"Anyone Can Be A Hero"

While at church camp in June, my son, Jordan, surrendered to the ministry. God had been working with him since last December but Jordan needed time for prayer and counseling from other youth ministers and camp counselors. He announced his calling to the church and has received much support from our friends and others in ministry.

Jordan had been working on a devotional but said he didn't know when/where he would get to speak but he knew that God would provide the time and place. He did. Last night at Youth Group, he got to present his message on "Anyone Can Be A Hero." Jordan started out asking what the word "Hero" meant. He talked about how each of us can be a hero to someone and the way we conduct ourselves tells a lot about us as a person. He shared all the different names that God refers to Himself-The Almighty, Holy One, just to name a few. Then he showed the video "What About Now?" by Chris Daugherty. This is a very powerful and sad video. Jordan then asked each person in the room if they thought they were a good person. He had a few people come up to read a card telling them they we are not good, but forgiven through Jesus Christ our Savior.


The Youth Group surrounded Jordan in prayer before the devotional.


Jordan giving his first devotional.

Reading the "Are You A Good Person?" card.

"Friend Of The Week"

This week's honor of "My Friend Of The Week"

goes to

~SHARON MARTIN~

I have known Sharon for many, many years but we had lost contact with each other. About the time my close friend/mentor Donna Maley (See first "Friend Of The Week") was getting ready to move to Ohio, Sharon mysteriously popped back into my life. Coincidence? Nah. God's plan? Yes! God knew that I was needing a "teacher" in my life and with Donna leaving, He pretty well dropped Sharon right back into my life. Why am I always in awe of His amazing timing?

Sharon is such a woman of God, such an intercessor and prayer warrior. She has taught me so much in what little time we have spent together, she amazes me. Sharon is currently teaching our Group Book Study on "The Shack" and she is bringing out so many things that she has found while researching the book as well as reaching "The Book". I've not found anything that I can ask her about that she cannot tell me what the scripture says about it.

I'm not saying all these things about Sharon to put her on a pedestal, only to say that God has blessed her in the most wonderful ways of allowing her to be a disciple to Him. She is one of the most humble people I know as well as one of the wisest people I know.

I love you, Sharon!!!

Saturday's Yard Sales

I had some great finds at some yard sales yesterday. I didn't get to hit a lot of sales, but the ones I did go to I made some exciting finds.

This is a brand new "Couples' Bible" that I found for $1.00.
Also found my son's favorite movie, "A Walk To Remember" for $1.00.

Found this beautiful Angel Musical Snow Globe for $1.00.

Bought this cute stuffed doggie for 25 cents.

At this one sale, the man said I could put whatever I wanted into a bag for 50 cents. I put these three pairs of sandles, all "like new" along with the following denim jacket.

"Wild Cherry" Denim Jacket

~DEAL OF THE DAY~

But this was my "Find Of The Day"...an electric log insert for my fireplace. You plug it up, turn on the switch for the light and it looks like the logs are burning. Then there is another switch for a heater!! Cool, huh? Best $3.00 of the day!!

"The Shack" is Discussed.....

We had our first group book discussion on "The Shack" last night. There were 10 people in attendance and we had a great time. Sharon started out the evening by discussion the syllabus and a few "housekeeping duties". We received a handout with some unusual words, showing their definitions, synonyms and where you can find them in the book. We were able to cover Chapters 1-4 and will try to cover 2 chapters each night from here on. Several people brought out some very good points and observations at different places in the book. I enjoyed listening to how others intrepret what they have read and what it means to them.

Our Teacher-Sharon Martin

It's a Girl, Girl, Girl, Girl!!!

We have Panda Puppies!!! Last night, the first girl was born at 7:30pm and the fourth girl was born at 10:15. They are smaller than a "Twinkie" and weighed about 1 ounce. They were all white/black or white/dark brown, but I'm sure they will end up being white/blue.

This was Panda's first litter, so I was very concerned with how she would do, but she did awesome. This was the first litter for Dusty to sire. 4 girls? Dusty, Good Dog!!

Spotlight on My "Friend Of The Week"

My next "Friend of the Week" Honor goes to

.....my friend.....

!! Donna Wylie !!

I've known Donna Wylie for about 6 years. We got to be really good friends after someone told me a lie saying that Donna didn't want us to be friends. After that, our friendship became stronger than ever.

(So....P~, that's what you get for lying! You know who you are!)

Donna helped me through one of the roughest times of my life, always telling me that I'd be fine and that I'd come out on top. Man, was she ever right!! I remember the day when my "crappy life" was FINALLY over. I was looking at a calender, an empty calender at that and I asked Donna, "What am I going to do now?" She said, "God will fill that empty calendar if you will let Him." And man, did He. Donna always has words of encouragement for me, when I'm down, she helps lift me up, when I'm excited about something, she's always there to rejoice with me. Donna and her husband Terry have been wonderful friends to me and have been like parents to Jordan.

I love you Donna!!

Friendship Comments

"Remember, no man is a failure who has friends."
~from "It's A Wonderful Life"

My Babies

My First "Friend Of The Week"

I'm going to start a new "Spotlight Blog" on my friends. I'm going to chose a new friend each week to honor and share what they mean to me.

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So.......

d

(Drumroll please)

d

.........my "First Friend Of The Week" ..........

d

is

DONNA MALEY!

( Me & Donna at the Casting Crowns conert)

I miss my friend Donna so much. As you know, she and her family moved back to Ohio to answer God's calling for Lonnie to become the youth pastor at Rolling Plains United Methodist Church. http://www.rollingplainsumc.com/

Donna tucked me under her "Momma-Wing" when I was in transition from "Crappy Life" back to my Christian walk. She never judged me, she never pointed her finger at me, she never cut me down. She loved me and accepted me, flaws and all. She showed me that I was worthy of God's love, even when I didn't feel worthy. She helped to laugh again. She helped me to trust again. She showed me that no matter what I had done, I was only one step away from getting back to God. And when I made that step back and asked for forgiveness for all my crap, God said, "What crap? I don't know what you are talking about." How amazing is that? Donna took my hand and helped me climb the ladder back to God's Grace.

When they were getting ready to move, I asked Donna who was going to take my hand now? Who was going to help me continue my journey? She told me that she wouldn't be here to physically take my hand but she would always be there for me. And she also said that I was ready to help someone else climb their ladder for a closer relationship with God.

Donna and I had a lot of serious talks but we also had a lot of fun times. I called her "Willie Nelson" because she was always "on the road again". One time, we lost a bowl of caramel and couldn't find it anywhere. We just knew there was a "Caramel Thief" amongst us! But I found it. In my 'fridgerator. Who'd a-thunk?

d Love ya Donna! d

Friendship with oneself is all important because without it one cannot be friends with anybody else in the world. ~ Eleanor Roosevelt

Friendship Comments

A Pregnant Panda

This is my little Panda, aka Princess Pandamonium. She is pregnant with her first litter of pups, and is due on July 23. Panda weighs 7 lbs and Dusty, the sire, weighs 6 lbs. I am so excited about this litter, it is the first breeding for both.

No Partridges In My Pear Tree

I was looking at my pear tree and it is full of pears. Right now, they are bigger than a golf ball and will be ready for picking in late August. For the past 2 years, I've lost every pear to a late, hard frost, so this will be the first pickings in several years. Good little pears coming from a good little tree.

"Even so every good tree bringeth forth good fruit; but a corrupt tree bringeth forth evil fruit." Matthew 7:17

Return From Washington DC

The White House

Supreme Court Building

Arlington National Cemetery

Guard at the Tomb of the Unknown Soldier

Arlington National Cemetery

Lincoln Memorial Statue

House Where Lincoln Died

National Air & Space Museum

Jordan

Tom Petty's Guitar At The Hard Rock Cafe

Hard Rock Cafe

Jordan's Friend Josh

Jordan & Daniel Getting Eaten by a Triceratops

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Jordan got home from Washington DC on Friday afternoon. He came back to terrible heat & humidity and said that it wasn't this hot in Washington. He had a wonderful time. One of his favorite places was at the Holocaust Museum and when he got to see the Constitution of The United States.

Introducing PK---And I'm not talking "Preacher's Kid"!

Puppy-Kitty
Puppy-Kitty

PK nursing on Precious

Lilly (aka Satan)

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We added another pet to our menagerie!! We've adopted a little male kitten and he has made himself right at home. I call him PK (Puppy-Kitty) because he thinks he's a puppy. All the dogs think he's a puppy also. Molly licks him to death and Precious lets him nurse on her. PK is the sweetest little thing, he loves to romp around and gives the dogs a really hard way to go!! Ok...his real name isn't PK....Jordan named him Isiah. We also have this other cat, a blue Himalayan, named Lilly (Jordan calls her Satan). She's been with us for over a month and just recently came out of the closet. She hates the dogs and tries to get to the highest point so she can glare down at them more easily.

Horses & Ducks

Pat
Neal & Stacy

Lighthouse on Bryan Lake

Duck

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This past Saturday, Jordan and I took off on an afternoon drive. We went through some old mine roads and ended up in Graham. So we went to Bryan Lake to check out the horse riders and the lake and to visit with my friends Pat & Gene and their daughter and son-in-law, Stacy & Neal. Here are pics of them and the horses and of the lake.

"The Shack"

After two friends recommended that I read this book, I just had to go get it. It has forever changed the way I think about God, my relationship with Him and about forgiveness.Many times throughout the book, I had those "Ah-ha" moments, you know, those moments when the light bulb comes on? It showed me a different way of seeing things-not just through my own eyes, but through God's eyes.

There were some parts of the book that I had to read and re-read several times. I finally gave up and pulled out a notebook and started taking notes. There were times when I just had to close the book because I couldn't comprehend it. It is very deep at times, but as I continued on, I would begin to understand those parts that were so deep.

Now that I'm done with this book, I'm going to share it with my friend Regina. I would recommend that others get a copy of this book and read it. Trust me, it won't take you long to finish it. It's incredible!

*NOTE* We will be having a book discussion on "The Shack". Sharon Martin has graciously agreed to lead the group. We will meet on Thursday evenings from 6pm - ?, beginning on July 24 at the GRC Fellowship Hall. Plan to join us for 5-6 weeks of deep conversations. So, get the book, experience it and sign up for the group discussion!!!