Exactly What I Needed....to SMILE BIG Again!

For several months now, my church has been plannning our Womens' Conference. We were told months ago about a very special guest speaker, Thelma Wells, formerly one of the Women of Faith featured speakers. Unfortunately, I never took the opportunity to attend Women of Faith Conferences when they came to town. When I heard that Thelma Wells was coming, I was very excited and had anticipated blogging about it and telling all of my friends about it. However, with so many things that started happening with us these last couple of months, I must be honest and say that I not only didn't make it a priority, I started wondering up until the day before the conference if I was going to attend.

I really didn't have it in me to go, but knew that I REALLY needed to go and so I did! It was today and it was absolutely GOOD for my soul. The worship time was wonderful and Thelma Wells was just a phenominal speaker. WOW!

I really, really, really needed this and was able to not only cry a few times today, but also smile many times as well. The pictures below will prove it.

It was a great time spent amongst not only with other believers, but with the Lord, too.

Here's a short video clip from Thelma Wells and, of course, a few pictures that I took.




And the pictures taken today...

Me and my friend, Judy. We meet at Judy's home each week for our Home Team (Bible Study).

My pastor's wife, Lisa with Thelma.

I love this picture below. We all attend Home Team together, Judy, me, Yolonda and Jill.

We had a two hour break today for lunch. We ate at the Olive Garden. It was a great choice!

The only disappointment that I had was that I didn't get around to inviting any friends outside my church. I know that they would have been as blessed by this conference as I was!

I'm Back....and I've REALLY Missed You All!!!!!

Hey friends!

Thank you! Thank you! Thank you all for your emails and comments!!!! You will never know how much your prayers have WORKED in so many ways!!!!

Dirk's grandpa did pass away last Thursday, February 19th. He is a happier man now that he's met his Maker face-to-face. He was such a precious man and a huge part of our lives. We will miss him tremendously.

There's still much to do with his affairs, but we're relying completely on the Lord to pave the way with it all in the days to come!

Well, I must keep this short because I'm off to making my rounds to visit each of you tonight! WOW! I am sure I have missed ALOT! The blogging world just doesn't stop for ya, huh?

You all are the best! I truly, truly, truly mean it!

Thanks so much for your friendship!

Just A Few More Prayers Needed....

I really don't know where to start in with this post except to just blurt out what has happened.

After just losing my grandfather two weeks ago tomorrow, we have been hit with news earlier today that Dirk's grandfather's health has failed him and it's not likely that he will recover.

He's been in the hospital for a few days now with a bad UT infection and Septis (blood infection). When he was diagnosed a couple of days ago, the doctors were very optimistic that they had caught it very early. However, he's taken a turn for the worse and the antibotic is not working.

We're happy for him, but deeply saddened for us (if that makes sense). He's lived a long, good life of 93 years and has told us more than once that he's ready to go be with the Lord anytime.

I remember visiting Grandpa (Dirk's grandpa) the day that my Grandfather passed away and as I was sitting there in the quietness in his room, I started to cry. Grandpa reached out and patted me on the shoulder and comforted me with words of, "It's okay to cry. It's good to cry." I just thought it was the sweetest thing for him to say to me.

We took our girls to see him Sunday at the hospital, but haven't taken them back again until today. After getting the news today, we shared with them that Grandpa might go anytime. Morgan asked us to take her to see him. So earlier tonight, we did. It was a somber visit to say the least. Morgan is really having a difficult time right now. As Dirk and I were talking later on, I mentioned that I was so proud of Morgan for always wanting to go see Grandpa at the nursing home and how she always took the time to not only talk to him, but would kneel down at the end of each visit and give him a big hug and a kiss on the cheek.

I never knew my great-grandfather. It's been a great blessing for our girls to not only know their Great Grandpa, but to also have a relationship with him.

So, if I don't comment or post in a few days, this is what's going on.

With the challenges that we've experienced in the last month, we're anxiously looking forward to when the sun not only shines again....but as a friend shared with me tonight, the sun will be even brighter.

Love to you all.

Suggestions Please...

Hello, friends,

I am soooooooooooooooooooooo ready for the weekend. In fact, I have a 3-day weekend! We're closed on Monday for President's Day! Yippee!!!!!

Alrighty.... I need some suggestions here.....

Don't worry! This shouldn't put you out too much. LOL!

Okay, I am looking for a super-duper, good, fabulous, wonderful, marvelous, miracle cleaning product that I can use in my shower. I don't like soap scums at all. Who does, right? Anyhow, I am in need of suggestions from what you may use that would work super-duper, good, fabulicious, wonderful, marvelous, and miracle like.

Do you know of anything that would help a sista out??????

Patiently waiting and until then............................

Happy Valentine's Day!!!!!

Rambling...

Okay, by the time you read the end of my post, you will know that I've truly missed blogging! LOL!

Instead of posting several different posts, I thought I'd combine several different subjects into one. Still with me?

First I want to share something that a very special blogging friend, Michele, sent to me the other day. When I took them out of the envelope, I wished you could have seen the smile on my face. It pleased my heart in such a way that she took time out to send some of her homemade cards to me. THANK YOU, Michele. I LOVE them! You're a real blessing girl!

Didn't Michele do an awesome job in making these?

Alrighty...

Next I have no idea how I received this, but I got an email and a few comments congratulating me on being one of the Internet Cafe’s Top 100 Christian Women’s Blogs of 2008!! The catagory that I was listed under was the All New Flavor Blog which was described as ~ "This blog is less than a year old but already shows such a tremendous capacity to bless. You just can't wait to see where she'll go from here!" Whoa! I am still asking today how did I receive this and who nominated me?? Hmmmm...Anyhow, what a blessing to know that the Lord is using my blog and thankfully alllllllllllllll my rambling to bless others! Thank you to those who nominated me.

Still with me?

Okay, the last thing I want to share is my new hairdo. I wanted some curls/waves of some sort. I was so tired of just the straight look. Soooooooooooooooooooooooooooo, look what I did. I like it just okay. It's different and that's what I wanted, but maybe a little too different for this ole', predictable gal. LOL!

Glad I was able to get some things cleared away here. Thanks for listening/reading. It wasn't that long, huh?

I'm Pressing On...Praise God!

It's been a very difficult couple of weeks for me, but I have to keep pressing on, right? You all have been such a HUGE blessing to me. It has really meant a lot knowing that even though I haven't been able to keep in contact with you like before, you were still checking in on me. THANK YOU! THANK YOU! THANK YOU!

There are so many different subjects that I'd like to post about, but since I have MANY blogs to visit tonight, I'll just keep my post brief for now.

Jae recently learned the whole New Testament and for the past week, we have heard her singing it over and over and over and OVER. So, earlier today I asked her if she would share it with you on video. She reluctantly said, "yes".

I must say that I am one proud momma! Listen to this.....

Rest in Peace...

Thank you so much for your e-mails and comments sent in the last several days. They have meant ALOT!!!

Many of you know the story that I posted about my sick grandfather a week or so ago. I wanted to share that this morning he went peacefully to be with the Lord.

Thanks again for all your prayers and support through this trying time. I know that brighter days are ahead.

I have missed you all so much and will be trying to catch up with you all in the next few days.

Love to you all!