Quote for today

"I know God will not give me anything I can't handle. I just wish that He didn't trust me so much." -Mother Teresa

Labor day? Already?

Where did the summer go????? Wrapped up with the Day-Care,my Grandchildren and all the other blessings the Lord has sent me made the time just fly by.
The second summer without my Mom.I miss here dreadfully and still go to the phone to call her :(

My close friend Denise is battling a very agressive form of cancer and that has kept me busy as well.Helping out as needed as well as caring for her eight year old son when she's at chemo or just feels lousey.Her next treament is Tuesday.The Dr. warned her that her hair will start to fall out shortly after this treatment.She took it like a real trooper and went and bought a really funky wig....lol.....It is what it is and we have have to make the best of it.God is in control and He never makes mistakes.

My son,his wife and baby Trey are coming for Labor Day week-end.I can't wait.....what a blessing that baby is!All children are of course.....but most people take getting pregnant for granted .But when it takes so very long to concieve,test after test and no real answers as to why conception just is'nt happening when it does happen it's truly a miracle from God.A testimony of His faithful to His children As we are faithful to Him,He will be faithful to His children!

May you all have a bless ed week!.......

By Erma Bombeck

If I Had My Life to Live Over
==============================

I would have gone to bed when I was sick
instead of pretending the earth would go into
a holding pattern if I weren't there for the day.

I would have burned the pink candle sculpted like a rose
before it melted in storage.

I would have talked less and listened more.

I would have invited friends over to dinner
even if the carpet was stained, or the sofa faded.

I would have eaten the popcorn in the 'good' living room
and worried much less about the dirt
when someone wanted to light a fire in the fireplace.

I would have taken the time to listen
to my grandfather ramble about his youth.

I would never have insisted the car windows be rolled up
on a summer day because my hair had just been teased and
sprayed.

I would have sat on the lawn with my children
and not worried about grass stains.

I would have cried and laughed less while watching television
and more while watching life.

I would never have bought anything just because it was
practical, wouldn't show soil, or was guaranteed to last a
lifetime.

Instead of wishing away nine months of pregnancy,
I'd have cherished every moment and realized
that the wonderment growing inside me
was the only chance in life to assist God in a miracle.

When my kids kissed me impetuously,
I would never have said, "Later.
Now go get washed up for dinner."

There would have been more "I love you's."
More "I'm sorry's"...But mostly, given another shot at life,
I would seize every minute...look at it and really see it...
live it...and never give it back.

Stop sweating the small stuff.
Don't worry about who doesn't like you, who has more,
or who's doing what.

Instead, let's cherish the relationships we have
with those who Do love us.

Let's think about what God HAS blessed us with...
and what we are doing each day to promote ourselves
mentally, physically, emotionally, as well as spiritually.

Life is too short to let it pass you by.

We only have one shot at this and then it's gone.

I hope you all have a blessed day.

by Erma Bombeck

BLESSINGS

Blessings
He gives me beauty for ashes
The oil of joy for mourning.
He drives all my fears away
He turns my morning into dancing.

He's the apple of my eye
My soul He will keep
He always makes me smile
He watches over me as I sleep.

He gives me peace in times of trouble
He loves me unconditionally
He fills my life with greater joy
He blessed me with life abundantly.

A new way He has shown me
His love I will make known
He planted my feet on a rock to stay
He found me and called me His own!

AUTHOR UNKNOWN TO ME

FEWER WORDS

Fewer Words
============

The fewer the words, the better the prayer.

~Martin Luther (1483-1546), Theologian and Reformation leader~

BECAUSE HE LIVES......

Because He Lives

God sent His son, they called Him Jesus
He came to love, heal, and forgive.
He lived and died to buy my pardon,
An empty grave is there to prove my Savior lives.




Because He lives, I can face tomorrow.
Because He lives, All fear is gone.
Because I know He holds the future,
And life is worth the living just because He lives.



How sweet to hold a newborn baby,
And feel the pride and joy he gives.
But greater still the calm assurance,
This child can face uncertain days because He lives.



Because He lives, I can face tomorrow.
Because He lives, All fear is gone.
Because I know He holds the future,
And life is worth the living just because He lives.



And then one day I'll cross the river,
I'll fight life's final war with pain.
And then as death gives way to victory,
I'll see the lights of glory and I'll know He lives.




Because He lives, I can face tomorrow.
Because He lives, All fear is gone!
Because I know He holds the future
And life is worth the living just because He lives!

~ William and Gloria Gaither ~

Psalm 23

The Lord Is My Shepherd
A Psalm of David.
23:1 The Lord is my shepherd; I shall not want.
2 He makes me lie down in green pastures.
He leads me beside still waters. [1]
3 He restores my soul.
He leads me in paths of righteousness [2]
for his name's sake.

4 Even though I walk through the valley of the shadow of death, [3]
I will fear no evil,
for you are with me;
your rod and your staff,
they comfort me.

5 You prepare a table before me
in the presence of my enemies;
you anoint my head with oil;
my cup overflows.
6 Surely [4] goodness and mercy [5] shall follow me
all the days of my life,
and I shall dwell [6] in the house of the Lord
forever. [7]

IMPORTANT!

If you did'nt already know life is way to short.Don't waste it harboring grudges or contemplating on how ignorant some people can be. Hug and kiss your loved ones.Tell them how much you love and adore them. Let them know you are there for them.Spouses.parents,children,grandchildren ,friends and neighbors,anyone and everyone one!Spread the love.Spread God's love.

This past Wednesday Heaven was blessed with yet another Angel. Christine,even before you became an angel in Heaven you were (and will continue to be) here on earth.I cherish each and every moment we shared together.How long have we known each other?since we were 8 and in the third grade!FIFTY years ago.I feel loss and sadness for myself but know how much you love the Lord,even pursuing Pastoral Studies,so I feel great peace in knowing you are with our Father......I love you Chris!

Now please,please, let someone know how important they are to.And praise God for His tender mercies!

God Bless

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MountainWings A MountainWings Moment
#10223 Wings Over The Mountains of Life
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God Bless
=========

When entering a hotel (where she and her husband were staying),
Gladys, a devout Baptist, noticed a shabbily dressed man
lounging idly in front of the newspaper stand in the lobby.
She noticed that several men stopped to talk to him and gave him
a little money.

He seemed so cheered by the encounters. She impulsively put ten
dollars in an envelope, wrote "God Bless" on the outside,
and handed it to him.

The next day, the man stopped her on the street.
"Here's your $250," he said, cheerily.
"God Bless won, 25 to 1!"

REMEMBER.......

When you're really feeling Down look UP!.....God is in control!

SO SAD.....

Saturday night a young woman named Katie passed away due to a drug over dose.She was only 26 with a 10 year old daughter.She fought the war with drugs for years and years and finally lost.My heart is just breaking for her mom,dad(who is in the final stages of lung cancer)and her darling daughter Michelle.She did not know the Lord nor does the family so it makes this situation even more difficult.Please pray that the community can come together and helop this family.Especially young Michelle.There is no Dad in the picture.Never has been. Prayers so,so,so needed.Thank-you,prayers

Thought For Today....

Life is good.....hard sometimes.... but good....Why?Because God is in control!LOVE TO ALL AS THIS KNEW WEEK,A GIFT FROM GOD BEGINS!.....BY THE WAY i STARTED MY CHRISTMAS SHOPPOMG YESTERDAY.......LOL...

Where is the Summer Going?

Seems like we all just celebrated Memorial day and now everyone is getting ready for Labor Day get togethers!WOW!Slow things down.....I of course will be heading for Bostpn over Labor Day Week-end.It has become my tradition since youngest son moved there about five years ago.Boston is where I go when I need to chill.Even if it's only an overnight trip and I don't even see my son and his family.Boston is my place to go to sort things out,see things in their proper perspective and to eat the best shrimp in the world....Of course now that babyT is here I'm sure I'll make no more secret trips to my favorite getaway. I could'nt go to Boston and not see this precious gift from God!

My oldest grandson,Addison started back to school last week in Georgia. He was more than ready to get back.We had him for a week this summer and it was great.

The local bunch of grandkids start back to school the day after Labor Day.My oldest ,Kelsey,is a SENIOR!.....The twins are thirteen now entering all advance courses in the 8th grade.Then there's 9 year old Isaiah going into 4th grade. I cannot gein to tell you the joy he brings to all who know him.He just is so gosh darn thoughtful and loveable.

The Day=care is going well and am now associated with the county/state.....more paper work but i am also notified when a child needs special day-care for a limited period of time and I like that. I like it alot!

Denise,Denise.My darling,darling friend.Her cancer diagnosis is very grim. Please hold her in your prayers.She is so brave yet so afraid of what the future will hold for her youngest(8) year old son.Her daughter is in her mid 20's with a family of her own and her sons Dad has started a whole new family.But God has a plan and on this we must lean.

Hope you are all enjoying this day that the Lord has given us!


Love and blessings!

no excuse sunday

To make it possible for everyone to attend church next Sunday, we are
going to have a special "No Excuse Sunday".

Cots will be placed in the foyer for those who say, "Sunday is my only day to sleep in."

There will be a special section with lounge chairs who feel that our pews are too hard.

Eye drops will be available for those with tired eyes from watching T.V. late Saturday night.

We will have steel helmets for those who say " The roof would cave in if I ever came to church."

Blankets will be furnished for those who think the church is too cold and fans for those who say it is too hot.

Score cards will be available for those who wish to list the hypocrites present.

Relatives and friends will be in attendance for those who can't go to church and cook dinner, too.

We will distribute "Stamp Out Stewardship" buttons for those who feel that church is always asking for money.

One section will be devoted to trees and grass for those who like to seek God in nature.

Doctors and nurses will be in attendance for those who plan to be sick on Sunday.

The sanctuary will be decorated with both Christmas poinsettias and Easter lilies for those who never have seen the church without them.

We will provide hearing aids for those who can't hear the preacher and cotton for those who say he is to loud.

by Unknown

Dead men read No Mail

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MountainWings A MountainWings Moment
#10216 Wings Over The Mountains of Life
-------------------------------------------------

Dead Men Read No Mail
======================

My father died on Jan 02, 1995. He left no forwarding address.

Therefore, it fell to me to collect his mail. I didn't expect much,
really, since my sisters and I had been careful to notify his bank,
insurance agent, and a host of other businesses that one of their
customers was no more.

You would think a death notice would cut down on the amount of
correspondence from those firms. Quite the contrary.
Instead -- for months, mind you -- my deceased father continued to
receive mail from companies that had been told of his passing but
pressed on, determined to contact him anyway.

The first to hope for a reply from beyond the grave was my father's
bank.

Dear Mr. Hanson,
Our records indicate payment is due for overdraft protection on
your checking account. Efforts to contact you have proven
unsuccessful. Therefore, we are automatically withdrawing your
monthly $28.00 service charge from you account. Please adjust your
records accordingly. Sincerely, The Phoenix Branch

Dear Phoenix Branch,
This is to notify you once again that Mr. Hanson died Jan 02, 1995.
It is therefore unlikely he will be overdrawing his account. Please
close his account, and adjust your books accordingly. Sincerely,
Scott Hanson

Later that same week, I receive this note from Dad's insurance
company. Again, this is a firm that had been told in no uncertain
terms of his death.

Dear Mr. Hanson,
It's time to renew your auto insurance policy! To continue your
coverage, you must send $54.17 to this office immediately. Failure
to do so will result in the cancellation of your policy and
interruption of your coverage.
Sincerely,
Your Insurance Agent

Dear Insurance Agent,
This is to remind you that Mr. Hanson has been dead since January.
As such, the odds he'll be involved in a collision are quite
minimal. Please cancel the policy and adjust your books
accordingly.
Sincerely,
Scott Hanson.

The next day, I went to my mailbox to find this:

Dear Mr. Hanson,
Let me introduce myself. I am a psychic reader, and it is very
important that you contact me immediately. I sense that you are
about to enter a time of unprecedented financial prosperity. Please
call the enclosed 900 number immediately, so I can tell you how
best to take full advantage of the opportunities that are coming
your way.
Sincerely,
Your Psychic Reader

Dear Psychic Reader,
My father regrets he will be unable to call your 900 number.
As a psychic reader, I'm sure you already know my father is dead,
and had been for more than three weeks when you mailed your letter
to him. I sense my father would be more than happy to take you up
on your offer of a psychic reading, should you care to meet with
him personally.
Sincerely,
Scott Hanson
P.S. Should you be in contact with my father in the future, please
ask him if he'd like to renew his car insurance.

A few months of calm passed, and then these arrived:

Dear Mr. Hanson,
Our records indicate a balance of $112 has accrued for overdraft
protection on your checking account. Efforts to contact you have
proven unsuccessful. Please pay the minimum amount due, or contact
this office to make other arrangements. We appreciate your business
and look forward to serving all of your future borrowing needs.
Sincerely,
Your Bank's San Diego District Office

Dear San Diego District Office,
I am writing to you for the third time now to tell you my father
died in January. Since then, the number of checks he's written has
dropped dramatically. Being dead, he has no plans to use his
overdraft protection or pay even the minimum amount due for a
service he no longer needs. As for future borrowing needs, well,
don't hold your breath.
Sincerely,
Scott Hanson

Dear Mr. Hanson,
Records show you owe a balance of $54.17 to your insurance agent.
Efforts to contact you have proven unsuccessful.
Therefore, the matter has been turned over to us for collection.
Please remit the amount of $54.17 to our office or we will be
forced to take legal action to collect the debt.
Sincerely,
Your Insurance Agent's Collection Agency

Dear Collection Agency,
I told your client. Now I'm telling you. Dad's dead. He doesn't
need insurance. He's dead. Dead, dead, dead. I doubt even your
lawyers can change that. Please adjust your books accordingly.
Sincerely,
Scott Hanson

A few more months, and:

Dear Mr. Hanson,
Our records show an unpaid balance of $224 has accrued for
overdraft protection on your checking account. Our efforts to
contact you have proven unsuccessful. Please remit the amount in
full to this office, or the matter will be turned over to a
collection agency. Such action will adversely affect your credit
history.
Sincerely,
Your Bank's Los Angeles Regional Office

Dear Los Angeles Regional Office,
I am writing for the fourth time to the fourth person at the fourth
address to tell your bank that my father passed away in January.
Since that time, I've watched with a mixture of amazement and
amusement as your bank continues to transact business with him.
Now, you are even threatening his credit history. It should come as
no surprise that you have received little response from my deceased
father. It should also be small news that his credit history is of
minor importance to him now. For the fourth and final time, please
adjust your books accordingly.
Sincerely,
Scott Hanson

Dear Mr. Hanson,
This is your final notice of payment due to your insurance agent.
If our firm does not receive payment of $54.17, we will commence
legal action on the matter. Please contact us at once.
Sincerely,
Your Insurance Agent's Collection Agency

Dear Insurance Agent's Collection Agency, You may contact my father
via the enclosed 900 number.
Sincerely,
Scott Hanson

It has now been a couple of months since I've heard from these
firms. Either the people writing these letters finally believe my
father is dead, or they themselves have died and are now receiving
similar correspondence.

Actually, there has been a lesson in these letters. Any one of them
would be cause for great worry, if sent to a living person. The
dead are immune from corporate bullying. There's nothing like dying
to put business correspondence in its proper perspective.

Perhaps that's the best reason not to fear death. There's no post
office there.

DON'T QUIT!

DON'T QUIT!
============

When things go wrong, as they sometimes will,
When the road you're trudging seems all uphill,

When the funds are low and the debts are high,
And you want to smile, but you have to sigh,

When care is pressing you down a bit,
Rest, if you must, but do not quit.

Life is queer with its twists and turns,
As every one of us sometimes learns,

And many a failure turns about,
When he might have won had he stuck it out;

Don't give up though the pace seems slow--
You may succeed with another blow.

Often the goal is nearer than,
It seems to a faint and faltering man,

Often the struggler has given up,
When he might have captured the victor's cup,

And he learned too late when the night slipped down,
How close he was to the golden crown.

Success is failure turned inside out--
The silver tint of the clouds of doubt,

And you never can tell how close you are,
It may be near when it seems so far,

So stick to the fight when you're hardest hit--
It's when things seem worst that you must not quit.

~Edgar A. Guest~

DON'T QUIT!