Europe 2010

For years I had dreamed about going to Europe.  Finally, in June 2010 my dream became a reality!  I experienced a European tour.  I visited Paris, Germany, Amsterdam, and Switzerland.  


I experienced the Swiss Alps - 6000 feet above sea level!  Wow, what a rush!  Once I reached my destination, I was awed by the beautiful mountains - what a sight to behold.  Took the time to eat some apple strudel while perusing this majestic scene.


The Black Forest in Heidelberg, Germany was also very interesting.  I love the movie, "Heidi."  So, when I saw this beautiful coo-coo clock for sale, I had to purchase it.  It depicts Heidi and her grandfather sitting on the front porch of an old cabin.  It now hangs in my study.

Celebrate Life!!

I love life and I find every day a challenge and an adventure!  I count every day a blessing and no matter if it's pouring rain or as bright as a shining penny, I am thankful to be alive.

I am a 17 year breast cancer survivor.  And since the day the Lord healed me and allowed me a few more minutes to take up space in His world, I now look at life in a different light.  We're not here by fate, but by design, God's design.

Every day, every minute, every second is counted as an opportunity for me to allow God to use me to help someone else.  I believe that each second of my life is personally orchestrated by the hand of God.  They are not "coincidences," they are divine orchestrations.  Be thankful and count every day a blessing!

MUSIC - Love it!!

Music!  Music!  Music!  I don't think a day goes by that I  don't listen to music - all kinds of music:  classical, smooth jazz, christian (contemporary and hymns).  Music has always had a way of soothing my thoughts and keeping me balanced.


Sometimes I will sit down at the piano and begin playing old hymns for several hours.  Some of my favorite hymns are:  Blessed Assurance, Jesus Paid It All, and It Is Well With My Soul.  It Is Well is my most favorite song.  It has encouraged me through many hard times!


When I travel to Destin, Florida (which my husband and I do several times during the year), I love to just sit out on the beach and take in all of God's handiwork.  Somehow the song, "How Great Thou Art!" always comes to mind as I sit and muse.

MARRIAGE: The Daily Temperature Reading

Doctors Les and Leslie Parrott, gave some pretty good helpful guidelines for daily temperature readings for married couples:

1. APPRECIATION:  Take turns expressing appreciation for something your spouse has done - Thank each other. 
2. NEW INFORMATION:  Let your spouse in on your life.  And then listen to the news your spouse shares.
3. PUZZLES:  Take turns asking each other something you don't understand but your spouse can explain.  Or voice a concern about yourself.
4. COMPLAINT with REQUEST:  Without being judgmental, cite a specific behavior that bothers you and state the behavior you are asking for instead.
5. HOPES:  Share your hopes; from the mundane to the grandiose.

Since we are all different, some times what we say, what we mean, and, often, what we hear, may not always be clear to someone else.  Practicing the above guidelines will help make communicating much easier with loved ones, which is what we want, right?

Life in the Projects: Pruitt-Igoe (St. Louis, MO)

I don’t know what the original main purpose was for constructing these building projects, so famously known as Pruitt-Igoe, but for me it was a wonderful time in my childhood – a time where friendships were made, where memories of good times are cherished and embraced. This was a time when the most basic and fundamental beliefs of my life were so intricately knitted – learning to know who I was as a person, my first love, my first kiss, my first “real” definition of what friends and family are and should be – learning to love people for who they are and not for what they have or for their racial/ethnic background.  All these things I learned and embraced for 14 years of my childhood – Pruitt-Igoe.
School was not the same as it is now:  Classes began with morning prayer, the reading of the Bible, quoting the Lord's prayer.  Now we're trying to push prayer out of school altogether - or have we?  If we really understand what prayer is all about, we can teach our children that no one can keep us from praying from our hearts to God - no one!  Discipline was also the name of the game – if you showed out too many times in the classroom, you would probably get a few “whacks” in your hand from the teacher with a ruler; if they didn’t get you straight, you would be sent to the Principal’s Office.  He would have you bend over and you would get whacked a couple of times with a “rattan” – a tree branch wrapped with tape – WHOOOO, that hurt!!!!  I remember at the end of one school year, some “bad” boys were said to have tied our Principal to a tree at the front of the building!!!  Now that was funny!!!!  These days, people are put in jail or sued for this type of behavior.  However, it did not do us any harm.

Those were the days!