Time with Friends

We (Me and my children) are so blessed to have a wonderful group of friends, that we get the pleasure of spending time with on a regular basis. Some of our friends are not near us, so it is such a treat when they come out to visit and we get to spend time with them. This layout was inspired by a lovely afternoon at the park with our friends Shelly, Kim and Caleb.

Really Impressed . .

I have just recently discovered this great website. It is a family organizational website, and everything you could possibly need is availabe for entering/editing and reminding. Check it out, I think you'll really like it to. Goodness knows I can use all the help in the organizational department I can get =)

A Great Series at Our Church

Our church, Newsong Community Church, has been doing a wonderful series on how to raise stronger, healthier and a faith filled families.

A Message that was given several weeks ago, really touched my heart and spoke dearly to me, so I thought I would share a bit of the lesson I learned.

There was a lot of discussion in this sermon about "paying the price to pay attention". Sounds simple enough, right? However, how many times are we hurrying from one place to the next or from one activity to the next, that we are just rushing, and not able to really "pay attention". I have always tried to make it a daily goal to "be present" in all that I do, but I do find that there can often be a struggle, as there are so many things that pull us in so many different directions. So again, I recommit to being present and paying the price to pay attention. I don't want to miss one single moment of these many beautiful blessings that have been bestowed upon me, because I was too busy thinking about what was next and not paying close enough attention.

The second topic of the sermon was about asking "good questions", I wanted to share the list that Pastor Hal shared with us, as I believe there are some real gems in here.

1. How are you (really)?
2. What was your high point of the day? What was your low point?
3. What was your strongest feeling today?
4. What's your favorite____________? (color, place,memory, vacation, sport, hobby, movie, time of day, etc.)
5. How did that feel.
6. Tell me more about that.
7.What would you like to do if time & money were no object?
8. Tell me about your life at _____ years old.
9. List three people who have influenced you significantly.
10. What is God teaching you these days?
11. What are you reading in the Bible?
12. What are you reading, besides the Bible?
13. What would you like to talk about right now?
14. How can I pray for you?
15 What kind of business would you like to start?
16.What one thing would you like to change about yourself?


While a bit out of order, these were taken directly from our sermon notes provided by Pastor Hal Seed.

While these questions were provided in a sermon geared towards families, I really think they are tools that can and will enrich all of the various relationships of importance in our lives. Imagine how much deeper a friendship could become by simply asking and listening to the answer to one or more of these questions.

I am driven to be a better person and to live this life that has been given to me in a way that is fulfilling and pleasing to God's will for my life.

Week #19 at 52 sketches

So, This was my submission for the week #19 sketch at 52 sketches 52 weeks. Such a fun site, with wonderfully supportive and talented ladies. Please join along in the fun!!!! These photos were taken at Alyssa's Kindergarten graduation "party" . All three classes did a performance, and Alyssa was chosen to be Goldilocks, she was so nervous in the beginning, but she did a really nice job!! So proud of her for sticking with something that was quite out of her comfort zone.

Scrappin with my Momma

Here is layout #6 that I am doing with my Momma, this one was a lot of fun, I used my sewing machine to do some stitching around the brown patterened paper, I had a lot of fun with this one and am loving the finished product. Enjoy!! Love ya momma!!

A Boy & His Cat

Here is my completed layout for this weeks sketch at 52 sketches 52 weeks (Sketch #18). Lanny thought that it would be nice for the kids to have a pet that was truly theirs. (We have 2 dogs and had 3 cats, but they were all pets that had come to us, before we started our family.) So, when his sister fostered a litter of kittens from the Humane Society, we adopted one of the kittens, for the kids. He has been with us now for several months and he and Drew are the best of buddies. Drew loves to snuggle up with and carry him around the house, and the kitten is so patient and good with him. Here's to the great companionship that a furry friend brings to our lives.

For These Children I Prayed For . . .

A fitting scripture for Mother's Day . . .

For this child I prayed,and the Lord has given me my petition which I asked of Him.

1 Samuel 1:27

Happy Mother's Day!!

Wishing all the wonderful ladies in my life a very Happy Mother's Day! May all of your day be filled with lots of love and great memories. May this day be as special to each of you as you are to me.

With each passing year, I am more and more thankful for all of the wonderful friendships and relationships that have been brought into my life. I feel as though each and everyone of those friendships and relationships has provided me with love, joy, comfort and strength that is amplified because it has been shared with someone very dear to me. I am so thankful for the blessing of friendship in my life.


Many blessings . . . Have a wonderful day in celebration of the wonderful woman God has made you!!!