I’m a Miracle – so Happy Birthday to Me!

Today my soliloquy goes like this: "It's my birthday! It's my birthday and it's a MIRACLE! In spite of all the odds, I am still here!" On this my B-day, I’m dog-sitting my children’s 85-pound, Australian Shepherd, Buddy, and their 5-pound Yorkie, Emma, while the fam is hanging out and enjoying the cool temps and fishing opportunities in Tennessee’s Smoky Mountains this week. I’m on doggie and plant-duty and having a little vacay of my own at their home here in Frisco Square.

I’m hanging out where there are so many sights-to-see on a morning, noon, afternoon and evening walk with these two canines! Yesterday, in the cool of the early morning, we made our way to Frisco Square's historical area. Arriving there, I noticed this little house on a post, full of books with a sign that read: Little Free Library “Take a Book – Share a Book”. I did, and I'm sharing with you! "Miracles" is the book I chose. I didn't take time to see if it merited a read, but the title, alone, reminded me that I am a “Miracle” – my mama was never to have been able to give birth again after my sister was born, 12 years earlier. First miracle -- I was conceived. Second miracle -- I was born with a heart murmur. But – here I am -- alive and well!

Today, I hold my head up high and announce – I've turned 72. Does that alarm me? Am I sad? Do I feel old? Do I have regrets? Nope, nope, nope and nope! I'm a strong, vibrant, happy, very alive woman, lover of God and people, and ready to embrace another year. Bring it on! Thank you, Pastor Craig Groeschel for giving me this quote: “I’m still here – so I’m not done!” I'm living my passion daily – my mission, my family, my friends, my blog, and hopefully, letting my little light shine! I know what to value in this life and I know what matters. What matters are the blessings of family and friends and the “blessing of the LORD that makes one rich, and He adds no sorrow to it.” (Proverbs 10:22) And, indeed I am very rich in joy, peace, love, hope, and with the prospect of living forever and ever with my Lord. Oh how blessed I am.

Thanks to my sweet kids for the "birthday eve" gifts of love! By the way, that “Miracles” book I found – I read the foreword later in the day. This is an excerpt – how befitting for this day! “If your Christian life is boring, this book offers a cure. Disciples live on the edge, asking, “How can I serve you today, Lord? Who can I touch for you?” And at the end of the day, they can pray, “Thanks for using me, Jesus.” They don’t think about the day’s sacrifices. They think about the sheer joy of being used by God to touch the lives of others – to meet their needs, love them and share the truth about Jesus through their actions and their words. When Jesus said, “It’s more blessed to give than to receive,: he wasn’t kidding!” I'd say that sums up who I desire to be daily! Thanks, God, for the MIRACLE of life and the reminder that living for YOU is the best gift EVER!

The Day After is Boxing Day!

December 26th is not only a day for Santas everywhere to catch their breath, but, I remember when we lived in Canada -- we celebrated Boxing Day! Though it lends to the fact that empty boxes from the gifts and presents are trashed and unwanted gifts are returned to stores, it came from a British origin that is traced back to 1833 when lords of manors and aristocrats distributed “Christmas boxes” filled with gifts, money and leftovers from Christmas dinner to their household servants and employees. They had been required to work on December 25th and were recognized for their good service throughout the year. It is also said that Boxing Day's name came from the charity boxes that were placed in churches during the Advent season for the collection of monetary donations to be distributed to the poor on December 26th. It is also the feast of St. Stephen, the first Christian martyr and and known for his acts of charity. (Ireland celebrates December 26th as St. Stephen’s Day.) So there you go -- now you know! You're welcome!

But we've taken Boxing Day to a whole new level in our family this year. Our birthday celebration for Jesus was literally amidst boxes and it will carry on in a ginormous way today. We are literally boxing boxes, loading them up and getting them to their new place. Today is the last day in the beautiful home where so many lives have been touched, healed, restored and have come into the family of God. So many precious memories here, but have no fear -- we expect even greater blessings coming in their new season.

We didn’t forget that yesterday was Jesus’ Birthday – so, as with another little tradition to savor, I made a lasagna for the “moving team”, but, most importantly, made my chocolate cake! We sang “Happy Birthday to Jesus “ and partied to “Boxes we have raised so high – sweetly towering to the sky!”

I would be remiss to end this blog with Boxing Day "talk", because while we'll soon be boxing away our Christmas decorations that include the manger scenes and Holy Family figurines -- we will never be able to box away God's great love for us. For some, seeing Jesus as a baby in a manger and "boxing" Him away for another year is as close as they want to get. Perhaps the grown-up Jesus seems too far removed from their every day life. If we keep Jesus at arm’s length, we’ll never get to know and love Him for Who He truly is. If we don’t get to know Him, we won’t love Him. If we want to move faith from our heads to our hearts, we must fall in love with the REAL -- alive and well -- Jesus.

To fall in love with Jesus, it must be more than a once-a-year way, but deeply -- everyday. That kind of knowledge takes time and persistence, just like any good relationship. Jesus invites us to abide in His love — rest, stay, tarry — not rush past it. In John 15:9, He said, “‘As the Father has loved me, so have I loved you. Now remain in my love.’”

How do we get to that kind of love? There are so many reasons to love Jesus. He is real, and He loves us so much. For us to experience that love, we need to really know Him. As we stand at the front door of the Wallace’s new home, and as we stand at the door of a new year, won’t you join me in seeking to know Him more? That’s my Priority #1 for the new year!

“And I pray that you, being rooted and established in love, may have power, together with all the Lord’s holy people, to grasp how wide and long and high and deep is the love of Christ, and to know this love that surpasses knowledge — that you may be filled to the measure of all the fullness of God”. (Ephesians 3:17-19)

And Unto Us a Child is Born -- Happy Birthday, Jesus!

The birthday celebration is on – as children everywhere are running to see what Santa brought them last night. For them, it’s all about the presents and for those of us who know better -- it’s about God’s greatest present EVER – His beloved Son. That’s how He celebrates His Son’s birth-day – giving us His perfect gift! Oh, Happy Day!

If you follow my blogs at all, you’ve heard that this Christmas is very different for our family this year. We aren’t making our trek to Austin to celebrate together with my son and family because the press is on to get this Frisco family moved from their home that sold – right here at Christmas – and into their new place by December 27th.

We are missing some Christmas traditions because we’re not all together, but one tradition wasn’t missed -- our Christmas Eve tradition of reading the REAL Christmas story together. Thank God we live in this technology era. This year, I bequeathed to my son our beloved “The First Christmas Story” book that Papa always read from on Christmas Eve. He stepped up to be our family’s patriarch to take over where Papa left off. So at 9 pm we gathered together in my home here in Frisco and the other side gathered together in Austin and we heard this greatest story ever told again. We all still savor this tradition of making the Reason for the Season the principal thing. It’s a story we should never get tired of hearing. A King in heaven coming down to be our humble King on earth to be familiar with us earthlings as one of us and Who gave us treasures of faith, hope, love, peace, joy and most of all, His life, so that we can live forever with Him.

Earlier yesterday afternoon, my Frisco family and a couple of friends joined me at my church’s Christmas Eve Mass. It was beautiful. Children were singing, families were joined together in honor of this magnificent night when Christ was born. How honored I was to serve communion – the Body and Blood of this Savior Who came to us as a newborn and Who, in a matter of just three years of ministry, turned our world upside down with His rock-the-world teachings. “Love your enemies! Bless them that curse you! Do good to them that hate you! Pray for them who spitefully use you, and persecute you!” (Matthew 5:44)

Maybe, this Christmas morning you're having your traditional family breakfast and opening Santa's presents and seeing what he left everyone in their stockings.....no longer hung with care. Now they're on the floor, stuffed full of goodies and treasures. Santa's cookie plate only has a few crumbs left.

Oh, the joy of hearing children's laughter and the thrill of Christmas in their eyes. If your children are grown, enjoy the sweet memories of past Christmases. If you are missing children and loved ones today, spend Christmas with God's Son praising and thanking Him for coming to be one of us. And if your loved one is in heaven, like mine is, we can know with certainty that he or she is having the most joyful Christmas possible and a day will come when we’ll forever celebrate Christmas together -- forever!

Christmas and the tangible gifts we receive from friends and loved ones are temporary. But the gifts that heaven brings us are eternal. I hope you will receive all that Jesus was born to give. May your Christmas be blessed with God's greatest gift of love: "For God so loved you and me that He gave us His one and only son." (John 3:16)

The Invitation Read: Bring Spouses

Last week, in a group text message, I was invited to a Christmas Party and the invitation read: “Bring Spouses”. Immediately a “little” pang hit my heart and I replied: “I wish!” Soon the “singles” started texting me love and stated, “We’ll have a ‘single for now’ section!” LOL! I was really being facetious because, with God's grace, I’ve adapted well to my "single” status.

Yes, “Single” is the box I check in “Marital Status” now if it doesn’t have a box “Widow(er)” to check. These photos are of the last Christmas we had with my Sweetheart, my children’s dad, and my grandchildren’s Papa, Christmas 2009. Then, I checked the “Married” box. Honestly, I’d trade every Christmas present for the rest of my life for 5 more minutes with my Ron on this side of heaven. I’d snuggle in to tell him everything he meant to me in those 5 minutes. My encouragement to you, whether you bear the “single” OR “married” status, is to value what's really important and convey the words of what your loved ones mean to you, cherish them with all your heart because it's not what comes under the tree that counts." Comfort and joy are ours when we embrace it.

I often speak or write about the seasons in our lives. We ebb and flow our way through the years, never feeling like we are always weak, always strong, always tired, always victorious. Sometimes we stand tall and we fight. Sometimes we go dormant and we rest. Sometimes we reflect and grow. We don’t have to be “on” every single day of our lives. But, dear friends, we should never believe when we’re down, we are destined to stay there. Life will ebb and flow and our seasons will change. The season of being a couple and bringing my spouse with me to an event has changed, but you know what? I changed too! I was willing to change and in this season, I’m embracing the change. I sit with my single friends, laugh and celebrate life with them. But I also sit with my married friends (some of whom are my closest friends), hang out with them, and even travel with my married friends. I’m not defined by my marital status and neither should you be. Perhaps being defined by our relationship status with our Lord, is the status that matters the most because, in Him, we are complete.

Yes, Christmas is so much more than all the tree and food trimmings, the gift giving and the holiday parties and programs. The original Christmas story was also about seasons. A savior was born into the world – with hope for all mankind -- only to grow up and face rejection, betrayal, and death. All that we go through, He’s been through. Our hurt and our joy, He knows it. After enduring death on the cross and three days in the grave, our hope rose again.

Those of you who are hurting deeply this holiday season, I am so sorry, and I pray in the midst of your pain, you’ll find many moments of hope and joy. Make the moments count with loved ones. Turn your sadness into gratitude for those in your life, still on this side of heaven. Give them the gift of you putting on a "garment of praise" instead of having a spirit of heaviness. Let's be full of joy and resolute determination to be "present" with them. What a wonderful gift to give those around us when we can offer "sacrifices" of joy in the midst of this season. We might find them in the beauty of a Christmas tree that lights a darkened room or in the kitchen with our kids or grandkids icing cookies. Maybe we’ll experience a moment of satisfaction enjoying a meal and conversation with loved ones. We may even feel a glimmer of hope at the sound of Christmas carols, the warmth of a fire, or the sight of our children unwrapping gifts. It’s tender moments like these that will sustain us.

And next year, when we’re in a new season, we’ll look back and say, "That pain almost did me in, but because of God's grace there were moments where I saw Him. Those glimpses of joy reminded me of what life could be. It’s because of those moments that I not only survived but thrived. Don't let pain rob you of God’s small graces and tender hugs and embraces. Keep your heart settled on the good news of comfort and joy!

We Aren’t Looking For a Party; We Are a Party, Just Looking For a Place to Land

Today is my granddaughter’s 17th birthday and, YIKES, she has her own big plans for this day with her friends after church! What happened to a carefully, meticulously, planned party with party favors, a theme-decorated cake, ice cream, and party games, and lots of guests showing up at their house for the party-of-the-year? This year, unlike any year before, she wanted her three closest girlfriends to have their own agenda. We understand that our girl IS the party and she’s sharing it with her besties.

Yesterday, on her birthday eve, was our “family” day of partying. For breakfast, we enjoyed her requests: huevos rancheros, chocolate gravy, biscuits, and bacon! My daughter has perfected the huevos rancheros and Denise has perfected the chocolate gravy. Then she opened her gifts, that were pre-empted by Buddy (their Australian Shepherd) who chased balloons around, barked, jumped up, and popped them. The party was followed by a trip to the Frisco Mercantile to find records for her new record player (from her brother). They chose two of Frank Sinatra’s albums. Gotta’ love those kids that know good music when they hear it! ;-)

Then it was on to her favorite annual tradition location for lunch: Mariposa’s in Neiman Marcus for their yummy chicken broth, egg popovers, and strawberry butter. We couldn’t leave Neiman’s without our photo opts with the mannequins (another annual tradition – with our perfect dates). None of our dates spoke a word to us, but we could talk as much as we wanted without any resistance or interference. LOL!

I look for the “God” messages in the every-day, ordinary of living for my blogs and posts. I’m pretty sure He shows us some of the most memorable times we can have are those centered on the laughter, the traditions, the “You are Special” plate, and the joy and memories we share together in silly little ways. Alexia is our on-site comedian so laughter is a huge benefit of partying with her. When she was getting ready to open the gift from her mom and dad, her mom said, “This is something that I’ve waited a while to give you until you were ready!” Alexia exclaimed, “So, it's a training bra?” Oh, me! Such is life with Lexi. The gift was a beautiful triangle, diamond pendant, and gold necklace. She beamed with excitement and asked, "Is it real gold because I never want to take it off?” It is.

This year changed from other years at Mariposa’s because, rather than a group of women mentors who typically join in for this occasion, Alexia chose her brother and her dad to join us. She wanted those of us who are her mainstay, her armor bearers, her greatest cheerleaders and her sounding boards to be her birthday participants. I love that. There are special friends who are dear to us, but there is nothing like those people that you count on at a moment’s notice, who love you unconditionally and are your rocks when others show up “just for the party”. We are her “lifers” because she knows we are the ones who pray daily for her and who believe God’s best for her.

Yesterday, I realized that “besties” are those who bring the party with them wherever they go. They laugh at your jokes that just maybe aren’t that funny; they listen to that story that you’ve told several times before; they tell you, you look good in spite of the crumbs on your face or stains on your shirt. They are your lifers. I tend to think that we are a lot like Jesus. In Jesus Christ, life is a party. In fact, He joins us at celebrations. He had many occasions where He showed up to party. He performed His first miracle by turning water into wine. He healed and raised people from the dead. At the parties he was at, He provided the food (loaves and fishes) AND the entertainment – He gave them keys to success. Just think of it, as His brothers and sisters, we will continue to party together with Him for all of eternity. But, in the meantime, because He lives in us, the party continues. This day Jesus is asking us all to trust Him and do as He says: “Love, give, be kind, share, be joyful, encourage, and be full of excitement for each day that He holds. He has a party in store for those of us who look for it. We can always live in the joy of Christ. May we always have the courage to celebrate and party in the good times and the tough times, and may we be the “party animals” that carry His love and give out His love wherever we go.

Fire Hazard Warning – There'll Be 70 Candles on my Cake!

I'm saluting my age 70+ friends today and counting my blessings because in two days I'll join you as I embark on my own 70+ ride! My Frisco family and I are making our way down to Austin for my "7-0 party" weekend. I’m so thankful that I made another year, particularly when I consider the alternative! I'm not downplaying having another birthday and thinking "no big deal". How silly would that be, especially when we throw a gigantic, blow-out of a birthday for a one-year-old that won’t even remember? Those here for DECADES are the ones that should be celebrated. Every year we're still here, we should own it and take in all the congratulatory celebrations we can!! We earned it BIG TIME!

I’m justifying my family "putting on the dog" this weekend for me and it’s bound to be quite the celebration based on “the older we get the more we should be celebrated.” I’ve made it to 70 years – 7 decades. OMG! I told my son to be sure there's a fire extinguisher around if they're putting 70 candles on my cake! How can it be? Where did the years go? We’ve ALL been sort of shocked that I’m turning 70. Oh, I know “70 is just a number", BUT, it’s a BIG number! Suddenly I’m getting more calls and more attention. I'm glad I've made it a habit to send "love" text messages to my children every morning. If they don't get that message from here on out....well, let's say I'll be sending kisses from heaven instead!!

I’m so thankful for this attention. They’ve planned this weekend for months. I have no idea what’s going to happen, except that I requested Franklin’s BBQ at some point”. The rest is top secret. Well, except for the text I received from my son: “Make sure you bring your swimsuit….hot at 70!”

I’m totally on a bandwagon of celebrating our lives – the only one that God gave us. Children anticipate their birthdays so much. In fact, they will say “I’m 8 and a half” with excitement that in a few months they’ll turn 9. They embrace turning 10 because it’s double digits. And, 13, because they'll be a teenager and 16 because they can get their driver's license. As children, we believed in the magic of birthdays. We counted down and planned for our party's theme: Princess, Super Hero, etc. We treasured the people who made our birthdays special, like the grandmother (me) who created a treasure hunt trail of rhyming notes that led to the grand finale's supremo birthday gift. We were stoked that our friends came bearing gifts and shared our yummy cake after we blew out the candles in one breath!

Let’s be clear – it’s not as much about the presents, as it is of the PRESENCE of those who love us and make us feel special. Here’s the real crux of the matter: We always were and always will be a treasure of God's, and on our birthday, we get to rock that truth. I’m rocking even as I type this post today. If my family wasn’t throwing me a party for this BIG 7-0, I’d be throwing myself one to celebrate I've made it this far and this long!

Birthdays are a big deal because birthdays represent our God-given mission and destiny and every year that we’re here, we get to celebrate our journey. And with each year, we have the opportunity to celebrate -- not for just THE day, but EACH day that God gives us. Celebrating it with a merry heart, a glad heart, a thankful heart, a forgiving heart, a heart open to the abundance of God's love and bringing forth fruit, being vigorous and flourishing. So, today, you’re invited to party right along on with me. Whether you are 27 or 57 or 97.....you are to be celebrated. You're still bearing fruit. We're still here so we're not done! We're not giving up until we're taken up!

"They shall still bring forth fruit in old age; they shall be vigorous and flourishing." Psalm 92:14

Even Mistakes Can Become Blessings

My word for today is MISTAKE: error, slip-up, blunder, miscalculation, misunderstanding, oversight, misinterpretation, gaffe, faux pas. Goodness gracious, I didn’t realize that a mistake had so many synonyms. Now I can see how easy it is to feel so guilty from making a simple MISTAKE.

My cousin (who lives just a few blocks from me) and I had a girls’ day out in early November when we went to the Junior League of Collin County’s fundraiser, Holiday Gift Market. It sure put us in the Christmas spirit. They always have yummy food samples, and unique one-of-a-kind items from artisans selling their wares. We bought a few nominally priced items, but I kept going back to a booth that had beautiful wood crafted items with “BLESSED” on them. I couldn’t help myself, even though the item I wanted was pricier than I had planned or needed to have expensed.

That night, I had buyer’s remorse. I was going to gift it, but then I couldn't picture it in any of the homes that I had potentially purchased it for. As silly as it was, I lost sleep over my “impulse” purchase. I put it away under a bed because I didn’t want to think about it. I just had to admit my MISTAKE and do my best to get over it. I even asked God to forgive me for being so impulsive. I never gifted it. I took down my Christmas decor and I thought, "maybe that wood décor would look good on my mantle." And, to my joy and delight, it seemed to have been designed to go under my desert painting that reminded me of Israel. The cactus in the wood flowed right into the picture.

That’s when I could almost hear God saying “Merry Christmas, Donna!” I realized Romans 8:28 “ALL things work together for good (even MISTAKES) to those who love God and are called according to His purposes.” I fretted over something so minor, yet God was so intentional in teaching me another life lesson.

It’s so easy to fixate on yesterdays and yester-years and the guilts associated with mistakes we may have made. MISTAKES can be as little as an “oopsie” or as big as a devastating catastrophe that alters the course of our lives. No matter what kind of MISTAKE we make, there is always a solution for restitution. It comes in the form of grace. God’s grace that heals and restores, and He exchanges our tarnished slate, for a fresh, clean slate so we can begin again. Oftentimes, our mistakes and failures are gifts, gems, and guideposts, so we should embrace mistakes, failures, screw ups and shortcomings because they not only make us uniquely who we are, but also teach us powerful lessons.

As God's repentant kids, the good news about making MISTAKES, is our mistakes are forgivable. God's amazing grace can turn any MISTAKE into something good. Again, Romans 8:28 "All things work together for good to those who love God and are called according to His purposes." Most importantly, it reminds me that my God is bigger than my faults and weaknesses and He can turn anything around for His glory!

Merry Christmas and HAPPY BIRTHDAY, JESUS!

Merry Christmas and HAPPY BIRTHDAY, JESUS!

It’s the birthday of our Savior! A day of celebration and joy to the world on this beautiful Christmas Day. Yesterday, I was blessed to be a communion server at my church. It hit home to me that the baby boy sleeping in the manger came to die, so in serving His body and blood, I was giving the Savior of the world -- the conqueror -- not as a little baby. What a privilege!

My Frisco family and I celebrated Christmas Eve at my home for dinner, then a precious time of Payton playing the piano and Staci and Alexia leading us in singing and praising our Lord for His willingness to become one of us earthlings. They opened my gifts to them. Then we headed over to the Wallace’s for their Christmas Eve gifts-giving. It’s always been our Christmas Eve tradition to open gifts and on Christmas Day, we opened the filled stockings.

I kept our traditional Christmas Eve alive as I read our family’s favorite Christmas book “The First Christmas Story” that Papa read to the grandchildren from since the oldest grandsons were just little boys. I did my best to be in the “Papa-style-and-form” with the Austin Family on FaceTime with us. Technology can be such a blessing to us.

In a couple of hours, we’ll travel over the rivers and through the woods to our Austin family for a reunion that celebrates Jesus’ birthday, enjoy a great meal together, get my traditional family photo and embracing everything that Christmas is about – love coming down to earth. We’ll celebrate that love today.

Maybe, this Christmas morning you're having your traditional family breakfast and opening "Santa's" presents and seeing what he left everyone in their stockings.....no longer hung with care. Now they're on the floor, stuffed full of goodies and treasures. Santa's cookie plate only has a few crumbs left.

Oh, the joy of hearing children's laughter and excitement today -- and the thrill of Christmas in their eyes. If your children are grown, enjoy the sweet memories of past Christmases. If you are missing children and loved ones today, then spend Christmas with God's Son praising and thanking Him for coming to be one of us. And if your loved one is in heaven, like mine is, we can know with certainty that he or she is having the most joyful Christmas possible.

Christmas and the tangible gifts we received from friends and loved ones are temporary. But the gifts that heaven brings us are eternal. Just think of it. We know the end of the Christmas Story. Eventually, that sweet little baby boy would grow up and would ask for this "cup" to pass from Him, but it didn't and He pursued and prevailed to become EVERYTHING we would ever need, or want, wrapped in one package. That sweet little baby boy grew up to die for our sins on a cross, just like He said He would. Then, He rose from the grave on the third day, just like He said He would. So that’s not really the end of the story – it’s just the beginning of our future where we will spend eternity with Him, just like He said we would.

Let's spend today celebrating the fact that the baby in the manger was God's perfect gift to us. I hope you will receive all that Jesus was born to give. May your Christmas be blessed with faith, hope and love. God's greatest gift is love. "For God so loved you that He gave you and me His one and only son."

May God richly bless you and those you love, on this special day. From our family to yours.....MERRY CHRISTMAS!

You Light Up My Life

If anyone ever says, "Why be on Facebook?", you all have given the reasons. Throughout my day, to have received such beautiful wishes and thoughts, makes this "young" woman beyond amazed and grateful! I am so thankful for God's blessings in my life, and you all are right at the top of the list of those blessings! Thanks so much for boosting my self esteem and putting such joy in my heart.

Yesterday was my birthday, and I must tell you the embraces of words, hugs, messages, phone calls, cards, surprises, coffee time with girlfriend, dinner with other girlfriends, gifts, serenades and unmerited favors made for “my day” to be one of the sweetest, most blessed days EVER.

How can I say thanks enough? My heart is filled to overflowing with gratitude . Facebook has a special way of helping us stay close to each other.....and at times like this, it makes the day so much sweeter. Please forgive me for not being able to respond to each of you yet as I'm working on a project that has kept my shoulder to the wheel yesterday and today.

My first surprise of the day was whn my godson, Owen, his brother, Henry, and Mom Bernadette showed up at my front door before heading to school. There are no words adequate to express the profound love I have for this family, and, quite frankly, the love I receive back from them.

Then it was “birthday” breakfast with my sweet sister and mother-in-law – a “usual” each year. We laughed, cried, and sincerely “knew” God is up to something in our lives. Karen gave me a beautiful Willow Tree angel holding a bird and her words were “As you go forward, I see you “soaring into a new freedom with great strength like you have never known” Isaiah 40:30. The angel’s name was “soar”. I accept those words so deeply into my heart. Then it was special time with a dear friend -- laughing and celebrating life. My sweet friends from my community took me to dinner last night with cupcakes afterwards. I love these ladies so much! We are the "never tire, never quit women of Hyde Park"! We've made up our minds "we're not givin' up until we're taken up"!

In this season of life, I have found that the rarest and most valuable treasures of life are those friends and family that we do life with. We have choices with who we hang out with, and God has made it so easy to choose the cream of the crop. I am so blessed with the gifts of friendship that far exceed silver and gold. All of you, my precious friends and family, are the most treasured possessions I have. I thank God for each of you who made me feel like a queen!

"I thank my God every time I remember you." Philippians 1:3

To all my family and friends.....thank you for humoring me, tolerating me, encourating me, celebrating me, but most of all....for loving me. I’m smart enough to know, that God used you to brighten my day and life. His mercies came to me via YOU and I’m so very grateful.

Use the Gifts God Has Given You

Jesus told the Parable of the Talents -- a story He taught to help us know the importance of using the gifts and talents He's given us. When the servants used their talents wisely, the Master said, "Well done, good and faithful servants ...enter into the joy of the Lord!" And to the one who buried his talents, he was banished from the Master's presence. (Matthew 25:14-30)It wasn't so much what they were given -- it's what they did with what they were given that mattered.

So what talents have you been given? Are you a great cook? How about investing in your children and grandchildren by teaching them how to cook? Wouldn't that be a great example of multiplying your talents? Are you great at sports? Use those athletic talents to teach and encourage others in their athletic abilities. How about being a part of a girls' or boy's club where you invest in kids becoming the best they can be -- helping them discover their abilities and talents. Are you an aspiring artist and you recognize you have been given special abilities? Then continue to train, practice and become skilled in your craft -- and spread those talents to others. We are stewards of our wealth, and I use wealth very loosely here, well beyond material possessions. For example, if I can write and speak fairly well, those are talents entrusted to me. I can bury them in the ground out of fear, or I can push out of my shell and strive to create increase for all.

Joel Osteen said, "Don't just coast through life relying on what you've already learned. There is skill, talent and potential put in you by the Creator of the universe, but you have to develop it." -- Joel Osteen

I completely agree with Joel. I have no intention of coasting through life -- in fact I'm on the fast train to do more, be more, live more, learn more and celebrate my Creator's gifts to me! There's room for you on this train -- won't you join me?