in her life and I am psyched!

Before I close, as yesterday, I want to share another entry out of the book entitled ​To Be A Woman which my mom bought for me in September of 1978.  Thank you, Mom, for always thinking of me in the little ways that mattered the most:

The Woman You See In The Mirror

​There are lots of things pulling us this way and that -
Our employers, our family, our friends,
​And we sometimes have no time to "just be ourselves"
'Cause the mad tug of war never ends.

What helps us most then is a look in the mirror -
A long and inquisitive stare
Beyond the façade that we show to the world,
​to remind ourselves "who's" really there.

So ask yourself this when you look in the mirror . . .
Is the woman you see really "you" -
Do you know what she wants, how she feels about life -
​do you know the things "she" likes to do?

It's the woman you see in the mirror who matters -
Please "her", and you're certain to see
You'll please others as well, for you'll be a reflection
​Of just what a woman should be.  (P. C. Mabry)

​Have a blessed day and an even greater weekend!  AND, I will pray for you if you will pray for me!

Morning!  I have been up since a little after 3:00 a.m. so I know how my day will go ... LOL!  I do not know why I could not sleep, but I thought getting up was better than lying there tossing and turning.

​A few days ago, as I was getting some items together to take to my daughter's this weekend, I came across a small book entitled "To Be A Woman" that my mom gave to me in September of 1978.  I thought it would be nice for me to share with you a page from this book each day.  How I miss my mom!

​"Follow Your Dream"

Follow your dream
Wherever it leads -
Don't be distracted
By less worthy needs . . .
Shelter it, nourish it,
​Help it to grow -
Let your heart hold it down deep
Where dreams go.

Follow your dream
Pursue it with haste;
Life is too precious,
Too fleeting to waste . . .
Be faithful, be loyal
Then all your life through -
The dreams that you follow
Will keep coming true!
(D. J. Faulhaber)

​​So many times I wish I had taken my mother's advice to heart.  In 1978 I would have been 21 going on 40.  I knew it all!  As she tried so many times to share her wisdom with me, I took it for granted.  Little did I know how much truth lied in what she shared. 

​If you still have your mom today, cherish her.  Lavish in her love.  Be patient and kind to her.  Give her the time she is so deserving of, as you could never repay her for the time she has given you.

​Have a blessed day!

Morning!  Wow, I cannot believe I have not written a blog since May.  I have missed writing very much, but this is what happens when we allow life to completely take control.  Between God, church, husband, son, work, graduations, parties, preparation for college, driver's classes, etc., I have simply gotten away from the basics of life.  I was so excited the other morning when I felt the move of the Spirit prompting me to write the article on judging others.  It is like being personally awaken by God, and Him giving you instructions on how to start your day.  Of course, any of us who experience a daily walk with Christ and enjoy the intimate one-on-one relationship with Him start every day with Him and move throughout our days based on His instructions, but I think you can grasp what I mean.  Nevertheless, it renewed me in some way.  I AM SO HAPPY TO BE WRITING AGAIN!

​Not much to report on this end!  How about you?  I am back in full swing with my Mary Kay business which I so enjoy.  As with my writing, it sort of took a back burner for awhile.  Though I was communicating with my customers and keeping them happy, I was at a standstill with growing my business.  I went back to my first meeting last week, and as always, my two mentors gave quite the presentation.  I am blessed to have them.

​Got to spend a much needed day with my two sisters yesterday.  We went to Carey Town and had so much fun.  We walked from one end of the street to the other, browsed in shops, had breakfast at a nice diner, and just enjoyed the presence of each other.  On the way home, one of my sisters and I discussed setting dates to do this more often instead of allowing it to happen purely by chance.  Yesterday was not a  planned day and it just happened.  Though so thankful it did, we need to make a commitment to help it happen more often.  We always laugh so much when we are together, and who doesn't need laughter in their life.  As God said, laughter is good for the soul!

​My son and I purchased a stationary bike / elliptical.  He gets the pleasure of putting it together after church today.  I will help, of course, but I am not sure how much good I will be.   I am anxious to start working out again so I will make every effort to assist him as much as possible.  ​Keep him in prayer today!

​I am leaving for three days this month, with my son, to go visit my daughter's family.  I am so looking forward to having this time with her.  I miss her so much, and I never ever get to spend time with my grandsons as I desire.  I listen to the women at work talk about what they do with their grandchildren, and it saddens me because I miss mine so much.  My dream would be for all of us to live near by, but of course, this is unrealistic.  Life moves on for us all, and we simply have to embrace it and allow God to direct.

I have to run for now and get ready for church.  I so love connecting with all of you again.  You keep me in prayer for the days ahead, and I promise to do the same for you.  Remember, you can email me anonymously if you need special prayer but prefer to remain unknown.  God hears our prayers whether we know the person's names or not.  He knows the need and we are so blessed for this and so much more.

​Have a truly blessed day!