Tag Archives: Christianity

4th of July Fun and Fireworks

25 Monday Jun 2012

Posted by in beach sunsets, beauty, faith, fireworks shows, fun stuff for grandparents, Fun stuff for kids, Hearts Filled With Joy, parade floats, sandcastles, thunder storms and lighning, wisdom and understanding

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The heavens declare the glory of God; the skies proclaim the work of his hands.  Psalm 19:1

The fireworks displays on the 4th of July have always been for me the most beautiful and exciting part of each celebration.  A few years ago I was very disappointed that the sky was cloudy and rainy and we were not planing to go see the fireworks.  As the sky grew darker and darker, a great thunderstorm rolled in and we could see flashes of light and hear rumbles of thunder in the distance.  As I watched out my window I saw one of the  best fireworks shows I had ever seen with  bolts of lightning zigzagging across the sky and huge crashes of thunder. I shall always remember it as the year that God provided the fireworks and it was awesomely magnificent!

Fun Stuff For Kids  

In our small town when I was growing up, the 4th of July  celebration began with a parade.  When I was very small I was allowed to ride on the vintage firetruck   at the front of the parade.  It was a little scary when they blew the siren but I was reassured when I saw my father walking along beside the firetruck  and my mother waving in the crowd.  When I was a little older we decorated my doll carriage and I felt very grown up walking my baby doll in the parade.  I always wanted to be a part of the parade and often decorated my bike spending hours using colored crepe paper and winding it in between  the spokes on the tires.

Following the parade the town put on a small carnival in the park and I remember riding a little train and playing carnival games in hopes of winning a stuffed animal.  I don’t think I ever won but it was fun trying.

We always had a wonderful picnic dinner that Mother prepared when I arrived home.  Roast beef on homemade rolls with chips and icy cold deviled eggs and marshmallow fruit salad.  Dessert was strawberry shortcake on made from scratch muffin cakes, divided in half and covered with big scoops of vanilla ice cream, fresh strawberries and a dab of whip cream.    Yum, it was delicious!  This was always followed by the town putting on a fantastic fireworks show about dusk.  We would take a large blanket to the park and lie down snuggling up to each other and ooh and ah after each one went off.  Those sure were fun times

Float Building for the Parade  

After I was married, we moved to a small town that also had a wonderful 4th of July  parade and fireworks. Each year we had so much fun dreaming up and putting together a float that consisted of a wagon and some big boxes.  It was usually pulled by our oldest son on his  tricycle or bike.  One year we did, “You’ve Come A Long Way Baby” with a covered wagon and a rocket ship.

                 Our daughter rode in the rocket ship and her baby brother in the covered wagon and they were quite content with lollypops to stay put.  Our oldest son pulled it on his bicycle and he deserves the award because it was quite a load!

Another year we built a train which we named “The Liberty Belle.”  Our son the engineer pulled his baby sister who rode quite happily in the caboose. 

One of the most fun floats we ever built was when my sister, her husband and son came down to visit and we designed the Pollution Plucker.  It had multiple arms and legs made out of bathroom and  kitchen utensils.  It was a very funny looking contraption and had all the parade viewers laughing as the kids rode by pulling it on their trikes.  It was designed to be a litter picker upper and the two boys were dressed like litter bugs with bits of paper glued to their outfits.  The idea was to harness your litterbugs.  Our daughter dressed in her best white dress was happy to ride inside it.  Needless to say it won first prize which thrilled the kids.  I think every town needs a Pollution Plucker!

Sand Castle Fireworks  

Now that we have grand kids, we have discovered that one of the best fireworks shows is on the beach.  The excitement begins early in the day.            We set up our lounge chairs and watch a beautiful sunset going down over               the ocean.  The children wade in the reflected light along the beach searching   for shells.

Then the Uncles and Dads provide an early display of Roman Candles shot from a large sand castle that they have worked on with the kids throughout the day.  As it grows darker we can see beautiful fireworks being shot off all all along the beach.  Seeing all these beautiful star-bursts in so many colors and listening to the laughter of the grand kids with their faces lit up with light from their sparklers fills my heart with joy. And so I look up and whisper a prayer of thankfulness to my Savior that we live in freedom and I pray that God will continue to bless America and enable all the people of the world to live in freedom. 

Mustard Seed Faith part II

28 Monday May 2012

Posted by in crafts, faith, fun stuff for grandparents, Fun stuff for kids, Hearts Filled With Joy, mustard seed faith, wisdom and understanding, worry

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“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.”    Matthew 17:20  

The Power of Prayer

Over a year ago we were informed that if we didn’t sign papers allowing Marathon Oil to cross our land taking a 100 foot right away for a pipeline, they would seize the land any way.  I began receiving certified letters from Marathon’s attorneys  saying that if we didn’t sign the papers, they were going to take us to court. So I began to pray.  What bothered me most was that the spot they had chosen to take was our favorite spot for picnics and cookouts at the creek.  The contract basically said that they could bulldoze down the beautiful trees there and we would no longer be allowed to use that area without their permission!  I posted in Mustard Seed Faith illuminations last week some pictures of the fun times we have had there.  I had been praying for days and the deadline for signing the papers was in less than a week.  My husband sent an email to these attorneys explaining that the direction Marathon intended to go was unacceptable to us and so was the contract.  He requested a meeting down at the sight with Marathon’s right away acquisitions manager.  The meeting was set and three men showed up including their engineer.  I decided not to attend the meeting so that I could pray while they met.  I prayed that the Holy Spirit would speak to and soften the hearts of these men and give my husband wise words to say.  “For I will give you words and wisdom that none of your adversaries will be able to resist or contradict.”  Luke 21:15  

A second meeting was set and this one was for the actual signing of the papers.  At the first meeting the engineer had told my husband that it would be possible for them to drill under the road and then take a turn to the left avoiding most of our trees and going down our field almost to the end before they crossed the creek.  We were also told that they would change the parts of the contract we were unhappy with and bring a map to this meeting showing the revised direction they would be taking.  For the next few days I praised God for His unfailing love and waited in joyful expectation to see how my awesome God would answer my prayers.We sat around my kitchen table and I was relieved to see that their map appeared  to follow the path we had hoped they would take.  I had printed out a large picture of our grandchildren playing down at the creek and showed it to them thanking them for not taking the part of the land we most enjoyed.The papers were signed and I praised God again for being so good. 

But this April, a year later when the bulldozers were getting ready to cross over to our land, the surveyor stakes had not been changed and it appeared that they were still going to bulldoze our trees down and cross the creek at our favorite spot.  Worry reared his ugly head again, but this time I quickly began to pray and covered him with a mountain of prayer and promises each time he appeared.  My husband made a phone call regarding this matter and we were met once again by the acquisitions manager and together we walked down by the creek.  I pointed out the favorite places our grandchildren play and all the trees I did not want the bulldozers to destroy.  His heart had already been touched by the Lord and he couldn’t have been nicer, promising to come back and tape off those trees.  In the above two pictures you can see the beautiful red tape he used to protect our trees and creek.  The next picture was taken May 24,2012, and they still have a lot more work to do.  But they have been very careful and not damaged our trees.

“Not to us, O LORD, not to us but to your name be the glory, because of your love and faithfulness.”   Psalm 115:1

The amazing thing is that I thought I would be really bothered by the noise.  But it has been going on now for about three weeks with drilling through rocks, dynamite blasts that vibrate our house and the constant beeping, clanging, banging noises of huge machinery and I have been completely at peace.

“You will keep in perfect peace him whose mind is steadfast, because he trusts in you”   Isaiah 26:3  

Shepherd our grandson loves all the noise and construction and never gets tired of watching from his director’s chair.  Perhaps I have learned to look at it from the eyes of a little child.  But mostly I believe that I am just so thankful knowing that God changed the hearts of these men and their plans.  The acquisition manager had seen us watching the construction with Shepherd and called us from his cell phone one day saying he envied us as grandparents.  He let us know that there would be a big dynamite blast in less than an hour if we would like to bring our grandson down to watch.  I am looking forward to the time when they are completely finished and I know the sweet sound of birds singing and crickets chirping and the quiet of peace will be so welcomed.  But best of all will be the sound of laughing, splashing children as they play down by the creek.  Thank you Father, thank you, thank you, thank you.

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

 

Mustard Seed Gift

In my kitchen window I have a little bottle filled with mustard seeds and tied with the verse from Matthew 17:20 that my daughter made for me years ago.  If you feel you could use a little faith boost or perhaps you have a friend who is having a difficult time, this would make a lovely gift to give yourself or your friend.

Craft for Kids:  Mustard Seed Jewelry or Key Chain  

  • silver beading wire (24 gauge) or thinner
  • crystal or silver beads
  • hot glue gun

Cut about a yard length of wire and bend in half.  Place  the center of the wire at the bend on a cutting board and drop a bit of hot glue on it.  Place a tiny mustard seed on the cutting board next to it and drop some glue over the mustard seed making a pearl like pendant that contains the mustard seed and includes the wire.  Let cool and then carefully peel it off the cutting board (do not pull it off by the wire).  You may need to lift the edges of the pendant with a knife.  Finish necklace  by adding crystal beads to the wire and twisting the ends together.  Measure the necklace to be sure that it is large enough to place over the head of your child before you twist the ends together.  Place the necklace on your cutting board and seal the twisted part of the wire especially the ends with a bead of hot glue so it will not come undone or prick clothing or skin.  Boys might enjoy making a key chain.

Wise and Foolish illuminations

24 Tuesday Apr 2012

Posted by in beach sunsets, beauty, Christianity, Fun stuff for kids, Hearts Filled With Joy, lakes, mountains, streams, wisdom and understanding

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“Where then does wisdom come from?

Where does understanding dwell?”  Job 28:20 

“God understands the way to it and he alone knows where it dwells, for he views the ends of the earth

and sees everything under the heavens.”  Job 28:23 

“But it is the spirit in a man, the breath of the Almighty, that gives him understanding.”  Job 32:8  ‘”Has not my hand made all these things, and so they came into being?”  declares the LORD.’  Isaiah 66:2a 

“This is the one I esteem:  he who is humble and contrite in spirit, and trembles at my word.”  Isaiah 66:2b

“But every one who hears these words of mine and does not put them into practice is like a foolish man who built his house on sand.”  Matthew 7:26

“The rain came down, the streams rose and the winds blew and beat against that house, and it fell with a great crash.”  Matthew 7:27

“And he said to man, ‘The fear of the Lord-that is wisdom, and to shun evil is understanding.'”  Job 28:28 

Make-Believe illuminations

16 Monday Apr 2012

Posted by in beauty, Christianity, fun stuff for grandparents, Fun stuff for kids, Hearts Filled With Joy

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“Your beauty should not come from outward adornment such as braided hair and the wearing of gold jewelry and fine clothes.  Instead, it should be that of your inner self, the unfading beauty of a gentle and quiet spirit, which is of great worth in God’s sight.”  I Peter 3:3,4

Who Am I?  Daughter, sister, wife, mother, aunt, grandmother, friend, child of God.  Sometimes I hardly know how to sign my name on a birthday card because I wear so many different hats.

I love this picture taken of three of my children and a friend playing dress up.. Little girls love to dress up and little brothers sometimes enjoy it too.  At least until later when they are teenagers and see the pictures.

Little girls love to dress up like a princess or a fairy.  The imagination is a wonderful thing given to us by God.  Ballet costumes are so pretty and dancing all dressed up in one is the dream of many a little girl.  I remember the very first time I danced with my father at the Palmer House Hotel in Chicago with a live orchestra playing after dinner music.  I felt very grand and so grown up even though I was only in grade school.  How very special one feels when a daddy or grandfather dances with us for the very first time.

Even grown up girls love to dress up and look like someone different from who we really are most of the time.  I think every girl deserves to go out on a special date all dressed up and feeling special now and then.  I told a girl friend of mine that we should dress up in our best dresses and big hats and go out for a special Kentucky Derby luncheon this spring.  I am getting tired of wearing blue jeans and sweatshirts even though I love to be comfortable.  I see nothing wrong with dressing up as long as we remember that God is looking at our heart and as a child of God I want my appearance to be pleasing to Him.

What about you?  Have you dressed up for something special lately?  I would love to hear from you.

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

Friendship International & Rocket Ship Toy

04 Saturday Feb 2012

Posted by in crafts, Friendship International, recipes and wisdom for parents

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“Then I heard the voice of the Lord saying, ‘Whom shall I send?  And who will go for us?’  And I said ‘Here I am.  Send me!'”

Several years ago it was my privilege to be a part of Friendship International and after teaching ceramics for a year, I decided to teach a class about “how to be a clown.”  I was actually a part of a clown group in my church at that time and we enjoyed visiting nursing homes and even went to the children’s special Olympic games held over in Richmond one year.  The Friendship ladies and I had so much fun that year. We spent most of our time laughing. Can you tell that we designed our costumes ourselves from pajamas and our husband’s old shirts?  At the end of the semester, we decided to put on a skit in which we taught the other ladies at Friendship how to make “Friendship Soup.”  Of course clowns don’t talk so each of the ladies put in an ingredient in our soup pot.  One put in a rubber chicken, another a whole bunch of unpeeled carrots with the green tops still on and another salt that was still in the salt shaker just to list a few.  But the clowns were all sad because we couldn’t figure out why when we tested the soup it didn’t taste right.  Then someone figured out that we had left out the LOVE ingredient.  So we all started hugging each other and after that the soup tasted great!  I shall never forget the wonderful friends and memories of that group of ladies.  If any of you are still around make a comment and let me know.

I have often made my own original version of “Friendship Soup” at home and it is a favorite of my family and friends.  I usually serve it with homemade bread or corn bread.  I will include those recipes in a later post.  Just remember when you make it  that the most important ingredient is love and always make enough to share with a friend.  That is me with the green hair and chef hat.

Friendship Soup Recipe

  • 2 Tablespoons margarine or butter
  • 3 lbs. lean stew beef stew meat cut in chunks (cut off all fat around the beef)
  • 9 cups of water
  • 1 cup Swanson all natural beef stock
  • 1 can of stewed tomatoes
  • 4 fresh carrots peeled and cut in pieces
  • 2 packages frozen white corn (off the cob)
  • 1 package frozen mixed vegetables (corn, peas, beans, carrots)
  • 8 stalks fresh celery chopped into small pieces
  • 1 heaping teaspoon salt, 1/2 teaspoon pepper, 1/4 teaspoon garlic powder,
  • 1/2 teaspoon marjoram leaves,  1/2 teaspoon oregano leaves, 1/2 white onion chopped fine or 1/2 teaspoon onion flakes
  • 3 tablespoons flour

Early in the morning in a large pot, brown the beef in the butter on medium high heat.  Add the water, beef stock and salt and pepper.  Let simmer all morning.  Take off burner and add a cup of ice cubes to cool and place pot in refrigerator in order to let grease rise to top.  A couple of hours before supper cook the carrots and celery about 20 minutes until tender and drain.  Cook frozen corn and vegetables and drain.  Take soup pot out of refrigerator and skim off the fat and throw away.  Chop up the stewed tomatoes and add them along with tomato juice to pot.  Add all of the drained cooked vegetables and the rest of the seasonings.  Bring to boil and then let simmer until dinner time.  Just before serving mix the flour into a cup of water and add to soup stirring to thicken the broth.  We love it the first night but I think it tastes even better the following day after all the flavors have mixed together.  Enjoy!

Favorite Toys:   The Rocket Ship

I had been hearing about the rocket ship from my grand kids for about five years before I went to see it.  The “rocket ship” is in a bedroom at Rick (Pop) and Andrea’s {Mimi) house.  Pop has visited numerous garage sales and flea markets to fill the rocket ship with many           treasures.  Actually, according to Spencer, the Commander of the ship, they had so  much stuff that they had to make a storage box for the extra stuff.  The rocket ship consists of a bunk bed and two refrigerator boxes stacked on top of each other along with over 200 assorted collected treasures.

  • The rocket ship team is made up of:
  • Spencer the Commander
  • Grant the General
  • Simon the Sergeant
  • Scout the Medic
  • Shepherd, member in training

Spencer told me that they don’t just eat, sleep and ride in space all the time.  They get off and fight battles with the enemy. More fun stuff for Kids

Rice Krispie Treat Snowmen

Last Thursday night the kids had a ball making snowmen.  When you do this project be sure to have large bowls of water on the table for the kids to dip their hands.  It is SUPER STICKY!

Ingredients:  6 cups Rice Krispies cereal, 1 10 oz. bag of large marshmallows,           3 Tablespoons of butter or margarine, red licorice whips, chocolate covered raisins, carrot sticks cut in the shape of a nose, wax paper and paper plates.

Melt the butter and add the marshmallow stirring until melted.  Add the Rice Krispies and stir until well mixed.  Spoon out some of the mixture on a paper plate for each child.  Place the paper plate on a sheet of wax paper to further protect your table.  Tell the children to wet their hands and mold three snow balls placing one on top of the other.  Use some frosting to hold them together if necessary.  Add the chocolate raisin eyes, red licorice mouth and a scarf and a carrot stick nose using a little frosting to hold in place.  This was a really fun project and I can’t remember when I’ve heard the grand kids laugh so much!  They also loved eating their finished snowmen!

Mind illuminations

After our usual Wednesday trip to the bakery, we decided to go to the Thrifty Book Worm bookstore off Harrodsburg road. on Allendale. I’ve always loved books, libraries and bookstores ever since I worked at a library during my summers when I was in Junior High and High School.  I earned a $1.50 an hour and felt well paid to be doing something I enjoyed so much.  The Thrifty Book Worm is loaded with half price books and I thoroughly loved looking at the children’s section which is not big but filled with some excellent books.  I bought “Frog and Toad Together,” a book by Arnold Lobel for Shepherd.  My daughter and I loved reading it together when she was little.  I also bought “Wiggle” a funny book about a dog by Doreen Cronin.  It said that it was written for energetic toddlers.  For myself I bought “Puppies For Sale and Other Inspirational Tales” by Dan Clark.  He is one of the best-loved storytellers who wrote the #1 New York Times Bestseller “Chicken Soup for the Soul.”  I plan to return to the bookstore by myself when I can browse longer without keeping an eye on Shepherd.

The Great Commission Celebration

On January 22, Porter Memorial Baptist Church had a service that blessed my soul and heart.  The singing of “How Great Is Our God” with solos sung by many Internationals in their own language was so beautiful it brought tears to my eyes.  It was sung in Korean, Japanese, Chinese, Spanish, Haitian and Ukranean.  It sounded like a little foretaste of what Heaven must be like.  That afternoon we were treated to an International Food Tasting and Mission Celebration and it was a glorious day indeed!

Mind Illuminations

Judy Metcalf, the director of Friendship International is hosting the new Beth Moore Bible study on James beginning Feb. 13 at 10:00 A.M. in Wilmore, KY, at her home.  Any one interested is welcome to come.

Golden Illuminations

We took Ladd to the vet last weekend for a Rabies shot and DA2PLCPVCV ADULT shot and Leptospira 5 way Annual shot.  He is good to go for a year now and I think he looks great with his red heart Rabies tag.  It is very important to keep your dogs up to date on their shots and flea medicine.  We have found that Advantage is the flea medicine that works best for our dogs.

In training Ladd who is now almost 6 months old, I use hand signs as well as voice.  I found this to work very well in teaching him to sit, lie down and roll over.  It is very important that your dog has his complete attention focused on you when you are training him.  In the same way if a service dog is distracted, he may not recognize an important need or wish indicated by his master.  This could be both dangerous and regrettable. Check out my article in my Jan. 28 post about therapy-service dogs if you would like to know more.

In the same way when we lose focus on our Master, we have no guide for living.  If we do not quickly regain our focus, we may wander down dangerous paths and dead ends that lead nowhere.  I have discovered that my SELF is my greatest enemy because it tries to get my focus off my LORD.  Every time I get too busy thinking about what I want to do instead of asking God what He wants me to do, I get into trouble. So this Year I will try to remember to FOCUS on what is truly important!

Please watch for a very important post coming February 14.  I will be talking about something that is very dear to my heart.  Also will be included pictures from our annual Valentine party for the grand kids, (parents night out) plus recipes, crafts and fun stuff.

Therapy Dogs & Friendship International

28 Saturday Jan 2012

Posted by in Best Friend Dogs, crafts and recipes, Friendship International, Fun stuff for kids, Hearts Filled With Joy, therapy dogs

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“Greater love hath no one than this, that he lay down his life for his friends.  John 15:13”

Friendship International

“Friendship International is a gift of Christian love from American ladies to Internationals living in the Lexington area.  The purpose of Friendship International is to help make the adjustment to the American way of life easier, to provide activities of interest and to facilitate building cross-cultural friendships.”

Friendship International meets in Immanuel Baptist Church each Thursday during the school year, unless Fayette Co. Public Schools are not in session.  Childcare is provided for preschool children.

Here is a list of some of the classes that are offered:  Bible Study, Cooking, Crafts, Crochet, Cross-Cultural Parenting, Cross-Stitch, Exercise, Knitting, Line Dancing, Needlepoint, Quilting, Scrap booking, English (levels 1,2and 3), and Spanish.

The day that I attended they were celebrating the countries of the International ladies with a Parade of Nations.  The traditional dress of their country worn by many of the International women and their children was breathtaking.  I am sorry I was unable to take pictures of all the lovely ladies and children.

Following the Parade OF Nations I visited the cooking  class and enjoyed listening to Kim Okesson explain and demonstrate how to prepare and cook Ramen Cabbage Salad, English Muffin Pizzas and Rice Pudding.  The English Muffin Pizzas were not only just what my grand kids would love but also very easy and inexpensive to make.   The recipe is as follows:

English Muffin Pizzas                                                  

English Muffins

Pizza or Pasta Sauce

Mozzarella Cheese

Toppings:  Meat: cooked chicken, ground beef, ham and sausage.

Vegetables: onion, green pepper spinach, tomatoes, mushrooms, what ever you like.

Preheat oven to 400 degrees.

Split English muffin in half and toast in toaster if you like a crunchy crust.  Place split muffins on cookie tray.

Spoon on sauce, then add toppings.  Add the cheese last.

Cook in a hot oven for 10-15 minutes.  Once the cheese is melted, your pizzas are ready.  Enjoy!!

Best Friend Therapy Dogs

Baby is a therapy dog as well as a service dog.  The way that Lee and Linda explained the difference to me is as follows.  A therapy dog does something for someone else.  A therapy dog has a “bachelor degree” and has to like people and get along with them well.  He must not be spooked by walkers or loud noises like a plate dropping to the floor.  Baby has provided therapy to anxious parents and children in emergency rooms and waiting rooms.  Baby has worked at the V.A. Hospital on Leestown Rd., at U.K. children’s Hospital oncology unit, and with Alzheimer patients at the local Best Friends program.

Lee developed a vision problem in 2006 and now Baby is pretty much a full time service dog for him.  A service dog has a “master’s degree” and does something for it’s owner.  Baby has traveled with Lee on airplanes to California and accompanies him into restaurants.   She is very well behaved and should not be petted when she has her service vest on because that would distract her focus from her job.  She is able to sniff out smoke and help Lee not run into things.  Some service dogs sniff out bombs and drugs.  A seeing eye dog has a P.H.D. and is highly and specifically trained.  The key trick in training a dog is repetition that is reinforced.

Baby will be 10 years old in March and was rescued from a “kill shelter” the day before she was going to be put down.  I met Baby at the Heirloom restaurant in Midway and immediately fell in love with her.  When you look into Baby’s eyes, you see great depths of compassion, wisdom and love.  No wonder she has made such a great therapy and service dog.  What a blessing she has been both to Linda and Lee as well as all the people she comforted through the years.

Fun Stuff For Kids

We decided to take our two year old grandson with us when we took Ladd for a check up at the vet.  Shepherd decided that his dog Raffy needed a checkup also.   The doctor at the Animal Hospital of Nicholasville was so understanding and examined both Raffy and Ladd explaining patiently everything to Shepherd and answering all his questions.  What a joy it is to find doctors who are concerned about their patients as well as their owners.

More Fun Stuff For Kids

When our daughter Christy was young, she wanted a dog house for her best friend Snoopy.  One weekend, my husband agreed to help her build one and together they constructed it out of a cardboard box and lots of tape.  They had a wonderful time painting it and made a beautiful and priceless memory of fun and laughter.

Time with our children, loved ones and friends is so precious.  We should never take it for granted.  Make the most of every moment you are given!

“How precious to me are your thoughts, O God!  How vast is the sum of them!  Were I to count them, they would outnumber the grains of sand.  When I awake, I am still with you.”  Psalm 139:17, 18