Happy Halloween! Blessed!!!

Fresh Find: Thin Optics. I like, but I have an astigmatism so I can't do these. Love them, though!!!

This is how I remember "Bo." Bo was what we called our grandfather, Hugh Etter. He was "Bo" because my brother, John, the oldest grandchild, couldn't say "boy." Bo loved to hunt. He loved to fish. He loved nature. He loved to help others. He loved life. He believed in hard work, and he believed in enjoying life along with it.

This picture is most likely a New Mexico, Arizona border area hunting trip. Although, it could be off the Cap, too. This was another of his favorite places. I never went out with him to hunt, but I remember the many hanging carcasses of meat in the commodity distribution freezer and the heads of various animals that hung in the "shop" his Etter Electric business building.

I remember my Grandmother, we called her "Cranny" because John couldn't say granny, would always prepare him a Thermos of steaming hot coffee as he went out. Here he is relaxing on prairie land somewhere, drinking coffee and waiting it out.

He has on his knee pads. They felt better and he could move more quickly in them. I learned a lot from this guy! Blessed!!!

Fresh Find: Love this Tangram travel organizer!!!

Procrastination gets you in deep. The more you put off until tomorrow, the heavier the burden will be when the task must be done. Ask me. I know.

I'm NOT your typical procrastinator. My Mother drilled into my very being to never put off until tomorrow what you can do today. I take that to heart except for cleaning house and maintaining the online site called Ushka's where I keep all of the grandgirls photos for them always to be able to look through and enjoy.

I had let myself procrastinate and found myself six months behind! So, today was the day to get caught up!

I drop them in the Ushka's Girls file. Then, if there are more than one of the girls in a picture, I copy x 2 or 3, so each girl has the picture in her album. Then they are dropped into the month of the year in each girl's file under the Ushka's Girls master file. Then, in age order an album is created for each girl by month in that year on the site. Sound fun?

It was fun to browse their pictures. This is still a favorite of mine...

Fresh Find: This is a cool "tooletries" bag for toiletries!!!

Friendships are blessings from God for the seasons of our lives. God has blessed me through the friendship of Diana Sisemore. She is an encourager. She is loved by many. God has given us the beautiful opportunity to come together in love for her.

The following is the information from the gofundme page created by friends of Diana:

For those who have been fortunate to cross paths with Diana Sisemore, you know how devoted she is to her Lord, her family, and her friends.  Diana is a loving wife and mother of four children and grandmother to one grandson. She is an inspiration of love and friendship and has always been willing to help anyone in need, and now she needs your help.

Diana was diagnosed with Multiple Sclerosis at the age of 25. She has never been a person that complained about it and certainly did not want sympathy or to dwell on her illness.  She had four children and just graduated her youngest.  She has worked most of her life.  She has had many challenges with her illness.  She had to recently give up her profession as a Hair Stylist.  She has taken care of her family as any other healthy mom would. 

Recently, we discovered that it is now legal to receive stem cell injections in the state of Texas.  It is a procedure where you receive your own stem cells over time with hopes of reversing the effects of MS.  The cost can cost as much as $10,000 per treatment.  There is also the expense of travel.   This is very exciting!  Diana has given so much to others, so now it is her turn.

We want to reach out for help. Every little bit helps. We hope this effort allows focus to be on the fight ahead and less on the financial burden associated with receiving the necessary care. No person should fear the cost of medical care when fighting for good health. We cannot thank you enough and are forever appreciative of any contribution, no matter the size.  Please pray for Diana’s healing!

Thank you for your love, support, encouragement, and contribution to this fight. 

This picture is one of my very favorite pictures of Diana. It shows the radiance of joy that exudes from her soul. 

So many know Diana and her precious family. If we all show our love in a small way, then she may have a big opportunity for personal healing. Please, pray for God to be glorified through every step. She covets prayers, and her faith is strong. Let's show some love!!!

To give, follow this link: Diana's Hope Or, you may give locally at Prosperity Bank to the Russell Dane Sisemore Medical Love Fund

Fresh Find: Everyone needs a dash cam, right? :o)

Luke 17:5 The apostles said to the Lord, “Increase our faith!”

Just my very existence seems to create uneasiness for some. That is okay. I have dealt with uniqueness bullying my entire life and it has made me a much more compassionate person. I understand that who God created me to be might get under the skin of some. I, too know, that I was created in God's image and that I am worthy. I love me because He loved me first. So, even though I remove myself from your private space or my Facebook page, doesn't mean that I don't love you in your uniqueness. It just means that I will allow you the freedom you desire from little old me! My gift to you. 

One point I really want to make is that Facebook is not the only existing communication thread in the universe. First and foremost, there is prayer. Prayer grows us. Blessed be the tie that binds our hearts in Christian love. The fellowship of kindred minds is like to that above.

We can still snail mail and certainly we are all worth a postage stamp, and most everyone has email these days, too. We can communicate by phone and even text. Being blocked or deleted as a Facebook friend is not the end of the world. If there is something we want each other to know we can use one of the many communication options we are blessed to have in today's world to contact each other.

My Facebook page is a very spiritual place for me where I pray with friends, share my family and they share theirs, create healthy conversation and even private message personal prayer needs and concerns. For me, my Facebook friends are truly friends. Like the old Girl Scout song says, "Make new friends, but keep the old. One is silver and the other gold." Many friends on my Facebook page I know through a Plainview connection. I may not have ever met them face-to-face, but they pray for me and encourage me, and I see them doing it for others on their pages. Then, there are those I know very well and I KNOW they are lifting me up in a positive way. I want to do the same for all of the Facebook friends God has placed in my path.

I have faith-filled Facebook friends, and I have faithless Facebook friends and they all add something important to my life. I cherish who they are and the journey they are on. We agree to disagree on many topics, and we can love beyond this through mutual respect of the individual.

I can say that it does "sting" to be unfriended or blocked or not accepted as a friend on Facebook and in real life. Like I said, I have dealt with this my whole life. I don't blame anyone but myself for this. Well, gee, I don't even blame me for it. I just find that I desire happiness in my days. I was not created to be anyone's BFF, although I find that God leads me to do the very things that a good friend might do for someone they care for deeply. I certainly have been on the receiving end of love and compassion by many, humbled for sure, in my life thus far. I jokingly say, too, that I'm the most deleted & blocked person on Facebook. I certainly never set out to hurt anyone or post anything that would be a reason to be deleted, but I know, like I said before, that I get under some people's skin...like a rash! LOL 

I am who I am, and I be who I be. I love you even when you can't love me. I'm not perfect, a cracked vessel you see. I just ask God each day to let His light shine through me. 

Our God is a God of broken crockery, a God of shattered hearts, who despite the challenges of life, invites us to pick ourselves up and continue to move forward. And we, an ancient, broken people, we have journeyed on our way across the millennia bringing a message of hope to a broken planet. Do not despair, do not surrender, do not stop.

Rabbi Bradley Shavit Artson

And, I say all of this to encourage every person who has ever felt alone in the world. You are not. I think it is important that what we learn from every situation and each should be cultivated into our garden called life to grow beauty not used to specifically criticize each other in certain circles. Mums the word. Shakespeare used 'mum' in Henry VI, Part 2, 1592: "Seal up your lips and give no words but mum." So, I shall and here is wishing you a mum-full tomorrow!!!

#faceofaspergers

Fresh Find: Ohhh, fun star map projector light-North!

I am just emotional. My heart is heavy. There are so many that I care deeply for who are suffering such agonizing pain and sorrow. Some of it is new, and some of it has gone on for some time, but regardless watching the journey is hard to endure. I can only imagine the actual valley of those in them. I have been through my own personal spiritual growth journeys and even though they may be similar to someone else's, they are so very different. How we manage them is what will determine God's glory through them.

I believe in the power of prayer. I have first-hand experience with God hearing my requests and answering them in a way that has allowed healing, peace, and joy. I have prayers that have been answered immediately and those that have taken years and years for the answer to be delivered. I have requests that have not been answered and may never be answered in my lifetime. I trust they will one day will be.

I don't understand the why to things, but I trust the who that holds me and loves me. When we ask what we can do then he will show us an extension of ministry from our experiences. When we take the focus from ourselves to a focus of serving those God has placed in our path we share his love.

Growing in our faith is one reason we have bumps on the roads of life. I have found that the purpose of these bumps ultimately is to share the love of Jesus Christ with others.

Our bumps create our ministry songs. I always say that I can't sing, but God has shown me that I can. My ministry songs are many. What good is a drive down the roads of life without some good ministry songs?

I'm trusting God in ALL things and am excited to see what he teaches me and how I can serve him through every opportunity! 

Romans 5:3-5  More than that, we rejoice in our sufferings, knowing that suffering produces endurance, and endurance produces character, and character produces hope, and hope does not put us to shame, because God's love has been poured into our hearts through the Holy Spirit who has been given to us.

The grand-girls picked out glasses at Target. They had a blast with them. Little studious girls! They bring us joy.

Fresh Find: Aren't these glasses adorable?

We had so much fun at the grand-sister's fall festival. We had a cat and a bat woman! Love them so much! A couple of real super heroes to us!!!

We were privileged to attend a gymnastics competition, too!!! Miss A getting final instructions from her coach.

Fresh Find: Great clothing magnets. "Maggies."

I saw Sunny Coffey at the Wayland Baptist University Laura Bush fund-raiser. What a joy! Sunny and Lee Coffey were wonderful friends of my grandparents and parents. I enjoyed seeing and hearing former first lady, Laura Bush, but the day's rainy and cloudy skies parted when I saw Sunny. It was wonderful to hug her and the kind and encouraging words she shared meant so much!

She was beautiful then, but she is more beautiful now!!!

Here is a Coffey blog site blog post about Sunny and Lee. Coffey Blog

Fresh Find: Hmmm, I like this wireless beanie.

This morning early at Snack Pak 4Kids delivery team time, I saw this...

It reminded me of the Wizard of Oz song, Somewhere Over the Rainbow...

I love the faith of my heavenly gift of eternal life. I realize it most likely will not have Munchkins, tornadoes, and Toto, but I know it will be beautiful because God creates everything beautiful.

Aren't these Madame Alexander, Wizard of Oz dolls, precious?

“And God said, ‘This is the sign of the covenant I am making between me and you and every living creature with you, a covenant for all generations to come: I have set my rainbow in the clouds, and it will be the sign of the covenant between me and the earth.’” (Genesis 9:12-13)

Fresh Find: Oh, What a fun playhouse!!!

Sometimes, well, often, I begrudgingly get up early in the mornings for important groups, or people. This morning I needed to be at the Chamber of Commerce at seven. I was in and all done by seven-thirty. What a great group of people.

When I am up and out early, I like to take advantage of an early morning drive with God to see what he wants these eyes to see.

Why was I up and out so early this morning? The reason really is that God wanted me to see this!

Psalm 50:1 The Mighty One, God, the LORD, has spoken, And summoned the earth from the rising of the sun to its setting.

Fresh Find: These are amazing door rugs!