HEY LET'S TALK

Hi Guys & Dolls. I've missed you.

Sat, 10 May 2008 19:43:32 GMT

I'm sorry it has taken so long to get back to you. My intentions were to post much earlier than today, but life's interruptions made it too difficult. As well, many things have gone wrong since I last posted. Because they did, our move did not take place. It is a good thing in some ways - a bad thing in others, but life is what it is. In order to cope with hard things we have to be adaptable.

Our Daily Battles-
Every one of us has something we are strugging with: unemployment, the loss of a child, marital difficulties, health problems, problems with our children, the frustrations that come with getting older, the heaviness of loneliness, or perhaps low self-esteem.
   As difficult as our problem may be, it helps to remember that it isn't the problem that raises our stress level, but our reaction to it. What helps me the most, during my darkest moments, is reminding myself of all the mountains I've climbed - mountains I believed too tall -way beyond my capabilities.
   If today finds you in a dark place, remind yourself of the mountains you have climbed, of how far you have come- of all you have done well. And then count your blessings. There are many, I promise. But sometimes, if we're going through an especially difficult time they're hard to see. It may take us a bit longer to find them.

I always told my children that people are more important than things. If you want to support those you care about, you'll enjoy reading the following:

by Michael Angier

One of the greatest responsibilities we have is to support ourselves and others in living at our highest and best. Whether we’re parents, partners, friends or leaders, it’s incumbent upon us to help others to live as close to their unique potential as we can.

With everything we say and do, we’re influencing, positively or negatively, the people we care about. The ideal is to do this with consideration and intention. Here are ten ways you can help others see and realize the best that’s within them.

Believe in Them: We all have self-doubts from time to time. Our confidence is shaken. We lack the faith in our talents and skills to go for an important promotion or launch a new initiative. Having someone believe in you at these times is priceless. The stories of great men and women are saturated with examples of someone who believed in them even when they didn’t fully believe in themselves.
Encourage Them: "You can do it. I know you can." These are words that are all-too-infrequently voiced. Sincere encouragement can go a long way in helping someone stay the course. The more specific you are, the better the results. "I remember when you got through your slump last year and ended up winning the sales contest. I’m willing to bet that you’ll do even better this time."
Expect a Lot: We’re often told not to get our hopes up. We’re encouraged to have realistic expectations. But when it comes to helping others operate at their best, we sometimes have to up-level our expectations. This can be taken to extremes, but there are many times when a teacher, a parent or even a boss has required more of us than we thought we were capable. And we’ve risen to the challenge which enabled us to see further than before.
Tell the Truth: And tell it with compassion. We often avoid telling the hard truth because we don’t want to upset anyone. We want to be nice. But telling the truth is a loving act. You may be the only person who can or will say to another what needs to be said. And you can confront someone without being combative.
Be a Role Model: One of the best ways we influence is by our own actions. Who we are speaks much more loudly than what we say. Don’t think that people aren’t watching you. They are. And they’re registering everything about you consciously and unconsciously. We automatically emulate our role models. And we’re all role models to someone so let’s be good ones.
Share Yourself: Too often, we miss the value of sharing our failings. We don’t want to be vulnerable so we hold back. In doing so, we deprive others of our experience, our learning and our humanity. When you share from your own experience, especially your failures, you increase empathy, you’re more approachable and you increase your relatability to others.
Challenge Them: The word "challenge" has some negative connotations. The meaning we’re using here is, "a test of one’s abilities or resources in a demanding but stimulating undertaking." We all need to be challenged from time to time. Doing it for another is an art form. Go too far and it will backfire. Go too easy and you will appear patronizing. Remind people of their commitment to being their best and state your challenge. "I challenge you to overcome these unimportant opinions and get on with the real task at hand, get the job done, make the commitment, etc."
Ask Good Questions: A good therapist or coach doesn’t tell their clients what to do. They ask good questions in order for the client to understand themselves better, to get clear on what the issue is and from there to make good choices. You can do the same. By asking elegant questions, you cause people to think and come up with solutions. They’ll appreciate it.
Acknowledge Them: You find what you’re looking for. If you’re looking for the best in someone, you’ll see it. If you’re looking for their failings, you’ll see those. Catch people doing things right and tell them. When we acknowledge the good deeds of others, they tend to do more of them. Write a note. Send a card. Give them a call. Praise them in front of others.
Spend Time With Them: We love what we give our time to. By devoting your most precious resource (time) to another individual, you’re showing them that you truly value them and your relationship with them. Invest time in your relationships; it’s what life is made of.
**********************************************

Well, dear ones, I hope each of you realizes how greatly I treasure your friendship. And I want to thank you for taking time to share your life with me. Every time I read your entries I learn something of value; a way of viewing something differently, something to help me grow as an individual. And each time I read what you write I realize how much SUN you've brought into my life, how much you've colored it.

Thank you for your prayers, your friendship, and support.
Without it my trials would have felt much heavier, my lonely moments..much more hurting.
Johnny is not doing very well, so keep him in your prayers as always. And please keep my children in your prayers too.

LIFE IS SHORT...SO
CREATE A BEAUTIFUL MEMORY TODAY.

TAKING A JOURNAL BREAK

Sun, 10 Feb 2008 21:49:57 GMT

I'm going to take a journal break, one which may last for several months. I hope it doesn't last that long, but it may.The main reason I'm taking this break is because I'm in so much pain right now, and my pain meds are not helping much.
   The second reason for the break is because we will be moving by the first part of April. Moving doesn't leave much time for Internet use. Between packing, the actual move, settling in and hurting so much, I won't really feel much like being online.
I'm sorry I've not posted much, and especially sorry I've missed so many of your entries. Can't promise when I'll catch up. Right now I feel so rotten that all I want to do is stay in bed.

Take care of yourselves.
I will miss you very much.

A reminder:
Don't forget to do something nice for somebody.

Taking note of what's happening around us offers us opportunities to bless others. Once, while my husband and I were truckers, we were eating dinner at a truck stop. The place was very busy and our waitress was almost in tears. She spilled the water, called our order in wrong, but explained she was new and doing her best. I told her not to worry about it, that new jobs are difficult. I heard her reply softly when people yelled at her, saw her wipe tears from her face many times, but she kept serving people, doing the best she could.
   When I was finished eating, I went to the register stand where they sold these assorted magnets with wonderful sayings on them.
I bought the waitress one that had a red rose on it, and the words,
"I so admire strong people." I put it in a small bag and tucked a note in with it that said," When you wake up tomorrow, today will be behind you, and the job will be much easier. I think you did a great job on your first day."
    I handed her the bag before we left, didn't have time to wait to see what her reaction was, but I'm pretty sure I know. Many years ago, a man went out of his way to tell me I'd done a great job on MY first day at work. I never forgot how that made me feel, how much confidence it gave me.

JUST SORTING THINGS OUT FOR MYSELF

Sun, 13 Jan 2008 20:00:18 GMT

What things? Love mostly.

I heard a man say "We see what we love." Is this not true?
We do! We truly do! We're not drawn to things that repel us, that upset us, that make us crazy, but to those things that make us smile, laugh, feel good inside; to things that allow us to experience to the utmost, our sense of touch, sight, smell, hearing, and taste.

I heard, many years ago, a friend say," My scale says I weigh 172, Barb, but I feel much heavier. His tone, when he spoke, was sad, troubled, made me think, rather than of his body weight, how we sometimes make mountains out of ant hills. The thought reminded me of the same man who made the remark about love. He said too:
"We ought to follow what we love and give away what we don't need, like anger, sadness, fear, and those anxious feelings that steal our joy away.

What we find ourselves loving says a lot about the kind of people we are, and teaches us things too (about God, others, life, nature, and ourselves).

I wish I could remember all that this man said. But I can't. But it doesn't matter really, because the things that stayed with me obviously are things that have helped me grow. are things I needed to hear, to learn from.
One of the things I remember him saying was:
"What we tend too will grow." Six small words, but words that can change the quality of our lives if we allow them too. I need to allow them to. And I need to give myself permission to follow after my dreams, rather than walk in another man's footsteps.

When we live life according to what God says love is, we soon discover how much we've been missing in our life. This is true of me, and perhaps some of you. We live our life according to how we've been raised, according to what others have taught us, according to what others tell us is the right thing to do. But every man is accountable for himself- for what he says- what he does.

Kindly overlook this entry if it makes no sense to you. I am writing it for myself. I have backed myself into a corner and this is my way of finding the right, appropriate, best, easiest, most fair exit. Sorting out what is going through my head enables me to get back on track.
   So...continuing....
My next thought (not being morbid here) is about death.
The Bible tells us that our days are numbered, and I believe this, so what then, must I do, if I wish to live out my life in a good, positive, helpful way?
   I think the answer would be," Realizing how short life actually is, that it is as a vapor - here then gone, I'd be wise to use my time well; to not forget how important every conversation, every embrace, every kiss, every action, every opportunity is. I would put to use that which I have learned. Doing this would make me a better listener, more kind, more gentle, more tolerant, more patient. It would enable me to brighten my corner of the world.

The best things in life are simple things; those things that cost nothing, things we too often take for granted. Appreciating the simple things in life: cooking, interacting with our families, gardening, painting, hiking, listening to our favorite music, chatting with a friends, reading the latest book (whatever brings a smile to our face, makes us more pleasant to be around).

Now, not tomorrow, is the time to contemplate the legacy I will be leaving behind. Now- not tomorrow, or next week, is the time to stand up and be counted, even if that means disappointing people who love me and admire me.

It is time I took care of myself, time I treat myself with as much compassion and gentleness as I do others: and it is time to do it without feeling guilty.

People remember the good done to them, as well as the bad, so I will have no regrets. When I look in the mirror at the end of the day, and ask myself, "Have you done your best?" the answer will be yes.

A question for my readers:

If you told yourselves "I could die today," and believed the possibility of it, then TODAY would be a gift, wouldn't it?
If you believe, as I do, that it's true, then wouldn't it be wise
to reconsider how you have been living out the moments of your days?

Please be reassured that I am not depressed - have been

most of the past two weeks but God has brought me out of those dark moments, is enabling me to walk a better path, a healthier, better one. As for the love, prayers, and friendship you've given me and my family...

THANK YOU

Thu, 10 Jan 2008 19:21:16 GMT

I have such wonderful news.
Our prayers have been answered. Our daughter was unable to raise the full amount the lawyer asked for, but God answered our prayers. The lawyer agreed to not only accept the money she was able to raise, but lowered the total amount from $50,000, to $15,000. Only God could have brought this about.He is so faithful, always honoring our faith. Thank you so much for praying with us in this matter.
I appreciate every one of you so much.

I'm not feeling well so won't be posting for awhile, but had to let you know how faithful God is.
    ********************************************
A little food for thought till I return:

It's much more fun,

and contagious. It isn't always easy to
be happy when we're going through trials,
but remember - trials last longest when
they are our point of focus.

Life rewards good choices,punishes us for bad ones,
so it pays to think before speaking or doing something.

Treat yourself as gently as you treat others:
you'll not only be happier- but healthier.

People are more important than things.

If you've done your best, it's good enough.

Life is short....
Create a beautiful memory today.

GOOD MORNING, GUYS & DOLLS

Sun, 06 Jan 2008 20:58:31 GMT

Hope this day is all you desire it to be.
Remember that a man will be as happy
as he's a mind to be. It all comes down
to choice

Thank you for the wonderful
Anniversary cards, emails, and graphics
you sent us. We loved every one of them.
Our Anniversary was wonderful,
one of the best.
As we usually do, we sat up for
most of the night talking, remembering
special times. Then, at midnight, we put on
the watches we'd bought for each other.
I so love them.
Every time I check the time
I see the words:
"I Believe"
...all things are possible
if you only believe."
Seeing those words several times
a day is such a blessing, especially now,
when times are so tough.

So many of you have written, saying how you
wish you knew a way to stay on track; a way
to lower your stress level. The Happines list
below is one I came across a few years back.
It's contents are helpful - have improved the
quality of my life. Hope it does the same
for you.
***************************************************

Alphabets Of Happiness

A--Accept
Accept others for who they are and for the choices they've made even if you have difficulty understanding their beliefs, motives, or actions.

B--Break Away
Break away from everything that stands in the way of what you hope to accomplish with your life.

C--Create
Create a family of friends whom you can share your hopes, dreams, sorrows, and happiness with.

D--Decide
Decide that you'll be successful and happy come what may, and good things will find you. The roadblocks are only minor obstacles along the way.

E--Explore
Explore and experiment. The world has much to offer, and you have much to give. And every time you try something new, you'll learn more about yourself.

F--Forgive
Forgive and forget. Grudges only weigh you down and inspire unhappiness and grief. Soar above it, and remember that everyone makes mistakes.

G--Grow
Leave the childhood monsters behind. They can no longer hurt you or stand in your way.

H--Hope
Hope for the best and never forget that anything is possible as long as you remain dedicated to the task.

I--Ignore
Ignore the negative voice inside your head. Focus instead on your goals and remember your accomplishments. Your past success is only a small inkling of what the future holds.

J--Journey
Journey to new worlds, new possibilities, by remaining open-minded. Try to learn something new every day, and you'll grow.

K--Know
Know that no matter how bad things seem, they'll always get better. The warmth of spring always follows the harshest winter.

L--Love
Let love fill your heart instead of hate. When hate is in your heart, there's room for nothing else, but when love is in your heart, there's room for endless happiness.

M--Manage
Manage your time and your expenses wisely, and you'll suffer less stress and worry. Then you'll be able to focus on the important things in life.

N--Notice
Never ignore the poor, infirm, helpless, weak, or suffering. Offer your assistance when possible, and always your kindness and understanding

O--Open
Open your eyes and take in all the beauty around you. Even during the worst of times, there's still much to be thankful for.

P--Play
Never forget to have fun along the way. Success means nothing without happiness.

Q--Question
Ask many questions, because you're here to learn.

R--Relax
Refuse to let worry and stress rule your life, and remember that things always have a way of working out in the end.

S--Share
Share your talent, skills, knowledge, and time with others. Everything that you invest in others will return to you many times over.

T--Try
Even when your dreams seem impossible to reach, try anyway. You'll be amazed by what you can accomplish.

U--Use
Use your gifts to your best ability. Talent that's wasted has no value. Talent that's used will bring unexpected rewards.

V--Value
Value the friends and family members who've supported and encouraged you, and be there for them as well.

W--Work
Work hard every day to be the best person you can be, but never feel guilty if you fall short of your goals. Every sunrise offers a second chance.

X--X-Ray
Look deep inside the hearts of those around you and you'll see the goodness and beauty within.

Y--Yield
Yield to commitment. If you stay on track and remain dedicated, you'll find success at the end of the road.

Z--Zoom
Zoom to a happy place when bad memories or sorrow rear a ugly head.
**************************************************************

Have an Awesome day.
love you...

Mon, 31 Dec 2007 19:47:38 GMT

HAPPY ANNIVERSARY, JOHNNY

Only by God's grace have we made it this
far. The roads we've traveled have not all
been smooth ones. It was our being "best friends"
that kept us from saying that final goodbye,
and our desire to make our marriage work.

The past few years have contained many
tears and a huge amount of heartache,
but here we are, getting ready to celebrate
our 34th Wedding Anniversary.

This morning, you handed me the card you
got me two years ago, for Christmas ,said,
"It made no sense to search for an
Anniversary card, Barb. This one is "me, honey,
says what I feel. Remember that, Okay? "

I took it from your hands, read it, and
of course began to cry as I read ...

Dearest Barb,

I said to myself...
Find new ways to tell her
how perfect she is for you--
how perfectly she fits into your arms,
your heart,
your life..
Find new ways to tell her
how much she means to you--
how much you admire her,
respect her, need her, want her...
Find new ways to tell her you care,
as you share smiles,
or sadness, as you listen,
as you touch and kiss
and embrace...
One way or another,
I've told myself these things,
and over and over,
I want to share them with you.
Because, more than anything,
I want you to know
how much I love you..
sometimes more
than I can say.

I so love that card, and YOU.
You've filled my life with roses for 34 years
now,cooked for me, babied me when I was sick,
surprised me with little gifts. You never stopped
leaving little love notes for me when you knew I
was sad, or feeling bad about myself.
Thank you for not giving up on us,
for not letting me give up on us,
and for keeping your promise to
say "I love you," every single day.
I treasure so much, the little boxes
I have that are stuffed with
telegrams and notes that say.

"I LOVE YOU, BARB - ALWAYS WILL."

I love you too, Johnny, more now than ever
before.You asked what my favorite gifts were.
They are still the same:
Your Christmas letter, and being able
to look into your eyes
and see love looking back at me.
I don't know what the future holds,
but know that the best part of it
will be being with you.

I see your face everywhere,
for love, having eyes,
reveals your hiding places;
sometimes eraces the loneliness
of the night,

warming me with the memory
of the first time we met.
You came into my life unexpectedly,
like a rush of wind,
sweeping me off my feet.
That first look stole my breath away.

I so love you, Johnny,
and always will.

Barb

HAPPY NEW YEAR

Sun, 30 Dec 2007 19:21:30 GMT

HAPPY NEW YEAR!

I love the picture above, got me to thinking about past holidays, warm as well as
hurting memories too.

The Christmas decorations are down now, my house, tidy, for the most part. The tree was the last to go. When it was down and put away, I sat down at my computer and sipped hot chocolate while listening to my Josh Groban CD, contemplating this new day. I reminded myself, for perhaps the hundredth time, that A NEW DAY - MEANS A NEW WAY,
meaning I'm being given a Do Over! Remember those? Remember how we always demanded one when we were kids; when we missed the ball, rolled the wrong number of dice when playing monopoly, or missed - when jumping rope?
   Well, each new day of our life (starting Jan.1, 2008, is a DO OVER, an opportunity to find a new way, perhaps a better way, of doing something. Failing at something doesn't make us failures. It simply means what we're doing isn't working; that we need to reconsider our words and actions, our goals, dreams
and expectations of ourselves (and others too). It means taking advantage of the opportunity to DO IT OVER.



A friend asked, "Barb, where in the world do I start?
"We start," I told her. "right where we are, by being honest with ourselves about ourselves; acknowledging that we're accountable for what our life has become. Next step is taking advantage of the NEW DAY, the NEW YEAR,
the free DO OVER!
   The most wonderful thing is that we aren't offered just one DO OVER. We can change our minds several times a day, hundreds of times a day. What gets in our way is distortions of logic, those incorrect things that we not only say to ourselves, but believe.
.

I remember telling you that when I was a little girl I looked at the sky and got upset - very sad. An Aunt asked me why. I said,"because the moon is broken." I was too little to know that it wasn't. I saw it as broken, told myself
it was, and believed it.
   I'm grown now, but even as an adult I've sometimes fallen back into the bad habit of telling myself things that are not true. Doing this keeps us down, for longer than necessary. But sometimes when problems pile up, when we're facing a difficult crisis, or perhaps fail at something, we start filling our heads with untrue statements like :
"I can't do this." " This is too much for me to handle." " Nothing is ever going to change." "I can't lose weight," "I can't stop smoking." "I can't stop losing my temper." "My life is going to end exactly the way itstarted - crappy." OR,
"What's the use of trying? I always fail."
    I can recall saying many of these things to myself, and when I realized it, felt ashamed of myself. Why?
Because every one of those statements is untrue. So to say I can't do something is foolish. I've said it many times, and each time God proved me wrong.
To say a problem is too heavy is distorting the truth too. It is only too heavy if I attempt to carry it myself.
   To say that nothing is ever going to change is downright stupid. Things will change when I change.
To say that my life is going to end up the way it started, is saying I have no control over my life, which of course
is untrue. Sometimes it seems as if our life is out of control, but that's because
we keep trying to force things to go different than the way they are meant to go (like trying to put a piece of a jigsaw puzzle where it isn't meant to go).
   Too many of us say, and believe, that our best hasn't been, or isn't good enough. That also is a distortion of logic. For most of my life this particular distortion of logic has been the most difficult one for me. For many years I was made to feel that my best wasn't good enough. I had to retrain my mind, had to delete that mental tape and put in a new one, an honest one that says
If my best is good enough for the LORD, then it has to be good enough for me too.
   Some of you might be telling yourselves these things too.
If so, I hope reading this entry helps you realize what you are doing to yourselves. There is POWER in words. We believe what we tell ourselves, become the kind of person we convince ourselves we are.



CHOOSE TO BE.
The world needs a bit more sunshine, a bit more laughter. Yes, there are troubles in the world: war, starving people, hurting people, sad, lonely, depressed people. There is death too,
and a fear that is robbing people of
HOPE. The world needs strong people:
people unwilling to quit, unwilling to
remain discouraged, unwilling to focus
on what is wrong; people who are willing to step up to the plate and make a difference. Let's you and I be those
people, okay? Let's you and I decide
to Be Happy in spite of our troubles, to
show those around us how powerful a thing Hope is - and Optimisim.
There will not ever be a time when life is not hard. It will always have its ups and downs. But we can choose not to embrace those dark moments, those betrayals, hurts, disappointments, failures, things that break our hearts. Holding onto them robs us of joy and kills our spirits. We cannot enjoy life when we're down. Life is what it is...
and that's a fact! We can but change what we can, and trust God with what we can't.

2008.....May it be your best
             year ever!

God bless, and Thanks for the LOVE,

Good Morning

Sat, 29 Dec 2007 18:02:03 GMT

Things are so much better when we remember to do that, especially
when we're going through rough waters, as so many of us are at the
moment. Focusing on the beauty around us is quieting, settles the
mind, quiets one's spirit- enables a man to see beyond his pain.
   I want to thank every one of you for your prayers and support,
wish to reassure you that everything is going to be okay. I have no
idea how God will solve our present problem but have absolutely no
doubt that He will. My daughter, bless her heart, knows this too.
    Life gets hard sometimes, which is why it pays to watch out for
those unexpected things. One reason I was so stressed is because I forgot to do that. There has been so many things going on in my life that I got caught up in them, forgot to take time for what matters; not just the beauty outside, but in people (like every one of you), in the laughter of little children, a loved one's embrace, in the beautiful way a friend expresses himself as he tries to lift your spirits.


While talking to my daughter last night I got to remembering something she did when she was a little girl - something she said. Remembering it set everything right again (for me, and for her too).

The entry:




     I was thinking, while sipping my morning coffee, of all the beauty that exists in the world and of how often we take it for granted. I have been taking a morning walk this morning, a mental one, walking backwards in my mind and allowing myself the luxury of lingering when I come across a special memory. I was given red roses which reminded me of a special time with my daughter. She was not quite three years old and, like me, loved flowers. She used to suck her thumb when she'd start getting sleepy, which told me she was ready for her nap. We were outside one day, looking at the roses in our yard. I was talking to my mother and right in mid sentence she looked over my head and a huge smile lit her sweet face.
   "Now that would make a terrific picture," she said. I turned to see what she'd been looking at and saw my little girl with a rose in her hand. She was holding it carefully in her little hand turning it this way,then that way, every once in a while smelling its fragrance. Then, while we watched, she broke off a petal and carefully set the rose on the ground. She took the petal and set it gently and carefully on the thumb of one hand. She sucked the thumb of her right hand while stroking the soft rose petal on her other thumb with her finger on left hand. Oh just remembering this moment makes my eyes tear up.
    My mother hugged her and asked what she was doing with the flower. She looked at my mother and then at me and said, "just loving it." Out of the mouths of babes. I never saw a flower after that without remembering my little girls words. "Just loving it." she said. Three words that could make our lives so much easier.
Her words made me view things differently, especially the world around me. The mountains, rivers and oceans, diamond-studded skies, rainbows, trees and green lawns, roses, gardenias, lilac, jasmine, and every other kind of flower in existance. I spend as much time as possible outdoors, looking at all the wonderful things our Creator created just for us. Like my daughter, when my husband or somebody else asks me what I'm doing when I'm
enjoying something I'll simply answer, " I'm just loving it."
   What if we applied her three words to our relationships? What if we simply made the decision to " just love the people in our lives? Love them as theyare, unconditionally, without any expectations? Do we have expectations? Of course. All of us do. But how wonderful it would be if we at least (tried) to make the effort to
"just love them." ...exactly as they are. **Just food for thought.*
********************************************************

I have a lot of major changes coming up; changes that
could knock me off my feet if I let them. But NO WAY!
Life is what it is, right? Bad things happen to us all. But
that's okay! God will see us through it. Meanwhile, we can
remain positive. And rather than feel sorry for ourselves, we
can try to make our corner of the world a little brighter.

Let's not take life for granted. Today is a brand new day,
offers us a DO OVER. Le'ts take advantage of it. Let's keep
trusting, God Let's keep enjoying the moments of our life:
Our children, friends, our computers, music, our hobbies,
our book, cars, toys, grandchildren, the rain, sunshine,
our favorite foods - whatever makes us smile.

Happiness is contagious, so let's do our best to
brighten somebody's day.
<FONTCOLOR=#0000A0>
Guess that about does it, guys & dolls.
I am going to make myself some breakfast.

I'm surrounded by them, here in J-land.

Love you much,

PRAYERS PLEASE

Fri, 28 Dec 2007 20:43:02 GMT

Please take a minute to stop what you are doing and pray
for my daughter, Diana. The stress of her present situation
is taking it's toll. She had to call the Paramedics last night
because she became so ill. As several of you know, she has
been working three jobs in order to pay the lawyer
representing her son. He just told her that he needs
another $12,000 if he is to continue representing her son. If
she can come up with $7,000 of it by January 7th, he will
allow her to make payments. Our family has been helping all
we can, but this additional amount is beyond our means.
It is however, not beyond GOD'S. Please pray, now, asking
Him to provide this amount. I know it is not beyond His
ability, and I know He always honors ourfaith. Those of you
with children will understand how her situation distresses
me, and my Johnny. She is our baby, even though she is grown, has been through so much this past year. At the present
moment I am unable to visit her, to help her through this
difficult time so have to do what I can this way...with YOUR help, your prayers, your support. I am counting on your prayers, as always. It is what gets me through the rough spots.

Thank you for praying for her, and for us. We all need it right now.

Love you much,

Barb

Thu, 27 Dec 2007 19:54:51 GMT

Good morning,

Christmas was nice, although Johnny and I both had to force away tears once in awhile, remembering the death of our daughter's sixteen year old son, and our concern about our other grandson. As well, my youngest sister is not doing well. She is do dear to my heart, so very dear. I am not ready to lose her (guess we never really are, are we)? But, as I told my Johnny, one has to look for the present blessings midst hard times. If one doesn't, it is easy to slip into depression, easy to lose one's bearings. So we gave our attention to our company; our son and his family, especially his little girl, not quite two yet. They are such a blessing, make it possible to smile, though one's heart is breaking.
I received a lot of mail from hurting people, people coping with a lot of things at once. Several of them are overwhelmed because the plans they made fell through. One friend said in her letter "I can't believe it, Barb. We'd planned it so carefully, made allowances for everything! Now what?
The best laid plans do fall through. It happens to us all. When life throws


me a curve ball I remind myself that blessing are in each monment.
I can't say I'm always aware of them. I had to teach myself to get into the habit of looking for them no matter how badly things were going.
A moment holds much more than we realize; offers us a chance to be brave, to exercise our faith, to try something new, to be honest withourselves - about ourselves; offers us a chance to forgive, to laugh, to find humor in the worst situations. If we cannot find humor, we can surely find good, if we look for it.


I forced myself to hum this morning rather than focus upon things I
can do nothing about. I took a walk after having my morning coffee and thanked God for putting Johnny and I in this beautiful place. The grounds, in the Spring, are gorgeous, flowers everywhere. The silence I crave and need so much is available morning, noon, and night, the solitude as well. I can walk alone in the twilight hours, knowing the Lord walks with me, or can sit alone on a bench and view the heavens, watching for the moment God turns his night light on. A moment holds so much.
   We can smile at someone and find, when they smile back, that we're no longer lonely, that strangers are not really strangers after all. They're people just like ourselves, walking through life doing the best they can.

People often ask how I manage to be at peace and have such a strong faith when my life is so hard. I tell them the truth, as I see it, that peace is a given. God, who loves us so much, is so willing to give us peace. We have but to open our hands and turn loose of our burdens; of all that is making us afraid, sad, discouraged, and worried. Then, we must trust that HE knows our needs better than we do, and will never fail to meet them. Not ever!
I am no different than any of you. I have been facing some things that have tested my faith to the max, and drained me emotionally. .
   Years ago, I used to be a planner. Most of us are. We plan for tomorrow, for birthdays, holidays, vacations, weddings, births, and graduations. We plan for everything except TIME to be alone with the Lord - and He misses our visits. My life was a disaster till I realized in all my planning that the world got 90 % and the Lord got but 10%. No wonder I was lost, fearful, lonely, and overwhelmed with life. No wonder I was doubtful and failed to accomplish anything.
   "Without me, ye can do nothing." Christ said. Truly believing that can change one's life in a mere second.
   I pray that your day is going well, but if not, take a good look at how you've used the moments given you. Each one of us has the ability to bless others, and never as greatly as when we're suffering ourselves.

Life Rewards Action = an Up-Side

My friend, Shawna, asked me to repost what I wrote about decisions.
"I know what I need to do, but find it hard," she said."

Shawna, transitions are hard, forcing us to make decisions. They
find us at one end ofthe ruler or the other. We're either stuck in the waiting period or trying to convince ourselves to do something.
    Taking action puts us at risk. Choosing to do something new or differently will definitely shake up the world we've created for ourselves. It will disrupt the solidness of our routine and life style.
Even thinking about changing fills our mind with those (what if) questions: What if I stand up for myself and he leaves? What if I color my hair and ruin it? What if I invest money and lose it? What if this decision turns out to be a bad one?

We have but two choices:
1- Remain in the comfort zone, or
2- Take a risk and discover that life rewards action.
Taking risks used to be hard for me. I'd choose to stay in
my comfort zone. But all that did was prevent me from making progress. Better is is, I think, to spread one's wings and fly.
****************************************************************************
                    FOOD FOR THOUGHT

1- Fear can keep me from from getting hurt, but can also
    keep me from being happy.

2- A man will never be successful if all he can think
    about is himself.

3- Humbleness looks good on everybody.

4- It won't always rain, won't always be a bad day.

5- A small man can accomplish anything if he can teach
    himself to think *BIG.*
****************************************************************************

Well, guys and dolls, I have a lot to do. Christmas is over but now comes the fun part for me and Johnny, counting down the days till our 34th Wedding Anniversary which is
Dec. 31st. We almost lost one another last year so have lots to celebrate.

Be happy, stay well, and be as gentle and kind with yourselves as you are to others. I'll be talking to you soon.

Love you much,