Goodbye Sweet Friend

You weren't mine from the very beginning...but you came into my life at a time when your presence was most needed. It was almost a fairy tale beginning - our eyes met and that was that. You were 6 years old when you came home to live with me two days after I buried the love of my life, my Sweet Hubby. I remember so well what you looked like...you with your "crazy hair!"

That didn't last long though...I think you liked your "new look!"

Having you here meant never coming home to an empty house. You were my constant companion. My "Velcro girl" from the very beginning. You loved everyone, but you and I were "connected" in a special way. You were my sweet girlie and you knew it!

Six months ago yesterday, you took ill suddenly. Ultimately, you were diagnosed with Lyme disease, Poly arthritis and Lyme Nephritis. We were fortunate to find a wonderful veterinary internal medicine specialist here who took you on as a patient these past six months and enabled you to enjoy the quality of life that I had only hoped for when you first got sick...something that the vets at the emergency hospital didn't hold out much hope for.

With the help of Dr. Kremer, I got to watch you chase grasshoppers all summer long. You got to lay on the deck in the summer sun - one of your favorite things to do! We got to take trips to visit Matthew, your favorite person in the world (beside me, of course!). Yes, you had quality of life.

But last week, things started falling apart. Your labs were grim...the worst they'd ever been. It looked like we were entering the end stages of renal failure. This past weekend was very hard. It broke my heart for you.

We had an appointment with Dr. Kremer scheduled for yesterday at 2 p.m. I called them and let them know it would be our "last appointment." They were ready for us when we got there.

I have known all along that I made the right decision by choosing to take you to Dr. Kremer, but yesterday proved it once again to me. At 2:25, while I told you how much I loved you and to say hello to Daddy for me, you peacefully slipped away.

How do you say goodbye to someone you love? How do you say "thank you" for all that they did for you? I hope you know. I like to think you do. And last night, when I managed to get a bit of sleep, I dreamt that my Sweet Hubby sent me flowers. In my dream, I knew they were because I had lost you. I woke up feeling that you had "arrived" safely and I am at peace.

But I will miss you forever, my sweet girlie...my Lulu.

My Lulu
11/14/08-1/24/11


He will wipe every tear from their eyes, and there will be no more death or sorrow or crying or pain. All these things are gone forever."
Revelation 21:4 NLT

My Christmas wish

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Praise the Lord! Oh, give thanks to the Lord, for He is good!
For His mercy endures forever!
Psalm 106:1 NKJV

Celebrating Him

Jesus came into the world so we could know, once and for all, that God is concerned about the way we live, and the way we believe, and the way we die.
Billy Graham

For the Son of Man has come to save the lost.
Matthew 18:11

If we could condense all the truths of Christmas into only three words, these would be the words: "God with us."
John MacArthur

Today a Savior, who is Messiah the Lord, was born for you in the city of David. Luke 2:11

Begin to know him now, and finish never.
Oswald Chambers

Jesus Christ is the same yesterday, today, and forever.
Hebrews 13:8

So Jesus came, stripping himself of everything as he came--omnipotence, omniscience, omnipresence--everything except love. "He emptied himself" (Philippians 2:7), emptied himself of everything except love. Love--his only protection, his only weapon, his only method.
E. Stanley Jones

And may the Lord make you increase and abound in love to one another and to all. 1 Thessalonians 3:12

Christmas is about a baby, born in a stable, who changed the world forever.
John Maxwell

Choose for yourselves today who you will worship... As for me and my family, we will worship the Lord.
Joshua 24:15

The star of Bethlehem was a star of joy. "When they saw the star, they rejoiced with exceedingly great joy." All true joy comes from Him.
D. James Kennedy

"And they shall call His name Immanuel," which is translated, "God with us." Matthew 1:23

All quotes from the book Celebrate His Birth, Freeman-Smith, LLC, 2010

Did you enjoy these quotes? This is a sweet little book - perfect to flip through this time of year. I have a few extras that I'd love to share. Leave me a comment now through Thursday and I'll draw names in the usual fashion and get them out to you in time for Christmas.

Have a blessed week...
Let us not forget to take time to reflect on the why and the Who of the season.

I love pretzels...

Or is it dogs just shaped like pretzels that I love? I get confused sometimes...

May you find something to laugh about today...even if it's my dog!

He will once again fill your mouth with laughter and your lips with shouts of joy.
Job 8:21 NLT

What's in a Name?

I read a number of blogs on a daily basis. Some can be found on my side bar...others I come across in the course of conversation or find mentioned in an article I may be reading. The majority are Christian-themed, others are just about life in general and some are topic specific.

The one thing that always fascinates me is the name of the blog. Some are quite ingenious and clever...maybe even a little word play going on! Some are tongue-in-cheek or a bit whimsical. And others are downright funny! I love it! There are times when I see a blog name and say, "Man, I wish I'd thought of that!" And just as quickly I think, "No..."

Because the truth of the matter is I'm quite happy with the name of my blog. Now, understand - I had NO big dream of writing a blog, no intention of starting one. But here I am...going on two and a half years later. And that day that I sat down and this blog came into being? I knew in an instant what it was going to be called. Here's how it happened...

You see, my Sweet Hubby and I had just recently begun The Truth Project at our church. It was to be our church-wide Wednesday nights Refuel summer project and would span 10 weeks. We had been seeing promos for weeks during every Sunday service and we were so excited to get started! Finally! Week one arrived and we entered our church's Sanctuary and the air was alive with voices filled with just as much excitement as we were feeling! The lights dimmed...

And then - it seemed the first lesson was over just as quickly as it had begun...oh my friends - it was fabulous! If you have the opportunity to participate in this wonderful series, I strongly encourage you to do so. Your life will be richly blessed for it!

But there was something at the very end that Dr. Tackett said that first Wednesday night that stuck with me...has stuck with me to this very day. And you'll find it in the video below. I'm going to apologize for the quality right now! I had to play the CD on my laptop and video record with my cell phone and then upload it to YouTube (I won't tell you about the blood, sweat and tears that took!). So it's not the best, but here it is:

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Did you catch it? That image he spoke of was so powerful for me that I couldn't get it out of my head...still can't. In fact, when I pray now that is exactly the picture I have in my mind. Oh how much more personal my prayer life became that very moment! What a great gift I received that night!

And now you know the origin of my blog's name!

If you have a blog, how did you come up with the name? If you don't have a blog, but were to start one today - what would you name it? Leave me a comment...I'd love to know!

Oh - speaking of names! The winning numbers/names for the Counting My Blessings Giveaway were:

13 - About Nancy

10 - Janice

Thanks so much to everyone for the comments...I wish I had enough books for everyone who entered! I loved reading how God has blessed you - I felt blessed through you, so thank you!

About Nancy and Janice, if you'll contact me through my profile email and let me know where to mail your book, I'll get it out to you this week...I pray that you will be blessed by them!

Then said I, Woe is me! for I am undone; because I am a man of unclean lips, and I dwell in the middle of a people of unclean lips: for my eyes have seen the King, the LORD of hosts. Then flew one of the seraphim to me, having a live coal in his hand, which he had taken with the tongs from off the altar: And he laid it on my mouth, and said, See, this has touched your lips; and your iniquity is taken away, and your sin purged. Also I heard the voice of the Lord, saying, Whom shall I send, and who will go for us? Then said I, Here am I; send me.
Isaiah 6:5-8 AKJV

Holiday Blues

I got 'em. No matter how hard I try to fight them off. Then I hear this song...

And I feel better.


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Word of God speak...

What I tell you now in the darkness, shout abroad when daybreak comes. What I whisper in your ear, shout from the housetops for all to hear!
Matthew 10:27 NLT


**Still a few days left to enter ItTR's Counting My Blessings Giveaway!

Counting my blessings

I have been richly blessed in my life. Abundantly so. Starting from my very beginning. But maybe not in the way you might be thinking...

You see...I'm adopted. By these two right here...they chose me! ME!!

My Mom and Dad. My first blessings.

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Then there's that special, wonderful man that I shared my life with. I know the Lord hand-picked him just for me! And what a blessing he was...each and every moment of our life together. And while it is my life's greatest sorrow that he is no longer here, I treasure what we shared and I await the day when I'll see that precious face once more and hear the words, "Hi Sweetheart..." Oh...

My Sweet Hubby...My Prince.

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Our children! Nothing is ever the same once you add children to the mix - it's like even the quality of the air is different somehow! Days are more magical and the mundane is once again fresh and new! And grandchildren? Well, don't even get me started!! I well remember the day each of our grandsons entered the world and how my Sweet Hubby and I could not stop smiling with sheer joy!

Blessing upon Blessing!

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My Lulu. It's no secret to those who know me that I love dogs. I love them. Dare I confess it here? There are some days I even like them more than people! Why? Gosh, just look at the news headlines! Because they don't lie, they don't hurt. They are pure, devoted and loyal. Yeah. I love dogs. And I love this one in particular!

My girlie...

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My friends. I can't count them in the hundreds like maybe some can, but the ones I have are tried and true. They have seen me at my worst. I hope they have also seen me at my best. I won't be posting any pictures because I'm afraid if I do, I'll have to take a recount! But you know who you are and I hope you know how very much you're loved, appreciated and prayed for every single day!

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My faith. I don't have words for this, so I'm not even going to try. Just suffice it to say that without it, I'm nothing at all. Nothing. With it, I'm still standing. Thank you, Jesus - to you be all the glory - always and forever! By the way, if you don't know my Jesus...drop me an email (you can contact me through my profile) - I'd love to introduce you to Him - He's been waiting your whole life to get to know you!

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**In the spirit of Thanksgiving, I'd like to have a little giveaway.
Won't you indulge me, please?!**

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Remember a while back, I attended an Extraordinary Women conference with my friend JJ? Well, as always, you - my bloggy friends - are never far from my mind!

These are for you!

The Power of Praying Through the Bible by Stormie Omartian signed by Stormie, just for you.

And yes...I truly bought it with "you" in mind. And I will be praying over this book until it leaves my home for yours. I hope it richly blesses you as you find power, strength and the love of our Savior as you read through His Word.

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As well as A Woman's Path to Emotional Freedom by Julie Clinton, also signed by Julie.


Julie is the President of Extraordinary Women and the host of the conferences. She is so soft spoken yet uplifting and absolutely charming! I love the question on the back cover of this book: "Do your emotions sometimes control your life?" HA! Well, I don't know about you, but I can sure raise my hand! This book was not available at the conference - it hadn't come out quite yet...but I ordered copies soon after. Again, I ordered an extra copy with one of you in mind. And just like with Stormie's book, I will be praying that the recipient of this book will find, as it says on the cover, "God's Promise of Hope and Healing."

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Here's how to enter:

1) Simply leave me a comment about how you've been blessed in your life.
2) One blessing per comment please, but no limit on comments! Let the blessings flow!
3) Wanna link to your blog? Great, be sure to leave a comment telling me you did so!
4) The same goes for Facebook...just be sure to leave me a comment that you linked my blog!
5) Just started following my blog? Be sure and leave me a comment!

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Comments will remain open through December 1st and I'll select two winners sometime Thursday, December 2, 2010. As always, I'll be using this.

**Note: I would like the books to go to separate people, so should the same name be drawn twice, I will use this to draw again until I get a different name for the second book. :)

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May God richly bless each and every one of you and yours this Thanksgiving. If you're traveling, I pray His mercies over you both going and coming. Don't forget to offer up an extra prayer of thanks for the men and women of our Armed Forces who are away from their families taking care of our Nation's business and keeping us free.

Would you know who is the greatest saint in the world: It is not he who prays most or fasts most, it is not he who gives most alms or is most eminent for temperance, chastity or justice; but it is he who is always thankful to God, who wills everything that God wills, who receives everything as an instance of God's goodness and has a heart always ready to praise God for it.
~ William Law

So let's not get tired of doing what is good. At just the right time we will reap a harvest of blessing if we don't give up.
Galations 6:9 NLT

He's brings me great joy!

Our youngest son, Matthew, just returned from attending this conference in San Diego. If you've been reading here for a while, you know that Matthew is finishing up his Ph.D. (May 2011!!) and neuroscience is his thing!

I love how he honors his Dad, always...he's wearing the "Purple Ribbon" pin because November is National Pancreatic Cancer Awareness Month.

His Dad used to sit for hours and question him about this...or that...hanging on every word, listening intently. And would then ask for more. What always surprised me was that "science" was so not his thing (my Sweet Hubby was a "numbers" guy!) but where this child of ours was concerned - you'd have thought "science" was all that mattered because his Dad could not get enough! Those were special times, for both of them, and I know those conversations are deeply treasured and sadly missed by Matthew every day.

I, too, love to listen to him talk about his research (because science is my thing!) and even though I don't understand the application of all the science, what I do understand is very exciting! But I'm not Dad, you know? I listen differently - I know that. It'll never be the same...and I feel inept and like I'm failing him in some way that I can't "fix." Oh - how a mother's heart hurts for her children.

Anyway. Sorry. Where was I?

Today, we were having a chit chat about San Diego and his experiences at the conference. Specifically, the presentation of his research data on the last day of the conference. It's always a nerve wracking time for him, even though he always does really, really well! (Hey, I'm his Mom - I'm allowed to brag! Expected to, even! After all, our Heavenly Father set the precedent of a proud parent, remember?)

And a voice from heaven said, "This is my dearly loved Son, who brings me great joy."
Matthew 3:17 NLT

This trip, just as in the past, he made some excellent connections. In fact, he was approached by someone in particular and had a conversation with this individual that I have been thinking about a great deal. Now this was no one that you or I would know by name (unless you're in that field of research too - and then, wow - what a coincidence!), but someone that left Matthew with a LOT to think about. Important things. If there's one thing I know about my son - those wheels won't stop turning! Oh talk about Jeremiah 29:11...Matthew - He has such plans for you - 0f this I am sure!

For I know the plans I have for you," says the LORD. "They are plans for good and not for disaster, to give you a future and a hope.
Jeremiah 29:11 NLT

As I drove home in the waning sunlight from running my errands, I couldn't help but think back to 26 years ago, to that tiny little baby that I snuggled so tightly. Let me tell you - I was overcome with thanks to my God Who saw fit to bless me with such an amazing son! Because he has, each and every day since the day he was born, been an incredible blessing! Oh, and after what I heard today...I have a feeling that one day, perhaps not that far off in the future, he's going to be a blessing to many. And I am already in tearful thanksgiving for that.

Therefore, let us offer through Jesus a continual sacrifice of praise to God, proclaiming our allegiance to his name.
Hebrews 13:15 NLT

Reflections on clarity

This morning, one of my devotional readings was about clarity. I have now been thinking about it all day. I love when written words resonate so profoundly that they clatter around in your mind - like an object you can't get enough of, turning it over and over in your hands to look at it from every angle! Just as a kaleidoscope is different with every turn, so have my thoughts been...yeah - it's been that kind of day.


God's Word does that for me.

Here's one of verses that was attached to my devotional today. I typically read in the New Living Translation, although I have many translations here at home and an app on my phone that gives me instant access to them all. This passage moved me to read it in multiple translations...I offer it to you here in the two that made me close my eyes and breathe in deeply.

Now we see things imperfectly, like puzzling reflections in a mirror, but then we will see everything with perfect clarity.
All that I know now is partial and incomplete, but then I will know everything completely, just as God now knows me completely.
1 Corinthians 13:12 NLT

We don't yet see things clearly. We're squinting in a fog, peering through a mist. But it won't be long before the weather clears and the sun shines bright! We'll see it all then, see it all as clearly as God sees us, knowing him directly just as he knows us!
1 Corinthians 13:12 The Message

Looking forward to clarity. But in the meantime, enjoying my walk with Him in the mist.

For my Dad...

Well, my Mom’s graciously allowed me to hijack her blog to share some words about my Dad on this very difficult day. Although today has been filled predominantly with feelings of sadness and emptiness, I’d like to focus my attention now recalling some happier times…

My Dad was a remarkably selfless person who defined his happiness not by what he owned, but by the love he shared with his family. He found great joy in some of life’s simplest treasures. Believe it or not, some of the biggest smiles I ever saw light up his face were precipitated by placing a large (we’re talking dinner saucer large) stack of pancakes in front of him. Combine that with bacon and fried eggs, plenty of butter and piping hot maple syrup and you had yourself one very happy man. And I do mean combine as in layering eggs and bacon in between discus-sized pancakes served to him hot off the griddle by his adoring wife. I never quite understood it, as I only ate eggs scrambled and preferred some separation on my breakfast plate. But to each their own, right?!?

Well, in honor of my Dad’s birthday this year, I decided to remember him in a way that was uniquely his. Above is a picture of my first “Dad’s breakfast” at Cracker Barrel. Although not nearly the same size as the beloved hotcakes my Mom regularly churned out for her Prince on weekends, CB features some rather tasty buttermilk pancakes that come out slightly crispy on the outside while remaining light and fluffy on the inside. They were his favorite pancakes away from home, so coupled with my recently found love for a great fried egg, I was eager to take part in something that was so special to him.

When the food arrived, I slathered the crispy pancakes in butter, carefully tucked my eggs and bacon in between, then finished it off with steamy syrup. I carved a wedge out with my fork as creamy golden yolk spilled out around the sides. The first bite was simply magical, a wicked amalgamation of sweet syrup, savory bacon, crispy, tangy pancakes and rich, buttery egg. The connection I felt at that moment between he and I was palpable. I fought back swelling tears as I worked on that bite, savoring the physical sensations hitting my palate as well as the countless fond memories of sharing breakfast together as a family. I was hooked.

The overwhelming emotion of today has left me with little in the way of an appetite. However, I managed to put away “Dad’s breakfast” for dinner, along with several cups of black coffee (his standard, opposed to my cream and Splenda). I ate every bite. I had to. He wouldn’t have had it any other way.

Dad, I desperately miss this and everything else that made you so uniquely you. The void left by your departure from this world to the next, and final, adventure is simply unbearable most days. Until the sweet day when we’re reunited again, I’ll cling to all the indelible memories you’ve left behind.

Love Always,

Your baby boy,

Matthew