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Mother’s Day Tribute

07 Monday May 2012

Posted by in Best Friend Dogs, crafts, Fun stuff for kids, homeschool, Mother's Day Love, recipes, wisdom and understanding

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“Charm is deceptive, and beauty is fleeting; but a woman who fears the LORD is to be praised.”  Proverbs:31:30

When I was thinking about doing a Mother’s Day Post, I could only think how  blessed I am to have grown up with such a wonderful mother and now to have two loving daughters who are both such great mothers. My mother taught me to love Jesus from the time I was tiny and she also told me that I must always remember that my name stood for J – Jesus first, O – others second, Y –  yourself last.  When I left for college she gave me the book, “Leaves of Gold” an  anthology of prayers, memorable phrases and inspirational verse and prose.  In it she wrote:

Darling,
Let’s always try to remember that the golden key to happiness is found not by seeking happiness for ourselves, but by seeking ways to give it to others, for Jesus sake.
May all your New Years be filled with true happiness and joy, my precious little girl.                                                                           I love you!                                                                                                               Mother

“In all thy ways acknowledge Him, and He shall direct thy paths.    Proverbs 3:6

I would give anything now if I could just hear her speak, hold her hand and tell her how much I love her and appreciate the things she taught me.

I am so thankful to have two wonderful daughters who love the LORD with all their heart and are teaching their children to love and talk to Jesus who is the best Friend any child can have.

The talents and abilities of my daughters are my inspiration but their friendship now that they are grown with children of their own is one of my greatest joys.  Being a mother means giving of yourself, no matter how tired you feel; your time even when it is inconvenient and most important of all, your love.

Mary Ladd gave up a great job teaching 8th grade English when her first child was born.  She fixed up a fantastic one room schoolhouse in her basement and now home-schools all four of her children, teaching 1st, 3rd, 5th and 7th grade.  She is also a wonderful cook, baking yummy sweet rolls and bread and delighting her kids with homemade ice cream and cookies.  She has a lovely  flower garden and does beautiful stained glass creations in her spare time (I don’t  see how she has any spare time).

Mary Ladd’s Cinnamon rolls:  she also uses this dough to make pan rolls

In small bowl, combine:

  • 2/3 cup warm water
  • 1 Tbsp. sugar
  • 2 and 1/2 t. active dry yeast (let the yeast proof – 5 min.)

Mix together in food processor:

  • 1 and 1/2 sticks butter or margarine
  • 3 eggs
  • 1/4 cup milk

Mix in a separate bowl:

  • 4 and 1/2 cups all purpose flour
  • 1/2 cup sugar
  • 1 and 1/2 tsp. salt

Next, add the yeast mixture and flour mixture to food processor bowl.  Mix ingredients for around 30 seconds until small ball forms (you may need to add a little more flour).  Remove ball and with a little more flour, knead it until it forms a smooth ball that doesn’t stick to your fingers.  Cover and let sit until doubles in size (2 hours).  Roll dough into a rectangle and spread butter on top.  Then, sprinkle with cinnamon sugar and roll into a log.  Cut 1/2 pieces with a  dough blade and place pieces in a greased round cake pan.  Let rolls rise until doubled in size.  Bake in a preheated 350 degree oven for about 10-12 minutes. 

For the cream cheese icing:  Combine at room temperature and spread over tops of rolls:

  • 8 oz.  cream cheese
  • 1/2 stick butter
  • 1 cup powdered sugar
  • 1/2 t vanilla
  • 1 and 1/2 tsp. milk

Our entire family loves these!

Christy finished up her last two years at Asbury University attending the night program because she was married with three children.  She managed to miss only one week when Shepherd, her fourth child was born and still graduated with honors.  She now teaches 1st grade in the public school system as well as Sunday School classes in her church.  She is a basketball mom and soccer mom who tries very hard never to miss her kid’s games, (even when it means being at the soccer field all  day, like this past Saturday.)  She hosts most of our Thursday night cousin’s nights at her home and is a super cook. She is also very creative and makes fantastic cakes for her kid’s birthdays.  This was Shepherd’s firetruck birthday cake with gum drop lights and chocolate Oreo cookie tires.  May 1st was Shepherd’s 3rd birthday and since he is still crazy about firetrucks and firemen, Christy decided to make him a fire station for his cake.

I pray for each of my children and grandchildren by name daily and this prayer found in Ephesians is a part of what I pray for them.

“I have not stopped giving thanks for you, remembering you in my prayers.  I keep asking that the God of our Lord Jesus Christ, the glorious Father, may give you the Spirit of wisdom and revelation, so that you may know him better.”                  Ephesians 1:16,17

In the blog, simplystriving.wordpress.com, Nikki wrote a beautiful prayer in her post, “Prayer for our Children – Praying with Purpose.”  I intend to use parts of it in my own prayers and I’m sure that if you check out her post, it will bless your heart as you read it.

Crafts for kids:  Mother’s Day Presents: 

  Forget-me-not flower pots with sticky note coasters

  • 2 1/2″ white painted clay flower pots
  • Pencil or pen (I got a package of 10 pencils for $1.00 at Michaels) 
  • Flower with bendable wire attached (Package of five for $2.99 at Michaels)
  • Pad of sticky notes
  • assorted stick-on jewels
  • Best Mom or #1 Mom and “I love you” stickers. (In scrapbook dept. at Michaels.)
  • glue sticks for jewels that do not have sticky backing
  • bag of coffee beans (I used chocolate mint coffee to add a delicious fragrance to the flower pots. 
  • Hot glue gun
  • cellophane wrapping paper
  • Pretty ribbon to tie a bow on package

Decorate the clay pots by gluing or sticking on some jewels and stickers.  Add about 1/3 cup of coffee beans to pot when finished decorating.  With hot glue gun run a bead of glue around top of the pencil just below eraser and bend the flower around pencil above it.  Stick a few jewels on top sheet of sticky note pad and write a Happy Mother’s day message on it.  Place the sticky note pad under the clay pot and pull up cellophane wrap around it with just the flower showing at top.  Tie ribbon around it in a pretty bow.

Recipe:  Mother’s Day Super Easy Ice Cream Sunday Pie

  • Graham cracker pie crust 
  • vanilla ice cream, or your favorite flavor or combination of flavors
  • chocolate, strawberry and caramel ice cream toppings
  • fresh strawberries
  • M&Ms

This is great for Mom’s special day because there is practically no work and everybody loves it, especially the kids.

Golden illuminations: 

This is Sunny and when she had puppies, I had fun celebrating Mother’s Day with her.  She was a wonderful mother and had beautiful puppies.

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Glorious illuminations part II

03 Tuesday Apr 2012

Posted by in adoreable puppies, beauty, Best Friend Dogs, Christianity, crafts, Easter, flower gardens, Fun stuff for kids, health, Hearts Filled With Joy, therapy dogs

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“Did I not tell you that if you believed, you would see the glory of God?”            John 11:40

You may not think caterpillars are beautiful.  Many have stripes or spots that help protect them from birds and other predators by breaking up their body’s outline.  This coloration also blends well with the plants upon which the caterpillar eats.    They crawl slowly in a wave-like motion using three pairs of true legs, and as many as five pairs of “pro-legs” which function the same as the true legs.  The true legs later develop into the legs of the adult butterfly, while the pro-legs are lost during metamorphosis.  The caterpillar’s feet are capable of wrapping around and grasping the branches and stems of the plants they like to eat.

Obviously, God’s purpose was not to make the caterpillar attractive but to protect it from danger.  But how beautiful is God’s purpose when we see his entire plan.  He chose to use a miracle to transform an ugly earth bound caterpillar into a beautiful butterfly that can fly.  What a great illustration of what happens to us when we die.  Death is not the end, but a beautiful new beginning.  We are much like the caterpillar with no beauty of our own until God transforms us by His grace giving us new life and beauty when we place our trust in Jesus who died for our sins so that we might have eternal life.

Fun stuff for Kids

Caterpillar Craft (for a younger child)

You will need

  • 5 fuzzy balls,(one color or a rainbow of colors)
  • one large fuzzy ball
  • Strip of poster board, 1,2 inch by 5 inches
  • a set of googly eyes
  • glue stick or hot glue gun(for adult use)

Fold poster board strip like an accordion and glue on small fuzzy ball with large one for the head.  Let glue set.  Glue on googly eyes.

Cocoon For Your Caterpillar

Use an ordinary bathroom toilet paper holder and wrap it with green or brown peel and stick foam.  Fold the end of it together to form the top of the cocoon and add a thin strip of cut foam to wrap your cocoon around a branch.

Butterfly Craft

You will need a large white paper coffee filter, washable markers, a wood clothes pin, pipe cleaner, spray bottle, Elmer’s white glue, googly eyes.

  • Spread newspaper or a plastic table cloth over work space.
  • Color coffee filter with markers using several different colors.
  • Fill spray bottle with water and lightly mist coffee filter so colors run together.  Let dry.
  • Put a little glue on inside of the clothespin and carefully insert coffee filter.
  • Cut a pipe cleaner in half and wrap it around the neck curling it up behind the head to form antennas.
  • Glue on googly eyes.

Easter Egg Coloring Fun

The Coming of Sunshine

Sunshine was born on Easter Sunday and it was love at first sight.  She was the sweetest puppy and never caused a bit of trouble.  It was almost like she was a gift from God because she came into my life at a time when I was feeling very blue.  Some dogs are wonderful therapy and Sunshine reflected her name and always brought me happiness.

Beauty Tip

As you appreciate the beauty of a garden of flowers, take deep life giving breaths of the flower perfumed air and gaze at the amazing beauty of a flower until it sinks deep within your spirit and soul and you reflect that beauty and the love God has poured into his wondrous creation.  You may not see the beauty when you look in the mirror, but you will be reflecting it to others in a smile or kind deed that lights up your countenance with God’s love.


 

The Easter Lily

The beautiful white flowers of the Easter Lily symbolize purity, hope, love and life which is the spiritual significance of Easter.  Lilies were found growing in the garden of Gethsemane after the Crucifixion.  They were said to have sprung up when drops of Christ’s sweat fell to the ground in his final hours of sorrow and distress.  At Easter time churches bank their altars with masses of Easter lilies to commemorate the resurrection of Jesus Christ and the hope of everlasting life.

Health Tip

Eternal life is not just life everlasting up in heaven, it is youth giving, revitalizing, joy producing, purpose filled life here on earth.

The Garden of Gethsemane

Just before Jesus was arrested he and His disciples went to a place called Gethsemane, and Jesus said to his disciples, “Sit here while I pray.”  He took Peter, James and John along with him, and he began to be deeply distressed and troubled.  “My soul is overwhelmed with sorrow to the point of death,” he said to them.  “Stay here and keep watch.”

Going a little farther, he fell to the ground and prayed that if possible the hour might pass from him.  “Abba. Father,” he said, “everything is possible for you.  Take this cup from me.  Yet not what I will, but what you will.”

Then he returned to his disciples and found them sleeping.  “Simon,” he said to Peter, “Could you not keep watch for one hour?  Watch and pray so that you will not fall into temptation.  The spirit is willing, but the body is weak.”                          Mark 14:32-38

What a wonderful Savior we have in Jesus!  

“For God so loved the world that He gave His one and only Son, that whoever believes in him shall not perish but have eternal life.”   John 3:16

St. Patrick’s Day illumination

10 Saturday Mar 2012

Posted by in adoreable puppies, Best Friend Dogs, crafts, Fun stuff for kids, Hearts Filled With Joy, recipes, St. Patricks Day

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“For I know the plans I have for you,” declares the LORD, “plans to prosper you and not to harm you, plans to give you hope and a future.”  Jeremiah 29:11

When Patrick was taken prisoner at age 16 by a group of raiders who were attacking his family estate in Britain, he probably was angry with God blaming him for what had happened.  He was taken to Ireland and remained a prisoner for 6 years serving his captors as a lonely shepherd with only sheep for companionship.  But like David, he had a lot of time to talk to God and probably voiced not only his complaints but also his fears and dreams.  He finally escaped by walking 200 miles to the Irish coast and returned to Britain.  Once in Britain he began religious training and became a priest.  His dream was to return to Ireland and convert the pagans to Christianity.

He used the lovely shamrock leaf to explain the Trinity; God the Father, Son and Holy Spirit three in one.  He became the Patron St. of Ireland and St. Patrick’s Day is celebrated on March 17 which is the anniversary of his death.

Fun Craft For Kids: 

Shamrock Pins

  • Using Sculpey green clay (can be found in most craft stores) on a piece of Cut-rite wax paper, let each child flatten out 1/4 of a small package.
  • Flatten to fit a metal shamrock cookie cutter shape.
  • Cut out the shamrock shape pressing down firmly with cutter so as to cut out completely.
  • Pick up shamrock shape which is still on wax paper and carefully bend back wax paper around it to peel off extra clay.
  • Gently peel away wax paper from shamrock and lay on a fresh piece of wax paper on a cookie tray.
  • Preheat oven to 200 degrees and bake shamrock on wax paper for about two hours till firm.
  • Let cool completely on tray
  • Using a hot glue gun, glue a jewelry pin (which can be found at most craft stores) to the back of the shamrock.

When I was growing up anyone who did not have on something green on St. Patrick’s Day got pinched.  I didn’t have any green outfits and I remember how grateful I was that my sister Judy had crocheted me a green shamrock pin to wear so I wouldn’t be pinched.

Rainbow illuminations

I’m still searching for rainbows and I imagine Ireland has lots of them.  It is known as the Emerald Isle because of the abundance of rain and beautiful green grass.  Kentucky also has abundant rain and it is known as the Blue Grass State.  I guess the grass sometimes looks blue in the misty atmosphere after a rain.  This is a picture of some of our puppies who are a bit muddy after playing in the rain.

Fun Stuff For Kids

The Fresh Market

It is still too cold for the farmer’s market to open so we decided to take a visit to a beautiful Fresh Market store.  The fruit and vegetables were placed in rainbow assortments and it all looked so yummy it was hard to resist.  It was a great learning experience for Shepherd.  He wanted to know about everything and seemed determined to load up the grocery cart with all he could get his hands on.

When I returned home I made a fruit tray using some of the pineapple, cantaloupe, Honey Dew melon, strawberries, raspberries, Kiwi, grapes and blueberries.  I believe it had all the colors of the rainbow which I learned long ago to remember with the letters  ROY G BIV (Red, Orange, Yellow, Green, Blue, Indigo and Violet.

Recipe:  Favorite Fruit Dip

  • 1 cup sour cream
  • 1/3 cup sugar
  • 1/4 tsp. vanilla extract
  • 1/4 tsp.almond extract

Stir all together and serve with fruit.

Mind illuminations

It is a myth that St. Patrick got rid of all the snakes in Ireland.  It is more likely that he rid Ireland of a lot of the evil attitudes which some might attribute to Satan who was disguised as a snake in the garden of Eden.  A young teenager had all his life plans altered and what seemed like a terrible tragedy, God turned for the good not only for the boy but for an entire country.  Happy St. Patrick’s Day to you!  

AN IRISH BLESSING FOR YOU.                                                                        MAY THE Irish hills caress you, may her lakes and rivers bless you, may the luck of the Irish enfold you and may the blessings of SAINT PATRICK behold you.

illuminations on love and laughter

04 Sunday Mar 2012

Posted by in adoreable puppies, Best Friend Dogs, crafts and recipes, Friendship International

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“Our mouths were filled with laughter, our tongues with songs of joy.  Then it was said among the nations, ‘The LORD has done great things for them.'”  Psalms 126:2

Golden Illumination

Did you know that our dogs sense our emotional moods?  I have seen this time and time again.  If I am sad or not feeling well my dog will come over to me and lay his head on my knee, looking up at me with the saddest most understanding eyes you could ever imagine.  But if I am laughing and happy my dog gets a twinkle in his eye and even laughs with me (not out loud, thank goodness.)  My husband thinks that God made a slight mistake when he made women so that’s why he made dogs who don’t talk.  Well we all know that God doesn’t make mistakes.  I do believe that dogs talk with their eyes and of course wagging tails.  If you think that dogs don’t laugh with us, just take a good look at this picture!  This is Christy laughing with Bailey who was the only puppy in Happy and Sidney’s first litter.  Naturally she was very spoiled!  I remember one of her favorite things to do was climb up in my favorite chair the moment I left the room.  She would be sitting there like a queen when I returned.

Fun Stuff For Kids

Monkey Puppets

  • Open the end of an individual box of cereal and remove the cereal.
  • Cut the box in half leaving one long side uncut.  Bend the box back to make finger holds for your puppet head.
  • Cut a strip of brown paper sack about 1 1/2″ wide and 10″ long.  Staple the strip around the bottom three sides of box for the monkey’s chin.
  • Glue a pink or orange 5″ by 3″ piece of paper on the inside of the monkey’s mouth.
  • Add a red tongue.
  • Cut a peanut shaped head  out of a brown paper sack about 2 1/2″ wide for top part of head and 3 1/2″ wide for cheeks and 4 1/2″ long.
  • Add 2 black eyes with glue (I used small black pom poms and a tiny pom for the monkey’s nose) but buttons would also work.
  • Cut a heart shape out of the brown paper sack about 2″wide 2″ long.  Cut the heart in half and you will have two ears to glue on your monkey’s head.
  • Add some brown crinkle cut strings of hair with glue.
  • Glue the monkey’s head to the box.
  • Using the long side of the brown sack cut two long legs and two arms and fold accordion style.  Staple to sides of box.
  • Holding box with your thumb and three fingers you can make your monkey talk and dance.  Have fun!

Sometimes on cousin’s night it sounds like a gang of monkeys escaped from the zoo and entered the house.  This week we will be making Monkey Bread for our dessert which is a favorite with everybody.  It is easy and fun to pull apart and best when just baked and eaten while still warm and sticky delicious!

Monkey Bread Recipe (Found on Pillsbury Flaky Layer Biscuits can)

Preparation time 25 minutes.  Start to Finish: 1 hour 30 minutes

  •  3/4 cup granulated sugar
  • 2 teaspoons ground cinnamon
  • 4 cans (7.5 oz. each) Pillsbury refrigerated biscuits
  • 1/2 cup butter or margarine, melted
  • 3/4 cup packed brown sugar
  1. Grease or spray 12-cup Bundt cake pan
  2. Mix granulated sugar and cinnamon in 1-gallon bag.  Cut each biscuit into quarters.  Shake quarters in bag to coat;  place in pan.  Mix melted butter and brown sugar; pour over biscuits pieces.
  3. Bake at 350 degrees for 49 to 45 minutes or until golden brown.  Cool 5 minutes.  Turn upside down.  Serve warm.  12 servings

Love and Laughter illuminations

Monkey bread reminds me of the rhyme my kids loved when they were little.       Five little monkeys jumping on the bed; one fell off and bumped his head;  Momma called the doctor and the doctor said, “No more monkeys jumping on the bed!”   It goes all the way down to one little monkey and the kids loved saying it over and over.  One of the best memories I have of Mommaw, my children’s much loved grandmother on their father’s side was coming into my son’s bedroom one Saturday evening to find her jumping on his water bed with all four of our children with the music blasting on his stereo playing “Saturday Night” sung by the Bay City Rollers.  Those were fun times!  Now the trampoline takes the place of the water bed and kids seem to love bouncing and tumbling on it. Sorry the pictures are out of focus but the kids were jumping like monkeys none stop!

Friendship International

Smiles Are Contagious

If you are looking for joy, you’ll find plenty of it at Friendship International. I felt honored to be one of the teachers and the year that I taught the art of paper mache clown making was filled with laughter and fun.  If you have never been a part of this organization, you really should come to one of the meetings.  It is something you won’t soon forget.

Our theme at the clown clinic was “smiles are contagious.”

Best Friend Dogs

21 Saturday Jan 2012

Posted by in adoreable puppies, Best Friend Dogs, Fun stuff for kids, Hearts Filled With Joy

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“And my God will meet all your needs according to his glorious riches in Christ Jesus.”    Philippians 4:19

It was 22 degrees outside this morning and 56 degrees in my family room when I got up.  I put on a double layer of fleece to begin the day since we don’t heat part of our home at night to save money (don’t try this in any room that has water pipes because they might freeze, break and flood your home.)  When I looked outside my window, I discovered that our yard was covered with sparkling diamonds of frost.  Their beauty along with the memory of my grand kids laughter and smiles reminds me that I am very rich indeed!

Fun Stuff for Kids

Last night for Cousin’s Night we took all eight of the grand kids skating at Triangle Park.  None of them had ever been skating before and I had only gone skating once in the last 44 years.  I thought seriously about wrapping myself up in the roll of bubble wrap that we had bought for Shepherd to play with popping the bubbles.  Thankfully after much prayer and most likely a guardian angel holding me up on each side, I didn’t fall.  The grand kids were amazing!  The boys, not caring how many times they fell, took to it immediately.  The girls were a little more cautious but after about an hour, they were all skating.  Shepherd, our fearless two year old went right out and started walking on his skates with no problem.  Everyone loved skating and another fun thing about our trip to the “city” was hearing Shepherd exclaim “WOW!” over and over again.  “Look at the tall buildings with all the lights, Grammy, look at the towers and look at the church steeple all lit up.”  He especially liked parking in a parking garage with all the cars and riding in an elevator with a window over at Victorian Square and walking across the sky walk and seeing the cars go under us.  How wonderful it is to see life through the eyes of a little child!  No wonder Jesus said, “I tell you the truth, anyone who will not receive the kingdom of God like a little child will never enter it.”   Mark 10:15  It takes childlike, fearless faith to believe that which we can not see.

Housekeeping Fun Tip

This is the most fun way to clean your wood floors.  First wax your table and chairs with some lemon Pledge (I like lemon because it smells so good.)   Next put on some good skating music like Skater’s Waltz.  Then put on an old pair of clean socks and have all your kids or grand kids put on socks also.  Then everybody skate around the floor.  The kids will love it and you’ll have a nice shiny floor from the little bit of Pledge mist that fell on the floor when you waxed your furniture.

Kitchen Drying Mats

Have you tried the new drying mats for pots and pans and stuff you wash by hand? My daughter gave me one with snowflakes on it for Christmas and I love it.  So much nicer than spreading out a kitchen towel and you can throw it in the washer if you need to clean it.

Mind Illuminations

I’m playing “Words With Friends” which is like scrabble only better (you play at your own convenience over the internet.)  Right now I have four games going and two of them are with my grandsons.  They keep me busy trying to come up with words and hopefully it will keep my brain sharp!

Best Friend Celebrations

Shepherd wanted to celebrate his best friend Raffy’s birthday so I took two candles and some matches with us to the bakery and we had “fire on the doughnut” as he called it and sang happy birthday to Raffy.  Shepherd talks to Raffy like a real person and takes him everywhere he goes.  We’ve discovered that the best way to get Shepherd to go to bed is to tell him that Raffy is sleepy and then ask Raffy who he wants to sleep with.  Of course all the names we suggest are met with a big “NO” until we say Shepherd.  This pleases Shepherd so much that he happily goes off to bed with him.

Other Best Friends who have blessed our hearts through the years:

Happy was one of my best birthday presents ever.  My daughters surprised me with him by placing a large picnic basket with a big red bow on my kitchen counter for my birthday.  You can imagine my surprise and delight when the lid started to lift up and a darling puppy poked his nose out.  It was love at first sight.

My son Jim is a tech genius or maybe I should say wizard because he patiently taught me a lot of new skills on the computer so I could start this blog.  Here he is pictured with his former best friend, Morgan.

This is Bobby with his best friend Oscar. He owns Wombles Transportation (more later about our trip with Shepherd down to see his big buses.)

This is Mary Ladd with one of  her best friends, Sampson when he was still a puppy.

When Sampson came to our house to live, I thought he would be a great guard dog.  But the only person that he ever ran off was the U.P.S. delivery man who he chased down our driveway.  We still can’t get U.P.S. deliveries to this day.  Great Danes are very playful and the only problem with them is that they are big as a small pony.

I forgot to mention that one summer Sampson jumped into our neighbors pool.  I received a call to come get him immediately!  I never found out who was swimming when this happened.

Christy fell in love with Sidney when she first got married to Chad and they took her to Beaver Dam with them.  On a weekend visit home to our house Sidney became Happy’s sweetheart.  Later she became the Mother of first Bailey and eventually Sunshine.  Sidney use to disappear and eventually Christy would find her in the bath tub behind the shower curtain.  She loved to take  baths.

We’ve had so many best friends through the years.  Dogs are a gift from God to men and provide us with “good medicine” when we are lonely, hurting or sad! (more about this later)

Health Tip

Tonight when I was plugging up all my tech stuff that needed charging (cell phone, Kindle Fire,and camera), I suddenly realized that I felt like my own battery was needing to be charged.  So before I fall asleep tonight, I intend to plug into God knowing He will energize me for tomorrow.

Mind illumination   “I have hidden your word in my heart that I might not sin against you.”   Psalm 119:11

Three of my grand kids said their Bible verse to me last night and what a special blessing it is to hear them and receive the big hug they give me when I tell them how very proud I am of them.   If you haven’t learned a new bible verse for January yet take a look at the Challenge For Great Riches in my Jan. 14 blog and put a smile in your heart today by memorizing a verse.


Challenge To Great Riches

14 Saturday Jan 2012

Posted by in Best Friend Dogs, Challenge to Great Riches, Fun stuff for kids

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“you will fill me with joy in your presence,”     Psalm 16:11

Have you ever noticed how on a cold winter day the closer you sit to the fire the warmer you feel?  If Jesus came into my home I would want to sit as close as I could to Him.  I know it would be just like being outside and feeling the winter winds when suddenly the sun comes out and you feel warmed all over.  I love to have my grand kids cuddle up to me when I read them a story and I’ll bet God rejoices when we want to be close to Him.

Beauty tip:

Next time you have a fire in your fireplace watch how the firelight reflects on your family’s face.  Did you know that when you are in the Presence of God, you become a reflection of His Glory and that’s what makes us beautiful – with an inner shining beauty.  “When Moses came down from Mount Sinai with the two tablets of the Testimony in his hands, he was not aware that his face was radiant because he had spoken with the LORD.”  Exodus 34:29

Grammy Fun Stuff

Shepherd and Daddo at Magee's Bakery

Today we went to Magee’s Bakery with our two year old grandson, Shepherd.  When you walk in the door the most delicious aroma greets you and it always reminds me of the bakery I loved to visit when I was a child.  I remember that they had trays of yummy looking assorted cookies in a glass case and the sweet lady who waited on us always gave me a free sample sugar cookie.  But Magee’s has wonderful doughnuts and a glass case of beautiful celebration cakes plus lots of pretty cup cakes.  We love their cinnamon sugar doughnuts the best and it has become a weekly stop on Wednesdays which is the day we have Shepherd.

One beautiful Wednesday last fall we arranged to meet our daughter, Mary there along with her four children.  She home schools all of them, ages 6, 8, 10, and 12.  I suggested that it would be a great field trip (of course the kids all agreed) and afterward, we went over to Woodland Park so Shepherd could play while the older kids did bark rubbings and collected leaves from the many different, wonderful old trees there which have name plaques underneath.  It was almost like a treasure hunt finding all the trees with name plaques and the kids thought it was lots of fun.

TREASURE HUNT:   “I will give you the treasures of darkness, riches stored in secret places, so that you may know that I am the LORD, the God of Israel who summons you by name.”   Isaiah 45:3

Cousins Night Jan. 11

Speaking of treasure hunts, this year on January 11 at Cousins Night I gave each of my grand kids a challenge to learn some of my favorite bible verses.  I also did this last year and since four of them completed the gold challenge part two, I added a diamond challenge this year.  The best thing about the challenge is that I am learning the verses along with my grand kids and their parents hear them say the verses as they try to remember them.  It is the greatest BRAIN ILLUMINATION possible!!

Health Tip:  Will you take the challenge and illuminate your mind with me?

THE CHALLENGE TO GREAT RICHES

The Hunt for Gold  (part one ages 5-8)

The Great Riches will be the treasure of wisdom and knowledge of God you have hidden in your heart throughout the year.

 THE CHALLENGE:   Learn the verse or verses for the month.  Find it for me in your Bible and say it to me.  Receive a large gold coin

January:  Joshua 1:9   Have I not commanded you?  Be strong and courageous.  Do not be terrified; do not be discouraged, for the LORD your God will be with you wherever you go.

 February:  Proverbs 3:3, 4   Let love and faithfulness never leave you; bind them around your neck, write them on the tablet of your heart.

 March:  Jeremiah 33:3  Call to me and I will answer you and tell you great and unsearchable things you do not know.

 April:  John 8:12   When Jesus spoke again to the people, he said,  “I am the light of the world,  Whoever follows me will never walk in darkness, but will have the light of life.”

 May:  Proverbs 3: 5, 6   Trust in the LORD with all your heart and lean not on your own understanding:  in all your ways acknowledge him, and he will make your paths straight.

June:  Psalm 16:11   You have made known to me the path of life; you will fill me with joy in your presence, with eternal pleasures at your right hand.

 July:  Daniel 12:3   Those who are wise will shine like the brightness of the heavens, and those who lead many to righteousness, like the stars for ever and ever.

 August:  Psalm 56:3, 4   When I am afraid, I will trust in you.  In God whose word I praise, In God I trust; I will not be afraid.  What can mortal man do to me?

September  Philippians 4:13   I can do everything through him who gives me strength.

 October:  Ephesians 6:10, 11   Finally be strong in the LORD and in his mighty power.  Put on the full armor of God so that you can take your stand against the devil’s schemes.

 November:  Luke 18:27   Jesus replied,  “What is impossible with men is possible with God.”

  December:  John 3:16   For God so loved the world that he gave his one and only Son, that whoever believes in him shall not perish but have eternal life.

 The Hunt for Gold (part two ages 9 and up)

The Great Riches will be the treasure of wisdom and knowledge of God you have hidden in your heart throughout the year.

 THE CHALLENGE:  Learn the verse or verses for the month. Find it for me in your Bible and say it to me.  Must be 100% correct.  Receive a large gold chocolate coin for each correct verse.

Bonus rewards should be given for naming the books of the Old Testament, naming  the books of the New Testament  and reciting Ephesians 6:17.

January:   Isaiah 45:3  I will give you the treasures of darkness, riches stored in secret places, so that you may know that I am the LORD, the God of Israel who summons you by name.

February:  Matthew 6:20-21   But store up for yourselves treasures in heaven where moth and rust do not destroy, and where thieves do not break in and steal.  For where your treasure is, there your heart will be also.

March:  Jeremiah 32:17   Ah, Sovereign LORD, you have made the heavens and the earth by your great power and outstretched arm.  Nothing is too hard for you.

April:  Isaiah 40:31   But those who hope in the Lord will renew their strength.  They will soar on wings like eagles; they will run and not grow weary, they will walk and not be faint.

May:  Matthew 17:20   He replied, “Because you have so little faith.  I tell you the truth, if you have faith as small as a mustard seed, you can say to this mountain, ‘Move from here to there’ and it will move.  Nothing will be impossible for you.”

June:  Psalm 23  The LORD is my shepherd, I shall not be in want.  He makes me lie down in green pastures, he leads me beside quiet waters, he restores my soul.  He guides me in paths of righteousness for his name’s sake.  Even though I walk through the valley of the shadow of death, I will fear no evil for you are with me; your rod and your staff they comfort me.  You prepare a table before me in the presence of my enemies.  You anoint my head with oil; my cup overflows.  Surely goodness and love will follow me all the days of my life, and I will dwell in the house of the LORD forever.

July:  Philippians 2:14   Do everything without complaining or arguing, so that you may become blameless and pure, children of God without fault in a crooked and depraved generation, in which you shine like stars in the universe.

August:  Psalm 91:1, 2   He who dwells in the shelter of the Most High will rest in the shadow of the Almighty.  I will say of the LORD, “He is my refuge and my fortress, my God in whom I trust.”

September:  Isaiah 64:4, 5   Since ancient times no one has heard, no ear has perceived, no eye has seen any God besides you, who acts on behalf of those who wait for him.  You come to the help of those who gladly do right who remember your ways.

October:  Ephesians 6:12   For our struggle is not against flesh and blood, but against the rulers, against the authorities, against the powers of this dark world and against the spiritual forces of evil in the heavenly realms.  Therefore put on the full armor of God so that when the day of evil comes, you may be able to stand your ground, and after you have done everything, to stand.

November:  Proverbs 16:16, 17   How much better to get wisdom than gold, to choose understanding rather than silver.  The highway of the upright avoids evil; he who guards his way guards his life.

December:  Philippians 4:19   And my God will meet all your needs according to his glorious riches in Christ Jesus.

THE ARMOR OF GOD:   Ephesians 6:17  Stand firm then, with the belt of truth buckled around your waist, with the breastplate of righteousness in place, and with your feet fitted with the readiness that comes from the gospel of peace. In addition to all this take up the shield of faith with which you can extinguish all the flaming arrows of the evil one.  Take the helmet of salvation and the sword of the Spirit, which is the word of God.

The Hunt for DIAMONDS 

The Great Riches will be the treasure of wisdom and knowledge of God you have hidden in your heart throughout the year.

 THE CHALLENGE:   Learn the verse or verses for the month.  Find it for me in your Bible and say it to me.  Must be 100% correct.  Receive a large chocolate gold coin for each correct verse.

January:  Psalm 37:5, 6   Commit your way to the LORD; trust in him and he will do this:  He will make your righteousness shine like the dawn, the justice of your cause like the noonday sun.

February:  Jeremiah 29:11-13   “For I know the plans I have for you,”  declares the LORD, “plans to prosper you and not to harm you, plans to give you hope and a future.  Then you will call upon me and come and pray to me, and I will listen to you.  You will seek me and find me when you seek me with all your heart.”

March:  I Corinthians 2:9   However, as it is written:  “No eye has seen, no ear has heard, no mind has conceived what God has prepared for those who love him.”

April:  Jeremiah 32:19, 20   Great are your purposes and mighty are your deeds.  Your eyes are open to all the ways of men; you reward everyone according to his conduct and as his deeds deserve.  You performed miraculous signs and wonders in Egypt and have continued them to this day, both in Israel and among all mankind, and have gained the renown that is still yours.

May:  Philippians 4:4-7   Rejoice in the Lord always.  I will say it again:  Rejoice!  Let your gentleness be evident to all.  The Lord is near.  Do not be anxious about anything, but in everything, by prayer and petition with thanksgiving, present your requests to God.  And the peace of God, which transcends all understanding, will guard your hearts and your minds in Christ Jesus.

June:  Job 22:25, 26   Then the Almighty will be your gold, the choicest silver for you.  Surely then you will find delight in the Almighty and will lift up your face to God.

July:  Philippians 3:14   I press on toward the goal to win the prize for which God has called me heavenward in Christ Jesus.

August:  Hebrews 12:1-2a   Therefore, since we are surrounded by such a great cloud of witnesses, let us throw off everything that hinders and the sin that so easily entangles, and let us run with perseverance the race marked out for us.  Let us fix our eyes on Jesus…

September:  Proverbs 1:9  For the LORD gives wisdom, and from his mouth come knowledge and understanding.  He holds victory in store for the upright, he is a shield to those whose walk is blameless, for he guards the course of the just and protects the way of his faithful ones.

October:  Matthew 7:26, 27   “But everyone who hears these words of mine and does not put them into practice is like a foolish man who built his house on sand.  The rain came down, the streams rose, and the winds blew and beat against that house, and it fell with a great crash.”

November:  Ephesians 2:8, 9   For it is by grace you have been saved, through faith – and this not from yourselves, it is the gift of God – not by works, so that no one can boast.  For we are God’s workmanship, created in Christ Jesus to do good works, which God prepared in advance for us to do.

December:  Ephesians 3:20, 21   Now to him who is able to do immeasurably more than all we ask or imagine, according to his power that is at work within us, to him be glory in the church and in Christ Jesus throughout all generations, for ever and ever!  Amen.

Golden Illuminations                                      

                                                                                          

On Saturday October 8, I received an early Christmas present from my daughter.  A beautiful seven week old Golden Retriever puppy from the litter of my grandson’s dog, Lucy.  My grand kids named this puppy Snowball because of his fluffy, thick, white puppy fur.  But I decided to rename him Ladd in honor of the Lad in “Further Adventures of Lad” by Albert Terhune.  This was one of my favorite books as a child along with “Sunnybank, Home of Lad.”  It was said that Lad was a dog of uncanny brain and great loving, loyal heart and with a dancing sense of fun.  A dog with a soul.

My Laddie has all those wonderful traits and brings delight and laughter into our lives every day.  This morning he was doing his own version of ‘dancing for joy’ as he twirled round and round the room somehow managing to kick an old tennis ball with both his front and back paws.  His favorite spot is by my chair or in the kitchen near the stove if I am cooking dinner.  His favorite treat is a sliver of cheese or an ice cube. He likes to be near me wherever I happen to be.

We also have another Golden Retriever named Happy.  He is the grandson of our original dog, Happy. (more about him later).

“Let the light of your face shine upon us, O LORD. You have filled my life with greater joy.”   Psalms 4:6,7

My New Year Resolution:

This year I intend to sit just as close as I can, as often as I can and as long as I can at the feet of Jesus.  What a joy it is to be in His Presence!