Share the Love!

I have to admit, this was not my original idea. I got the idea from Nicole's Blog, my niece by marriage. However, I actually decided to act on it. Thursday I made some brownies, 2 batches, and cut one batch into heart shaped brownies. I got some cute little bags, some hershey's kisses, M&M's, and ribbon. And I made some little gift tags that had the verse from I John 4:19 inside, We love because He first loved us. The other batch of brownies I made for the nurses I used to work with. So now I was ready to go.

I had a wonderful day; the sun was shining, there was no wind, and it felt like spring--high 30's. I delivered my little bags to 3 widow ladies, another elderly single lady, our visitation pastor (his wife died in an accident years ago and he raised his boys; he still suffers pain from the accident), and also to our 2 secretaries at the church.

I visited with each of these ladies for a little while. One of them is 99 years old, living in a retirement center about 20 miles from my home. She is also actually related to me on my mother's side. She was so excited to see me!

I couldn't deliver the pastor's gift in person, as he was making hospital calls. The church secretary said he would be coming by the church and she would see that he got it.

I took a pan of brownies to the nurses where I used to work. They are always excited to get food!--and it was fun seeing them again. I'm enjoying retirement but I do miss some of the ladies I worked with.

I had one last bag to deliver: I took it to a teen-ager who I am mentoring through a program at church called the Titus Project. She was home from school, on their farm, and was out taking care of their elpaca's (sp?). She's sort of quiet, and seemed very pleased that I would come by to bring her a card and a little gift.

After my day of visiting, I met my hubby at the Harlan Cafe for supper. I think that I was probably blessed more than any of the people who received the gifts, though they all seemed pleased that someone would remember them. I had been fighting a winter cold for 3 days, and I think it even helped my feel better physically. Thank you, Nicole, for a great idea!

A Surprise Blog Citation

I am very honored that I have been given a blog award from Gina. Like so many others, I started my blog to just have an ongoing journal. It has been a way of just recording events and expressing my thoughts. I am grateful to my sister Brenda who actually encouraged me to start a blog.

However, I never could have imagined what a blessing the blog would be. I have met so many wonderful christian friends through this blog, and they have been such an encouragement . It's been really fun to get a peek into the lives of other people. I feel like I'm getting to know them and their families. I look forward to reading comments that others leave on my posts.

I have actually started a prayer list for prayer needs that have been expressed by my blogger friends. I feel like I know some of them, even though I've never met them.

Thank you to all of you who have brightened my days.

Here is the description of the award and the guidelines to pass it on..."The citation reads: These kind bloggers aim to find and be friends. They are not interested in prizes or self-aggrandizement. Our hope is that when the ribbons of these prizes are cut, even more friendships are propagated. Please give more attention to these writers! There's an instruction that comes with this award. Deliver this award to 8 bloggers who must choose 8 more and include this text into the body of their award."

And now I would like to pass this award on to Brenda, Lynn, Kristen, Joan, Nicole, and although I know they've already been given an award by others, Cindy and Dee.

Random Picture

Both Gina and Cindy were tagged to do a random picture story, and I enjoyed them so much, I decided to participate. You just go to your 6th picture file, pick the 6th photo and tell the story about it. If you are reading this, consider yourself tagged.

My husband and I have had a strong interest in Haiti since 1970. At that time He and his first wife were there as short-term missionaries and I was there also (I was single) working in the medical clinic. Lynn worked with the radio ministry. He has continued to work with them and has supplied parts and supplies from the States when needed. The last 3 years he's gone on short mission trips to work on the radio transmitters and antennas. Last year I went with him and worked in the hospital.

Anyway, back to this picture. The man on the left is Barry, who went with us last year. In the middle is Killick, the chief Haitian engineer in Haiti. He has an engineering degree from the U.S. My husband, Lynn is on the right. This was actually taken here in Marion, Indiana when Killick was in the states for a visit. That is his little boy, Nathaniel, who was about 4 at the time of this picture, and he speaks 3 languages--french, creole and english. Amazing little guy. Lynn has a real passion for this ministry and is leaving to go on another mission trip in March.

Good Friends, Good Times , Good Memories

Alice with her cake

Ruth, Donna Marie, Donna Jean, Alice

Many "moons" ago, before I was married, I lived in a house in Ft. Wayne with 3 other girls. We were all nurses, and we worked at the old Lutheran Hospital. We have gone our separate ways, and haven't actually been all together in a very long time. I became a missionary to Haiti for 2 years and then got married to my 1st husband. We eventually moved to Oklahoma and I lived there for 19 years. Alice went to Bengladesh as a missionary, and was there until 1999. Ruth and Donna Jean both stayed in Ft. Wayne, so it's possible they saw each other occassionally.

Alice now lives in Marion, Indiana so we all decided to go down and celebrate her birthday. At some point, while she was still a missionary, she developed spasms and twitching in her neck and face. She's had 3 brain surgeries for this. They said it was caused by an artery lying up against the nerves, and every time her heart beat her face and neck would twitch. I had never heard of this but they actually put little pieces of felt between the artery and the nerve. She still has difficulties from time to time, and it is now controlled by botox injections, which I also found interesting.

We ate at Cracker Barrel; my sister Lou joined us for lunch, as she lives in Upland, and had known all of these ladies as well. We then went back to Alice's for cake. Needless to say, we talked and talked and talked. So much to catch up on! We got there at about 12 noon, and I thought I'd be back by 4 pm but I didn't actually get back home until about 7 pm. Wehad a really good day and it brought back lots of memories!

What a blessing to be able to catch up with life-time friends. One of my blogger friends wrote a blog on "Abundance". I feel like I have an abundant life, and my friends are so much a part of that.

Proverbs speaks about friends in several places:

Prov. 18:24 There is a friend that sticks closer than a brother

Prov. 17:17 A friend loves at all times

Prov. 27:6 wounds from a friend can be trusted

Prov. 27:10 Do not forsake your friend and the friend of your father

Thank you, Lord, for blessing my life with abundance, and many friends.

New Look for the New Year

I've been wanting to pay a visit to my sister Brenda to get some computer training, and the weather finally co-operated. I especially wanted to post a new background and needed her expertise to help me do that. But then she went completely "above and beyond" the call of duty, and added a picture to my header. We first took the picture on her camara, and then she figured out how to post it on my header.

Brenda loves to figure out how to do new things, so she enjoyed the challenge, and I'm enjoying the new look.

I am also signed up on face book, which is a new thing for me. It's been kind of fun to see what my "friends" are up to via face book. If any of you want to add me as a friend, I would love it.

Now...If I could just get a new look for me in one day, wouldn't that be wonderful?! However, I'm learning to be very grateful to the Lord for who I am and content with my current look.

Blessings on you all!

Faith Foundations

My pastor is doing a series on Wednesday nights on Hebrews 11 and the men and women of faith mentioned there. This week it was about Abraham's sacrifice of Isaac. He said that this request from God to sacrifice his son would not have seemed foreign to Abraham, because it was the custom of some of the other countries to sacrifice their first-born in order to appease the "gods".

However, it was an emotional sacrifice, to sacrifice his own flesh and blood. And more than that it was a spiritual sacrifice because Abraham had a promise from God that his seed would come through Isaac--he was the child of promise.

From Hebrews 11:19 it seems that Abraham had complete faith in God, not that he was going to keep him from sacrificing Isaac, but that he believed with all his heart that God could raise him from the dead.

What was important to me from all of this were 2 things: (1) God is Able! He is able to supply all of our needs, to protect us, to give us direction. And (2) God will provide! I was thinking about our economy, and how we tend to be concerned about finances etc, but we have His promise, He will provide for us.

Something I hadn't thought about; our pastor said that Isaac is a sort of prototype for us as believers. Isaac was spared by the intervention of the Spirit of God (in the form of an angel). Only through the intervention of the Holy Spirit in our lives are we able to sacrifice our own wills and desires. I'll have to think about that for a while; but I do know that I need to be more sensitive to the leading of the Holy Spirit in my life, so that I can be better used by Him.

Seven Random Things

I was tagged by Cindy to tell 7 random things about myself that people might not know. I'm not sure if there are 7 but I'll see how this goes. If you are reading this, consider yourself tagged also.

1) Cindy tried her hand at being a Mary Kay Consultant and color consultant and so did I. I actually was a Mary Kay consultant for about 15 years. Like Cindy, I loved doing it, and helping people feel good about themselves, but I wasn't good at sales or getting others to want to be a Mary Kay Representative. I made enough money to break even on my inventory.

2) I like scrapbooking (although I might have mentioned this before). I have done one for my son and for my daughter, and am now working on one for my husband and I. When my daughter passed away, I took the scrapbook to her viewing and her friends loved looking at it. It's a great keepsake that I have of her.

3) I went to Israel in 2000. It was one year after my first husband passed away. It was a life-changing trip and helps you see the Bible in a whole new light. (That trip is what started me scrapbooking, as I did a scrapbook of my trip).

4) I like writing poems. Most of my real-time friends and family know this one. I write a poem every year for my Christmas letter. This year it was based on the "12 days of Christmas", reviewing the 12 months of the year.

5) I love reading christian fiction, and always thought I would someday write a book. Since starting this blog, and reading other blogs, I am now convinced I would not be a very good writer. But if a good idea comes my way, who knows(?), I may try it!

6) I like classic musicals (Sound of Music, West Side Story, etc). Recently I also enjoy comedy movies and family drama's--heart-warming stories. I also like Chonda Pierce, as she makes me laugh and laughing is healthy (It increases your endorphins that boost your immune system.)

7) I love keeping in touch with old friends--I talked on the phone with an old friend yesterday for 45 minutes. I have also really enjoyed making new friends through this blog. It's been a real blessing.

I didn't think I would find 7 things, but there you have it. I'll be looking forward to seeing some of yours.