I will lie down and sleep in peace, for you alone, O LORD, make me dwell in safety. Psalm 4:8

I do not like sleep time.  In my growing up years I had many daymares and nightmares.  That must be why I'm more a night person ;o)  When I dream, or remember my dreams, they most always cause me to wake up in fear.  I'm not really sure why this is...  Maybe someone who reads this will be a professional brain interpreter!  LOL 

The scripture above is so true.  I can go to sleep knowing that my Lord will protect me.  I find comfort in this.  Do I still have bad dreams?  Yes.  The difference is in how I deal with them since I have a better understanding of my faith. 

Go to sleep precious baby shut your pretty eyes, 
Jesus up above you is peeking through the skies.
Great big moon is shining stars begin to peep,
It's time for little girls like you to be fast asleep.

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My Fresh Find is this fun & colorful pendant light!

"Dear friends, since God so loved us, we also ought to love one another." 1 John 4:11

I think I've said this many times here, but I cannot think of one person I don't like.  I don't love very many and I tolerate a few. ;o)  When I look at others and know that God created them I love all the good within them.  That is what is so awesome about knowing God in a very personal way.  He helps me to do things I could not do otherwise.

You noticed that yesterday was a pouty day for me.  I have those just every once in a while.  I get my feelings hurt and then Satan lets me dwell on it.  Not good!

It typically does not take me long to realize the only way I'm going to get over it is to seek peace and see the lesson in the situation. 

Look at my our precious Adelyn!!!

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My Fresh Find is this cute cat playhouse...well, play plane!!!

I guess I MUST be a really bad person. People tell me that or make comments to that end all the time.

I would rather say what is on my mind instead of you trying to guess.  If that makes me bad, I'm sorry.  I prefer to say something and stop the talking about you behind your back.  If that makes me bad, I'm sorry.  I would rather step back from something and be in God's will than be fake and be out of his will.  If that makes me a bad person, I'm sorry.  I would rather take action on ideas instead of sitting on my hands.  If this makes me a bad person, I'm sorry. 

You know, it gets to the point that you just get tired of hearing how "bad" you are.  It is taking too much energy.  So, what do I do.  I will withdraw.  I will find peace in my solitude.  I will remain firm in my relationship with Christ, even stronger than before.

I know Satan has no need to mess with those not striving for a relationship with God.  In this I find hope.

My quote for today:  "People need to feel needed.  If we don't involve people in things then they will leave and find other places to serve." 

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My Fresh Find is this great summer weight scarf.  I think WE can make this Mindy!

The Gachie West school in Kenya holds a special place in my heart.  I would say that I'm not sure why, but I am absolutely sure why.  It is the children.  Look at these precious children in their new uniforms.

You can read more about them here:

http://www.winkids-winkids-winkids.blogspot.com/

Here is a picture of their leader, Vincent.

These are the teachers, Evalyne and Peris.

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My Fresh Find is this beautiful bed!

SAVING GRACE

Lord you are so wonderful
And deserve our love and praise
I cannot express just how I feel
When I think of your saving grace

To think of what you went through
That day upon the cross
And in the moments leading up to it
When soldiers spat and scoffed

And beat you with no mercy
Making sport and having fun
You said not a word in your defense
Even though you were God’s son

You bore it all out of your love
For the lost and dying souls
To give us a hope we can hold on to
For a future yet to unfold

It’s such a beautiful description Lord
Of what your grace can do
For no one’s exempt from your saving grace
But it’s a gift freely given from you

©By M.S.Lowndes

When someone asks me what my favorite holiday is, I say Easter!  In Easter I find hope.  I find joy.  I find my faith renewed in a special way.

When I was growing up my mom always made me a new Easter dress.  We would get up on Sunday morning and head to church.  We always saw people on Easter that we never saw at other times.  It was always good to see family and friends.  After church when we would get home the Easter bunny had left a basket of goodies in my bedroom.  Later in the day kids from our families and the neighborhood kids would gather in the Thomas Boulevard Park for an Easter egg hunt.  We always had a fun time.

Here is a picture of my mother, brother & me on Easter Sunday...

Easter is not my favorite time because of the Easter bunny, but I find it interesting that we all call him that.  Easter bunny.  Why? 

The "bunny" is considered one of the most fertile animals and has for years served as a symbol of the new life that comes in the Spring season.  

Easter is my favorite time of year because of the new life that comes through the resurrection of our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ. 

So, we can go out and get something new to wear, we can celebrate bunnies and the new life they represent, but hold dear my friends to the real reason we celebrate Easter.

I saw this quote...

“There are but two essential requirements: first: Has any one cheated death and proved it? Second: Is it available to me? Here is the complete record: Confucius' tomb - occupied; Buddha's tomb - occupied; Mohammed's tomb - occupied; Jesus' tomb - empty. Ar”  ~ G. B. Hardy

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My Fresh Find is this great "towel blanket bag" and I think we might could make this ourselves ;o) Saw it first over at SM...

I came across this picture and it seems like yesterday that my brother, John, got this electric football game for Christmas.  I remember he was playing with it and I wanted to play and he did not want me to!  I'm sure I had no clue what I was doing and messing things up.  Thus, our dad steps in and I end up sitting in his lap watching.

Speaking of my brother.  Here is a picture of him and Debby on their wedding day.  I cried so hard when they said their vows.  I don't know why...I did not even "like" my brother ;o)  Maybe I was happy he was going to live somewhere else.  Not likely because I rarely saw him because he was away at school.  I think I thought that Debby was taking my brother away.  She has been such a blessing in our lives!!! 

Here is a picture of me, Mike Harder, my brother John and David Maggard. Notice the doll crib?  I still have this.  Have it ready for Adelyn's doll one day!!!

My Fresh Find is this great bird apple feeder for your yard.

I know you have heard the popular song by Carrie Underwood titled, Jesus Take the Wheel.  The chorus goes like this:

Jesus take the wheel
Take it from my hands
Cause I can't do this on my own
I'm letting go
So give me one more chance
Save me from this road I'm on
Jesus take the wheel

Driving down the road in our vehicles is a very good time to praise God.  We are distracted by so many things these days.  Many spend more time in their cars than in their homes. 

It isn't hard to make our time in the car an uplifting one.  Here are a few ways that will make everyone feel better when you arrive at your destination.  

Only listen to music that praises God.  If you have children, it can be scripture memorization songs. Teens in the SUV?  Put in your earplugs ;o) and enjoy a different type of praise! Maybe it's just you and you are in a praise & worship mood or listening to classic hymns is what you need...listen, listen and God will speak to you.

Take the time to reflect on where God leads your mind in the quietness of your vehicle.

Make the time in your car quality time with your kids.  Involve them in praying for their friends and issues they have in their lives.

Keeping God at the center of your drive will keep you away from road rage and other driving frustrations.

Life is short and we need to take every opportunity to connect with the God who loves us and wants a relationship with us.

Every day we get in our vehicles. Wouldn't it be amazing to spend this time with God knowing that we will be blessed?  It can happen!!!

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My Fresh Find is this moonbeam jar.  Remember the old Sinatra song?

Would you like to swing on a star
Carry moonbeams home in a jar
And be better off than you are
Or would you rather be a mule...

When I look back on my childhood I remember many friends.  The friend I have known the longest and who remains my only "sister" from growing up is Debby Duncan Ketchersid.  We have known each other for 51 years!  WOW!!!

When I was a Girl Scout our troop was bestest friends.  At one of our costume parties you found Suzy, Kathi, Kathy, Connie, Lucretia, Gabber, Alexis, Gwen, Marilyn, Barbara, Janet, Gina, Becky, Cindy and me!

The one friend that I remember laughing with the most though was Suzy Leach.  I recently reunited with Suzy's sister-in-law and brother on facebook.  Nedra & Micky graciously are allowing me to share these pictures of Suzy.  She loved music and playing music was who she was. We listened to Dylan and Donovan for hours upon end.  We would sing and watch ourselves in the mirror.  This was way before the song, "You're So Vain." LOL  My times with Suzy were happy ones.  We never had a fight.  I did not see Suzy after high school and I am sad about that.  She passed away many years ago and I often think of her, happy thoughts, happy times. These pictures I hold as a cherished reminder of how special our time was! This is Suzy in California, about 20 years old.

The picture above is Suzy's senior picture from Plainview High School.  We spent lots of time together being ridiculously silly.  We would just hang out and have a blast or her dad would fly us over to Knox City to spend the weekend with his parents.  We would sleep under a ton of quilts at night.  We would wake up to a freezing house and the smell of bacon frying on the stove.  Up we would jump and find ourselves eating a big farm fresh breakfast.  Then we would walk along the top of the tall fence and balance like we were so good!  We would fly home upside down most of the way!  Right before we would land we had to lose our stomachs with loop-ta-loops across the clear blue sky.  We would laugh and laugh.

Her mother Floyce was a woman that I really loved.  She was such a kind person and loved me.  Suzy's family had issues just like other families, yet they took me in and treated me with such love!

Here is a picture of Suzy and me (outside the motel) when we visited Hardin Simmons University in Abilene.  Yes, we were dressed up.  Too funny now!

We grew up by Thomas Blvd. Park and we had lots of friends there.  Very often we had water fights between our yard and the park, what fun!  In this picture is

1.Teri Beth Brown 2.Sheryl Hazel 3.Suzy Leach 4.Lisa Harder 5.Pam Thompson 6.Regina James 7.Sandra Gaston 8.Tim Field

We did make our own fun back in the days!

My birthday parties were either skating parties or swimming parties.  For several years we used the Best Western pool for the afternoon.  Here is a circa '67 picture of Suzy Leach (green 2 piece), Sharon Taylor (red & blue one piece), Debby Duncan (white skirt 2 piece ???), Steve Clough ( blue stripe suit), Janie Devon (yellow floral sweatshirt), Lisa Harder (red 2 piece), getting out is Kathi Miller and jumping in is Leah Wood. 

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My Fresh find is this colorful window bench.  Curl up and enjoy a good book and store them underneath!

Scripture is always a means to a greater end. 

Scripture corrects, reveals and instructs.

Scripture was given by God for the purpose of making us more like him.  It is not only a book of information for us to learn from, but a book that allows us a complete transformation if we will only listen and believe.

Therefore, I urge you, brothers, in view of God's mercy, to offer your bodies as living sacrifices, holy and pleasing to God-this is your spiritual act of worship.  Do not conform any longer to the pattern of this world, but be transformed by the renewing of your mind.  Then you will be able to test and approve what God's will is-his good, pleasing and perfect will.  Romans 12:1-2

I have been through many things in my 53 years and I have found this to be true.  The more I dig into the Word the more I know God's will for me.  So amazing!

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My Fresh Find are these cute little "naked peggies" that I saw over at MJ.  You can have these personalized to look just like your family & those little super heroes and princesses!

Yesterday "Ushka" short for Babushka was with her precious granddaughter when she let out her first vocal laugh!  I must be really funny ;o)  I love kids and do some pretty goofy things like make up songs and stories and such. Here is a picture of Adelyn with one of her big smiles!  She is the best natured baby ever (and I've been around a few ;o)  Okay, I am VERY partial ;o)

Here is a picture of her in the sweet little storybook dress that Jeanie gave her.  Under each ruffle is a piece of the story.  Her bottom says, "the end."  It is the cutest little thiing I've ever seen.  It comes in a storybook keepsake box.  It is a little big yet for Adelyn, but we tried it out so Jeanie can see her in it!  Ohhhh, how cute!

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My Fresh Find are these really comfy looking shoes.  Can't have enough of these!