Moma D turns 50

Yes, Krisha (with Dan and Jim's help) got me! We had a great time and I really appreciate all my family and friends coming to help me celebrate the BIG 50.

I was thrilled to see everyone, but I was totally surprised and overjoyed to see my very best friend from high school, Vonnie Elmore Kelly. There are no words to express the bond the two of us share. It had been over 14 years since we had seen each other!

Vonnie and I

Vonnie and her beautiful daughter, Jennifer.

Also, one of my best friends for over 25 years, Ginger Keating. However, Jim claims that she is HIS best friend, not mine. (Ginger helped him mark off one of his "bucket list" items in October - she carried him to the Nascar Race in Talledega.)

Below is Krisha with Jennifer, my 1st daughter (hey Jennifer, do you think I am old enough to be your step mom now? HA)

And of course, below are two of my other children, Danyell and Lisa

And for those we didn't get pictures of, sorry, blame the camera man! Ha. Thanks again to everyone that came!!!!

Thanks to Krisha for all the hard work that she put into it, it was a great party!!!

* * * * * * * * *

SO, you would think that would be it right? A huge surprise party with so many of my friends and family attending, getting so many great gifts............but, NO. Krisha (again with Dan and Jim's help) was not finished................

On Sunday nights Jim and I attend our church's Life Group at David and Karen Cottingham's home. It is a group of 20 -25 people. We always have great food, wonderful discussions about living our lives for Christ, and fun fellowship together. Jim and I love this group of folks, they are our rock.
When we arrived Sunday night, there was Dan, Krisha and the girls...........with ANOTHER cake, ice cream, balloons and the Happy Birthday banner!!!
It was the "men's" night to cook, and we had a great supper of salad, lasagna, garlic bread and then all the birthday cake and trimmings...and more cards and gifts.
It was so fitting that our discussion for the night was a continuation of Brother Dan's morning sermon, "Love God and Love Others"..............thanks to all the group for showing me God's love and for loving me and my family so much!!! I LOVE YOU GUYS!!!

Krisha, I love you for all the hard work you did and for making this such a special time for me.

Dan, thanks for helping Krisha with the girls so that she could get all the work done for the party.

David and Karen, thanks for hosting my 2nd surprise party.

Jim, thanks for helping with the funding (although I am sure you owe Dan and Krisha more!?!) and the help you provided to Krisha, I love you.

Now, what will I do for Jim's 60th birthday in June and Krisha's 30th birthday in October?????? Anyone have any suggestions?

In training with Popa Jim

They got a bus ride, I got a blessing..........

Has everyone else had "cabin fever" this week because of the weather? I have.
I am not one to go out and do a lot of shopping. I hate shopping. I always know what I am going for before I go, I go get it, and then I come back home. However, after being in the house all week because of the ice/snow storm and chilling cold, I was looking forward to getting out and doing my errands today.

As I was coming out of the mall entrance at TJ Max, I woman stopped me. Before she even opened her mouth, I had a gut feeling what she was about to ask me. Politely, she said, "Mam, I need $2.00 so that my husband and I can ride the bus back to the homeless shelter. When it gets over 32 degrees they won't let us stay there during the day and we don't have the money to get back there tonight."

I looked in my wallet, the smallest thing I had was a $5 bill, so I handed it to her. I have done this type of thing many times before, but I think I have always avoided looking into the person's eyes. I am not sure why, maybe out of guilt, (that I have, and they don't) or out of embarrassment (for them, not me). But, today was different.

As I was handing her the money, and both of us had our hands on it, our eyes met. She said, "God bless you." I just smiled at her and walked away.

Out of that transaction, she got a way back to the homeless shelter for the cold night ahead, but I got so much more. It was a feeling of comfort, a feeling I can't explain.

Do not forget to show hospitality to strangers,

 for by so doing some people have shown hospitality to

 angels without knowing it.

( Hebrews 13:1-3)

Did I look into the eyes of an angel? I don't know. Did I have an overwhelming feeling of comfort and peace, yes.

On the drive back home, I stopped to talk to God.

• I was fussing because I had to buy a new rug to go at the door coming in from the garage, because of all the dirt that gets tracked in, while she was cheerful at having the fare needed to ride the bus back to the homeless shelter!
• I had been complaining about having to stay inside my WARM home all week, while this woman and her husband have no home. 
• I drove a car that is equipped with heated seats and a heated steering wheel around town to do my errands, while they sat in the mall to stay warm, until time to go back to the homeless shelter for the night.

Forgive me, God. Forgive me.

So, to God I say "forgive me", and to my pastor, Dan Williams, I want to say "thank you". Thank you for  stressing to us all year about how much we need to help others. Thank you for telling me that I can hear Jesus' voice through others, Jesus Voice , thank for you telling me that I am crazy if I think I can't help, I can't do much, you gotta be crazy!, and for the wonderful series on Too Dark to Sleep.

I have been hearing what you were saying, and I do have a burden, Vision and Burden. As you wrote, "God is looking for people who will take His VISION and have a burden to get it done. We cannot do it without God and He chooses not to do it without us."


(Links above are to Bro Dan's blog, please read!)

A Prayer Request and A Praise

Our Sunday School class starts out each Sunday with a "Prayer Request & Praise" discussion before opening prayer.

Today, I would  like to share a prayer request and a praise with my blog friends.

A PRAISE

I kept a button on my page about a baby named Bennett for months (I think I accidentally deleted it when I changed my page background after Christmas) that was born on July 3, 2010, at 26 weeks. He weighed only one pound and four ounces. He has been in the hospital since birth and has faced many, many challenges along the way. However, through thousands of people praying for this family he is now up to almost eight pounds and may be going home next week!!!! Here is a link to Bennett's mother's blog: Our Journey to Parenthood

A Prayer Request

The Simple Wife, is a blog that I recently began reading. It is written by Joanne, a 38 year old, inspirational writer, wife, and mother. On January 11, she suffered a major stroke. Her family is asking for our prayers and also wrote on her blog:

"We are claiming Psalms 46 for Joanne.

Would love to have you read and pray over those passages for her."

Opening gifts with the girls....

Santa brought the girls a new room at our house.....

 

Eli Christmas morning.........