A Martini and Cocktails before Surgery

For years now, 10 to be exact, I have been chasing doctors to find answers as to why I wheeze when I breathe. Just going up stairs or folding laundry made me wheeze. Forget walking and talking. I sounded like an 88 year old woman who had smoked 2 packs a day. In February, I started chasing doctors again. I wanted to exercise and I wanted to be able to breathe when I did. I was sent to Southeastern Lung Center for tests and to be honest for about 2 weeks I was a basket case. They couldn't tell me for sure what the growth was in my trache. I was sent to an ENT (ENT of GA) who told me he didn't think it was cancer but it did need to come out. So, March 27, I checked into St. Joe Hospital at 6:00 and had Endoscopic Laryngoplasty with balloon dilalition. Mark was my rock, my strength the whole way. He loves me so well. He never left my side, through all the tests, the results, and then the day of surgery. My best friend, Cathy, was there for me too. I had my own personal nurse for the day. I don't know what I'd do without her. She knew just what I needed when I got home...banana pudding. Who counts calories after surgery? :) I got home from the hospital about 2:00 and for the first time in many many years, I can walk up the stairs and BREATHE!! I could talk at the same time too!! What a great day.

Techno Book Worm

I finally am up to date in the book world! I got a KINDLE for my birthday. For the longest, I didn't want one. My books are like my best friend. I like to hold them in my hand...feel the pages between my fingers...see how close I am to the end. I love going to bookstores...I lose all track of time when I'm in one. However, as my 48th birthday rolled around, the idea of a KINDLE just kept popping up in my head (maybe it had to do with a friend of mine getting one for Christmas) and I started dropping hints. I 'm good at that. HA HA Well, wouldn't you know it...my wonderful family surprised me with one! So tonight I sat down and became acquainted with my KINDLE. I deregisted my husbands name and registered it in my name. Hoot - Hoot, got to start somewhere. While I've not read my first book or even a page I think I'm going to like it :) All I need now is a big whopping gift card...guess I'll have to purchase that myself. So off to Target I go...

The Good Fight

A girl I used to baby - sit, Kristen Hester Hicks, started a Blog Bible Study or she calls it Inductive Bible Study. Each week she is presenting a challenge for us to study. I've been wanting to do a Bible study own my own for awhile now, but always put "life" first...shame on me! But when I reconnected with Kristen on facebook and started following her blogs, I decided this was a challenge God had placed before me saying "hello...act on what you've been saying, woman"! So here it goes.

2 Timothy 4:1-8

(Easy to Read Version)

Before God and Jesus Christ I give you a command. Christ Jesus is the one who will judge all people - those who are living and those who have died. He is coming again to rule in His kingdom. So I give you this command.

2 Tell everyone God's message. Be ready at all times to do whatever is needed. Tell people what they need to do, tell them when they are doing wrong and encourage them. Do this with great patience and careful teaching.

3 The time will come when people will not listen to the true teaching. But people will find more and mroe teachers who please them. They will find teachers who say what they want to hear.

4 People will stop listening to the truth. They will begin to follow the teaching in false stories.

5 But you should control yourself at all times. When troubles come, accept them. Do the work of telling the Good News. Do all the duties of a servant of God.

6 My life is being given as an offering for God. The time has come for me to leave this life here.

7 I have fought the good fight. I have finished the race. I have served the Lord faithfully.

8 Now a prize is waiting for me - the crown - that will show I am approved by God. The Lord, the judge who judges rightly will give it to me on that Day. Yes, he will give it to me and everyone else who is eagerly looking forward to His coming.

In other words...

Always be ready to let others see Christ in You. Let others see Christ by your teaching and example. Always be ready to encourage or rebuke with love and with patience. People will always be looking for answers that they want, answers that will justify their actions / thoughts and we need to make sure we stand frim and grounded in Christ so we are not pulled away. It's a daily fight for the life Christ wants us to live for Him, but if we keep our eyes fixed on Him and serve Him faithfully, we will be rewarded with the promise of heaven.

My thoughts...

Always be ready! I think not only do I need to be ready with answers, but also by my actions and my attitude. I can always give an answer, but if I am not living my FAITH out loud, what I say has no meaning. I have to teach and live my life with unwavering diligence. I need to guard my heart and thoughts from false teachers and the world - daily. I want to look back at the scars for Christ (and I hope I have many when my life on earth is done) and hear Jesus say, "well done my good and FAITHFUL servant".

Well, that is my first blog Bible study! I'm ready for the next one :)

Grace and Peace

Just for Today

While Cathy and I were on one of our many girlfriend trips, I came acorss a plaque hanging in the bathroom of the condo, called "A B C's for Today". I first fell in love with the plaque because it was all decorated in shabby art, very, very cute. It was after a day or two that I paused long enough to read it...my mind was on how fast can I get to the beach each day! So glad when I slowed down one morning long enough to read it and then copy it before I went to bed that night. Enjoy!

Attitude is everything

Bloom Late

Clelebrate Everything

Dance at Weddings

Excel at What You Set Out to Do

Fall in Love Again

Go Green

Hold Hands

Inspire

Jump with Both Feet

Kiss Like You Mean It

Laugh!

Mend Fences

Nature Friendships

Open Doors

Plant Flowers

Quit Whinning

Rekindle Romance

Spoil Babies

Teach with Your Actions

Volunteer

Wear Red

eXpect Nothing

Yield Gracefully

ZING!!

No, there is nothing really profound in this.I think it's the very SIMPLE things that matter in day to day life. What you put into the day, it what you will get out of it. I hope at the end of the day, my actions, my attitude, my conversations, made someones day just a little better and brighter.

Today is Mark's birthday. His 49th birthday...the last year before the BIG 50! It's hard to believe we are facing the end of the 40's. Mark and I have celebrated more birthday's together (dating and married) as we did as "single". He is the greatest husband and Daddy! He has given us more than I ever dreamed. He always has is girls (and that includes me) first, always thinking what's best for our family rather than what is best for him. He has led our family as a God - fearing man, gentle and loving. The card I got for him this year, yes it was more sappy than what I usually give, said "I'm sure of you...I'm sure of US". I'm so blessed by how you have loved me and I'm so thankful to have spent another birthday with you. Happy Birthday Honey, may you have many many more.

Math Class...one long year

Katie ended her junior year of high school today. I couldn't have been more proud of her with her math grade. She had been failing most of the year...a subject that totally frustrates her (as it does me). Our brains just don' t think "math". I knew if she just applied herself she could make it, pull through, but for most part she didn't care to apply herself. Not saying she didn't care, I think she truely did. It was more of a feeling of "lost" and not knowing where to begin to understand. We found a wonderful tutor for her, who believed in her and he helped her see the light at the end of the tunnel. My prayer was that Katie would find the confience in herself, believe in herself enough to pass the class and she did...with a C!! I cried when she told me she had passed because I knew she had found the rope that had pulled her up the mountain to the top...the rope being her belief in herself. So now as we begin summer school, I think she'll end strong in math...just knowing she won't have to have math her senior year...should help her a lot.
I love you Katie. You are my sunshine. You are my joy. You make me laugh. May you have a wonderful senior year, the best one yet of your high school career. I'm your biggest fan!! Enjoy summer!

Blog??? Hmmm

Blog? I've been thinking about doing this for sometime now. Why? I have no idea other than it seems the thing to do. I enjoyed keeping a diary when I was a teenager and now journaling as an adult (same result just different words). How much time will this take? Can I keep up with it or will I remember to keep up with it? Stay tuned. I really have no idea what I'm doing. Maybe I should stick to a pen and paper.

Our house is pretty exciting right now. Katie is winding down her junior year in high school, Emily her junior year in college, and she just recently got engaged. I keep looking for the emergency break to apply to this crazy life. Seems like I've got a heavy foot on the gas pedal! But I must be honest, I wouldn't trade my life or any moment of it for anything. God has blessed me more than I ever deserved with a wonderful husband, two beautiful daughters, great friends, good health, a fun (sometimes insane family), and a sweet dog (the cherry on top). I am loving life.