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Use what talents you possess: the woods would be very silent if no birds sang there except those that sang best.

We all have talents. Some are veiled and some are in the open. I have several friends that helped me get through the first few days after Jonny's accident. Lynne helped with the logistics of getting the memorial organized, and driving me to see my son Brandon to tell him the tragic news. Crystal gathered the pictures and the stories of Jonny with me, his brother, his family, and his friends to decorate the display board. Peggy and Ruth were able to comfort me, with their empathetic abilities, having similar losses. My sister and Mom, comforting me and only wishing the plane from Florida brought them sooner. My friend Debbie, whose comforting words, caring and the ability to know what else I needed, such as bringing a wonderful stew, to nourish us and keep my strength up. The list goes on and on. The talents and kindness continues....all of these people were put into my life at different times and different areas. I know that God put them into my life for a reason...I am forever gra

Rainy Days & Tuesdays

I have been without my Internet since Sunday morning....modem (Internet service) problems. I am back on board. It is a rainy evening, but at least I have power, so far any ways. Thanks to my followers for their sweet comments on my upholstery blog. I wrote in one of my old post, of how I miss getting ready for the school year. Shopping for new clothes, books, school supplies.....the boys were so excited to get something new...well, my church is asking for volunteers to help put together school kits for Lutheran World Relief Ingathering....How exciting, not only do I get to shop for school supplies, but I can help out a child, and bring a smile to their face.

Uphostered Chairs

I bought a "Farmhouse Table" for $5.00 at a rummage sale last May. It came with 2 chairs, so I have been looking for 4 more. I found 4 chairs a week ago, for $30.00. The wood was in good shape, the padding on the seats were in good shape, however, the material was faded and stained. This is my first time re-upholstering a chair, it was fun, easy and did not take long. I bought extra material to make window valances. I found the material on sale, that matched my decor and taste. In fact it is similar to the one already on it.

Quote of the Day

What lies behind you and what lies in front of you, pales in comparison to what lies inside of you . Ralph Waldo Emerson We always dwell on our past and worry about the future. But, it is what is inside us, what is in our hearts that is important. We all make mistakes, they are life's lessons. We should learn and grow from them. We cannot change the past and we cannot predict the future. We can have loving memories of the past and learn from the mistakes we have made. We can plan for the future, but we do not know what the future brings. Live each day to the fullest and count your blessings, for they are many.

Names

I went to a baby shower yesterday afternoon. Peggy's daughter Lindsay is expecting a precious baby boy in September. Jackson is the chosen name. I remember trying to pick out a name when I was pregnant with Jonny. Laura Ann was the girl's name we picked. My husband liked the name John for a boy. I went to grade school with a boy who spelled his name, Jon. I liked the way it was spelled, and we both agreed on Jonathan. I looked up the meaning of Jonathan..... The boy's name Jonathan \j(o)-na- than \ is pronounced JAHN-a-thun. It is of Hebrew origin, and its meaning is " gift of God ". Biblical : the son of King Saul, Jonathan was noted for his manliness , generosity , and unselfishness. He was a gift from God. He was generous and giving. He cared about those around him. With my oldest son Brandon, we could not agree on a name. Being our first born, we struggled with the decision. I bought a baby name book, wrote down a list of boys and girls names. My husband

Busy as a Bee

Oh, what a busy bee I have been. Working long hours, the past two weeks. Last weekend was busy, but I had time for friends and enjoyed the beautiful "fall" weather we have been experiencing, in the middle of July. I joined in my church's fellowship at a catfish dinner at a lodge on the Ohio river on Friday night. What beautiful scenery. Enjoying God' s masterpiece, the beautiful pictures. Just as Renee's son had described. http://www.reneeswope.blogspot.com/ School semester will be starting again, and I will have to get back in my routine. I am glad I took the summer off. I worked on my scrapbook, visited with friends & family, and caught up on things around the house. I miss getting the kids ready for the school year....going to Wal-mart to get their supplies and of course we needed a new back pack every year....going clothes shopping....and trying to get them back in the routine of going to bed earlier.....seems like just yesterday.

Personality Plus

I found a new blog site ... /www.reneeswope.blogspot.com/ .....she talks about, Florence Littauer's book Personality Plus...in this book four personalities are mentioned 1. Phlegmatic 2. Choleric 3. Sanguine 4. Melancholy I have not only read this book and taken the personality test years ago, but I had the privilege in going to a church Woman's conference and Florence was the guest speaker in 1996. She is an excellent speaker, and the book is quite interesting. I have taken several personality test, through the years either in school or through work. I have read "Please Understand Me II" by David Keirsey about temperament, character and intelligence and "Now, Discover Your Strengths" by Marcus Buckingham and Donald Clifton, PhD. These books are interesting, informative, thought provoking and motivating. They not only tell you about your personality, but about those around you. They teach you about other's personalities. It teaches about diversity of pe

Lynne's Poem

My friend Lynne, was one of many who had helped get me through the first few days after my news of Jonny's accident. She was with me the first night, so I would not have to be alone. We had a power outage that night, and Lynne wrote a beautiful poem, by candle light, in which I asked her to read at Jonny's Memorial Service. I have been given permission by Lynne to share this with my friends and post it on my blog site. To You….. My spirit soars To the golden gates I must arrive now For I can’t be late. God’s arms out stretched Bringing me into his fold Heaven’s bounty and glory Are a sight to behold. I wasn’t ready I still had dreams I feel your hearts break As your tears run in streams. Know that I’m safe Surrounded by love I’ll now watch you From way up above. God needed me now He took me and a friend With angels around That God did send. My spirit is light And full of life Eternally I live And with no strife. God’s grace is felt For all who believe Hold your hearts open For

Warm Hearts Blog Award

At the suggestion of Jackie @ Teacher's Pet, I am awarding the Warm Hearts Blog Award to my 3 amazing followers. This award is given to them, for their kindness, comforting words, benevolent characteristics. This award should be passed on to those, for those who are bolstering, uplifting, reassuring, soothing, calming, cheering, consoling, encouraging to those around them. 1. mailto:Jackie@Teacher 2. mailto:Eileen@Umma 3. Shannon@BlessOurNest God Bless and pass this Award on to those deserving. Sandy

Warm Hearts

So many people are gifted with warm hearts and kind words.....they express themselves so eloquently.....they use their experiences to help others understand their own trials and tribulations ....we learn from our life experiences and share them with others....they help us to learn and grow We see our loved ones through eyes of others and we understand our loved ones through their words ..... I recently received an e-mail from the mother of Jonny's friends, she expressed to me how Jonny's smile lit up a room, of his compassion for others and of his kindness....I always observed these characters in Jonny , but to know that others appreciated these qualities, is so comforting Although Brandon and Jonny had completely different personalities , they both demonstrate these qualities and characteristics ....these are deep and sincere...both my sons are forever in my heart and I cherish my time with them....
I get so much information from these blogs sites....especially the frugal shoppers...like.. http://www.moneysavingmom.com/ .. which gave the great tip of double coupons at K-mart.....saved $26.00 http://www.stretchingabuckblog.com/ ..... lots of Target, CVS and Walgreen tips and coupons.... Of course there is a lot of work to couponing....lots of clipping, organizing, and it takes a little longer to shop....some of these sites give tips and suggestions....try not to get trapped into buying something you don't normally use, or something that might be cheaper in another brand without the coupon.....I have received a free quart of paint from "Glidden" ......I have also received a free box of Kashi TLC bars (tasty little cereal), along with 5 - $1.50 coupons towards more boxes of TLC bars... Another money saving site is.... http://www.5dollardinners.com/about-me ........I just tried the taco salad (posted 6-4-09), even made my own taco seasoning (already had the ingredients

Happy 4th of July

Happy 4th of July everyone.....it is raining this morning, but hopefully it will quit tonight.... I used love to take the boys to see the fireworks...some times we would go to see the local fireworks, sometimes we would go to my sister-in-laws for the big family get together... When Jonny was 7 months old and Brandon was 4 years old, we lived in Northern Indiana and went to the park, laid out a blanket.....Brandon and I watched the fireworks while Jonny slept....how he slept amongst the loud noise of the fireworks and the "oohs" and "aahs" is beyond me, but as soon as the sun went down he fell asleep....I guess he could not figure what all the fuss was about, and sleeping seemed the thing to do... Have a safe and spectacular 4th.... Sandy

Memorial Tree

I have been receiving some very kind comments on my last post about my scrapbook for my Jonny.....yes it is very therapuetic....along with the book and this blog I have done a balloon release with a grieving support group and bought a tree to be planted at my church....I still go through the stages of grief, and will for quite some time, but I still have the support of family, friends and co-workers... I check Jonny's My Space to read the messages his friends continue send...he loved his friends and they love him....

Scrapbooking

Busy working on Jonny's scrapbook....on top of that the frig went out.....trying to remedy that situation..... I am working on the high school aspect of my Jonny's life.....the football, track and wrestling....football was Jonny's favorite....after months of grueling practice....finally getting to play the first game in his freshman year, Jonny broke his leg in the first practice afterward.....but that did not discourage him.....he played varsity his sophmore, junior and senior years....making all confrence and all south.....he won awards in wrestling and track......one of his friends wrote in the questbook at his memorial service .."to the man who couldn't be stopped".....but Jonny was modest about his awards, he just loved the game and being part of the team....he wanted everyone to be a part of the team...and no one to be left out...and like his big brother Brandon, he made friends easily...I am proud of both of my sons....

Food, Food, Food

Well the slumber party was a blast, we did karaoke, played games, watched "He's Not That Into You" and "New in Town"....along with that we had tons of great food....I brought three appetizers that I tried for the first time.... Spinach dip.....the ultimate stuffed mushroom and festive crab cakes.....Yummmy!!!!!!!!! Spinach Dip: frozen spinach drained cubed velveeta cheese cubed cream cheese 1 can diced tomatoes with chiles real bacon bits Mix and microwave....2 - 5 minutes on high, just enough to melt the cheese.....you can serve with crackers or tortilla chips Crystal shared a new recipe of frozen grapes....shown in the picture above...I thought I would try it....it is so easy... Frozen Grapes: Place a packet of cherry flavored jello into a plastic bag, add red grapes.....shake grapes around ( you know shake and bake style) .....then freeze the grapes....they are delious....

Slumber Party

My friend Crystal is having a slumber party this weekend......Instead of "Girls Night Out" we are having "Girls Night In".....we have been trying to get together, but between floodings, inland hurricanes and holidays, we have yet to make it....soooooooooooooo Crystal, Lynne, Peggy, Lisa and I are going to eat lots of good food, play games, and have great converstations......you know catch up..... Yesterday I was fortunate enough to go back stage and watch Melanie Walker tape her christian show on "Come on In"....how exciting....just as exciting as seeing her up on stage at the Grand Ole Opry House in Nashville next week....she is so gifted in voice and ministry..... http://www.melaniewalker.com/

Honest Scrap Award

I have just recently started my blog and Eileen from Umma's World , was the first to post comments. Through her blog and her comments to my post I can tell she is a very gracious and kind woman, who loves her family. I am honored to be awarded the "Honest Scrap", and hope to carry it on to seven of the many inspiring blogs that I follow. I am grateful and thankful that Eileen and my paths have crossed through our blog sites. Now on to the rules of acceptance. 1. Say thanks for the award and give a link to the presenter. 2. Share ten honest things about yourself. 3. Present this award to seven other blogs. 4. Tell them of this award and the rules. Here are 10 honest things about myself: 1. I have learned to let people help me, and I can still be independant, without trying to do everything all by myself. 2. I am truly blessed with friends and family. I always knew how much they meant to me, though I had not realized this til six months ago, how much I meant to them. 3. I a

Grand Ole Opry House

Back from a weekend in Nashville, TN....Sunday Morning Country 30 year celebration, at the Grand Ole Opry House....what a treat....such great voices....great music...and great fellowship.... This is my second year and I am ready to go back, next year....all these talented people donating their time....there to serve the Lord It was a beautiful drive to a beautiful city....a nice get-away....

Crafty Days

It has been so long since I have enjoyed doing crafts, but after viewing this site.... http://www.favecrafts.com/ ... I have been bitten by the "craft bug"...I have sent this site to my sister and friends who also revel and delight in crafting.... I also came across a free recycling crafts ebook on this site .... http://www.moneysavingmom.com/ how green is this.... My sister got me started on scrapbookking....I am making a scrapbook of the memories of my son Jonny....it is a slow process...so many memories....when I am done I will make one for my son Brandon, we have so many new memories to make...you do not realize all the aspects of your children's lives until you view all the pictures....

I'm Back

What an exhilarating, exciting, jubilant weekend.....the Laughter Yoga Workshop has brought my friend and I such a delightful weekend.... I did not know laughter could be such a great workout, and bring so much energy and relaxation at the same time....my stress was alleviated......and yet I felt I could take on whatever life brings me.... In addition, I made new friends.....a group of awesome people....there was so much positivity (is that a word), affirmative, optmistic encouragement....to feel that you can throw your inhibitions to the wayside....and reach out to people.... I would encourage any one to go join a laughter yoga group or class.....to de-stress and re-energize and improve your mental/physical health...

Laughter Yoga

I am on my way to Chicago this weekend with my friend Lynne, to attend a Laughter Yoga Workshop....they say laughter is the best medicine...it is a great way to destress....70% of illness such as heart disease, high blood pressure, anxiety and depression are stress induced...in addition laughter is infectious , free and does not require thinking ......what a concept... Well Lynne and I are ready for this workshop weekend, after a long week....a time to destress, relax and get caught up on friendships....maybe we can bring back what we learned and teach it to others....watch, do, teach.....spread the laughter...

Rain, Rain, Rain

Another rainy day....I love to sit and read when it is raining outside.....when my boys were little I used to read to them, before Brandon was school age, I would take him to the weekly story-time at the local library....he enjoyed hearing a new story every week.....but enjoy reading again until he was in Jr High.....his class assignment was to read the book "The Outsiders".....and now he reads James Patterson novels.....I have enjoyed reading all my life....my sister and I would walk to the library and get a stack full of books, every week.....she always liked the classics, and would tell me all about what she read.....my 5th grade teacher introduced our class to Little House on the Prairie, after reading to the class I went to the library and checked out all the Laura Ingalls stories....as a young child I read all the Bobsey Twin stories.....now I mostly read text books.... but I still find time to squeeze in a little novel or too

Independence

My friend broke her ankle, while cleaning up from our storm on May 8 th . We don't realize how much of our independence is taken from us when we are injured. How much we have to rely on others to help us out. We are so used to coming and going as we please. We take these things for granted. Four years ago I had gall bladder surgery, and Jonny was taking care of me instead of me taking care of him. Although I was fortunate and grateful for my sons deeds, it was very frustrating to have to rely on some one. Well my friend is on the mend, and is able to get out of the house, even if it is for a small window of time...she is blessed with family, just I was blessed with family and friends.....and in the end we, through the days, we have yet another chapter in our book called "Life"

Rummage Sales

As much as I enjoy going to rummage sales, I do not like having them.....luckily our church is getting ready to have one next weekend....donating was much more rewarding, and it was exciting to see what everyone else had to give....I went to several sales over the weekend, in between raindrops....there was something for everyone.... I am off to Chicago (area) with my friend Lynne, next weekend for a laughter yoga workshop....we could both use the stress relief, right now....
I bought this 33 inch rattan trunk (a Jennifer Farrell collection) at Big Lots a few months ago...it was marked down to $72.00, with an additional discount, bringing it to $55.00. Since there was a small (fixable) flaw it was again marked down to only $27.00. I was so excited at the bargain, that I did not look at the original price of $240.00 until I brought it home. It is used as my coffee table.....it also stores extra pillows, afghans and blankets in it. I bought a picture at Good Will, liked the frame, but the picture was faded. I took a piece of gold, textured scrapbooking paper to replace it. I then used a transfer on the glass. I like the new recycled look. It reminds me of my friend Lynne. She not only has the word "smile" on her license plate, but she is always smiling and sees the good in everything.....
Back from Florida, just made my second flight....had a wonderful time, the sun finally came out so we could play.....lots of good food, good company, and reminiscing.... Even found a sign with my name on it...I thought all beaches are sandy, even when I am not there.... Brought back a T-shirt from a unique shop called GoFish....and a free bookmarker with the saying "There is no growth in a comfort zone and no comfort in a growth zone." Anonymous....there is so much truth to this...and I am as guilty as the next....but knowing God's is with us and will helps us grow, will help us when we are out of our comfort zone...

Florida Bound

I am off to Florida tommorrow to visit family. Hope to get a little sunshine. Hopefully, it won't rain the whole time I am there. Looking forward to rest and relaxation, before I go back to school in the fall.
One of my favorite pictures of Jonny....He looked so handsome in his tux, my little boy was growing up......."Between the innocence of babyhood and the dignity of manhood, we find a delightful creature of a boy" (Allan Beck) This quote is so befitting of both my sons. I enjoyed being part of their journey from babyhood to manhood.

Miracle Sunday

Such a beautiful weekend after last weekends "inland hurricane". I was very fortunate to have such little damage. Thankful...for all the volunteers in the community and surrounding communities. Thankful...to all the hardworking men and women getting everyone power, food and shelter. I am especially thankful, than Jonny's flowering Cherry Memorial tree (that we planted 2 weeks prior) is still standing. It is strong just like Jonny.