Fill Me Lord

Fill me with the fruits of Your Spirit, Lord.

Fill me with love, so that I seek to understand and appreciate the rich variety and diversity of life that surrounds me.

Fill me with joy, so that I celebrate Your presence in each and every moment I am on this earth.

Fill me with peace, so that I know how to ease those angry and sometimes violent urges that well up inside of me.

Fill me with patience, so that I stop rushing long enough to witness Your miraculous work taking place all around me (and within me!)

Fill me with kindness, so that I take the extra time to help the one in need, even when it isn't convenient for me.

Fill me with faithfulness, so that I place my mind, heart and all that I do in the service of Your Will.

Fill me with gentleness, so that others know that I believe in a God who loves and cares for all people.

Fill me with self-control, so that I act not on my impulses and urges, but rather on my beliefs and values, which are rooted in You.

Fill me with these fruits of Your spirit, Lord!

Know & Tell

1. What achievement are you most proud of? Only by the grace of God, can I be proud to have two children that I have had the privilege of raising that are for the most part respective, responsible and loving.

2. Do you like your spouse’s/significant other’s name? I don't have a spouse or a significant other, so this question doesn't apply.

3. What is the most unique name you’ve ever heard a person have? I'm not so sure it's unique, but I love the name our friends, Tim and Krisy, named their son. . . Greyson.

4. Which would you rather be: divinely beautiful, dazzlingly clever, or angelically good? (From Anne of Green Gables!) Dazzlingly clever. Beauty fades and none of us will ever be angelically good this side of eternity.

5. What is it about your wardrobe that is your trademark, uniquely you?

6. Which is worse: no tv or no music? No music. . . I prefer music over television any day.

7. You’re stranded on a deserted island and you can have with you: 1 friend or family member, 1 item from your kitchen and 1 public figure (politician/actor/author). Who/what would you choose? I would say my kids, but being I can only choose one I'd want my dad there. He is full of wisdom and I would need his wisdom to get off the island not to mention he has always made me feel safe and secure throughout the rough times in my life. If he was not living at the time I got stranded on a deserted island I would choose my best friend, Tom. He also is full of wisdom and makes me feel safe, but most of all he's the one I can spend hours talking to and never get bored.

The Gospel Song

This song explains the Gospel so simply yet so beautifully.

The Gospel Song

Holy God, in love, became
Perfect man to bear my blame
On the cross he took my sin
By his death I live again.

Pray for the Chapmans

Please join me in praying for the family of Steven Curtis Chapman. His daughter, Maria, was tragically killed last night in their drive way. You can read the story here.

Father, I lift to you now the Chapman family as you have called their daughter, Maria, to yourself in heaven. I pray Father they will find comfort in knowing that Maria has seen your glory and worshiping with you tonight. Surround them with your grace and compassion. May their house be filled with family members and friends that will demonstrate grace, compassion and mercy that comes from you. Father I pray this family will see your sovereignty and faithfulness even in the midst of this trial and what we consider a tragedy. May each of them hold fast to the words of 1 Thessalonians 4:13-18. Father, I ask that you minister especially to the teenage son, take away any guilt he may feel and replace it with the knowledge of your sovereign hand at work. I ask all these things knowing that you will do all this and exceedingly more than I can imagine or ask for. May Christ receive all the honor and glory today and everyday. Amen

Prince Caspian

Finally after waiting for The Chronicles of Narnia: Prince Caspian movie to come out it is now out in movie theaters near you. Today, I went to see it along with my friend, Michele, from church. We enjoyed it immensely. After the movie we enjoyed dinner at Applebees and then went to the Wellington Green Mall. If you haven't seen this movie yet, go see it.

Know & Tell

1. Pepsi or coke? Pepsi, I thought everyone in the South preferred Pepsi over Coke.

2. Barefoot or shoes? Barefoot of course. Although I do have a closet full of shoes.

3. If you watch American Idol – who do you want to win? David A or David C. I don't watch American Idol, but my kids do. However I can't remember who they want to win out of these two options.

4. If money was not an option and you could go anywhere in the world, where would you go and why? Greece or Paris, they have a romantic ring to them.

5. Is your desk messy or clean? Clean, I can't work with a messy desk.

6. When it's sunny, all I want to do is....... lie on the beach and read a good book.

7. What is your favorite word and why? I Love You. . . not sure it's my favorite word, but my kids tell me I'm always saying it. I can't count the number of times a day I tell them I love them.

Friday's Feast

Appetizer: What is the nearest big city to your home? West Palm Beach, Florida is 60 miles and Ft. Myers, Florida is 60 miles.

Soup: On a scale of 1-10 with 10 being highest, how well do you keep secrets? A 9, I'm someone that you can confide in.

Salad: Describe your hair (color, texture, length). My hair is short, brownish gray, and is coarse.

Main Course: What kind of driver are you? Courteous? Aggressive? Slow? It varies depending on the traffic and my mood.

Dessert: When was the last time you had a really bad week? The week of March 16, 2008.

Lake Okeechobee on Fire

The last two weeks we have been experiencing smoke from a muck fire on Lake Okeechobee. Depending on the direction of the wind some days are worse than others. More than 11,000 acres have burned at Lake Okeechobee, and the organically rich muck could burn for weeks. Officials say the only solution for the muck fires is rainfall, but none is expected in our area until at least Saturday. In the meantime we are taking Zyrtec and praying for rain.

Friday's Feast

Appetizer: When someone smiles at you, do you smile back? Of course, what good southern girl doesn't?

Soup: Describe the flooring in your home. Do you have carpet, hardwood, vinyl, a mix? Except for the kitchen and one bathroom, which are vinyl flooring, everything is carpet.

Salad: Write a sentence with only 5 words, but all of the words have to start with the first letter of your first name. God's grace gives generous gifts.

Main Course: Do you know anyone whose life has been touched by adoption? My best friend and her husband adopted both of their children. Their daughter passed away in October, but she wanted to adopt children one day because of how adoption had blessed her life.

Dessert: Name 2 blue things. The sky and David's eyes.

Great Job David

David just completed his Spring semester at Palm Beach Community College. His first year of college has gone well and he has done a marvelous job of staying on top of his studies. He completed the Spring semester with a grade point average of 3.8! Great job David, I am proud of you!

Did You Know. . .

years ago, a woman would drop a lace handkerchief on the ground to let the object of her affection know she was interested.

This was something I learned tonight as Angela and I were watching a movie together. In the movie the woman drops her handkerchief in front of the man. I thought nothing of that scene until Angela informed me of this little bit of history. In addition to Angela educating me on the use of a lace handkerchief I also learned (through Google) that lace handkerchiefs were often given as a token of your love. It has been told that in Medievel times that the knights going off to battle would carry with them a hankie given to them by the woman they loved. In Victorian times a lady would draw her handkerchief across her cheek to say I love you. Twisting her hankie in her right hand signified that she loved another. Holding the hankie over her shoulder or dropping it in the path meant follow me.

And here I was thinking a handkerchief was simply used to blow your nose on.

Friday's Feast

Appetizer: What was your favorite cartoon when you were a child? Bugs Bunny and the Looney Tunes cartoons.

Soup: Pretend you are about to get a new pet. Which animal would you pick, and what would you name it? After putting up a big fight with my pet loving daughter I would give in to her wishes and allow her to only get fish. Then I'd name it Oscar. Always wanted a pet named Oscar.

Salad: On a scale of 1-10 with 10 being highest, how much do you enjoy getting all dressed up for a special occasion? Even though my favorite clothing is casual clothing, I do enjoy getting dressed up (what woman doesn't) for special occasions, provided I don't have to wear pantyhose I'll say a 9.

Main Course: What kind of music do you listen to while you drive? When I'm in the van alone I listen to Christian music or Country. If Angela is in the van it's usually on whatever the teenagers call that music they listen to. Although she does enjoy Christian music as well.

Dessert: When was the last time you bought a clock? And in which room did you put it? I can't remember the last time I bought a clock and I have no idea where I put it. That's what happens when you begin aging.

Thy Righteousness is in Heaven

One day as I was passing into the field. . . this sentence fell upon my soul. Thy righteous is in heaven. And . . . I saw with the eyes of my soul Jesus Christ at God's right hand; there, I say, was my righteousness; so that wherever I was, or whatever I was doing, God could not say of me, he [lacks] my righteousness, for that was just before him. I also saw, moreover, that it was not my good frame of heart that made my righteousness better, nor yet my bad frame that made my righteousness worse, for my righteousness was Jesus Christ himself, "The same yesterday, today, and forever" (Heb. 13:8). Now did my chains fall off my legs indeed. I was loosed from my afflictions and irons; my temptations also fled away; so that from that time those dreadful scriptures of God [about the unforgivable sin] left off to trouble me; now went I also home rejoicing for the grace and love of God."
- John Bunyan, Grace Abounding to the Chief of Sinners (pg.55-59)

Wedding Songs

Today at Dani and Andrew's wedding I was captured by the two songs that were sang so beautiful by their friends. I had never heard either one of them. They were so fitting for this beautiful couple.


The first one was "When You Say You Love Me" by Josh Groban.



The second one was "I Will Be Here" by Steven Curtis Chapman.

Wedding

David, Angela and I attended the wedding of a very dear friend and one their former babysitters, Danielle Brown Peeling, today at Memorial Presbyterian Church in West Palm Beach. Their wedding was absolutely beautiful and God honoring. Unfortunately the only pictures we have from the wedding are of the three of us in the church courtyard at the reception. Hopefully, Dani will email us pictures from the wedding.

Friday's Feast

Appetizer: Name something you would categorize as weird. Men.

Soup: What color was the last piece of food you ate? Green.

Salad: On a scale of 1-10 with 10 being highest, how much do you enjoy being alone? Lately I have enjoyed being alone, so I'd say a 9.

Main Course: Fill in the blank. I will not vote for Hilliary in November.

Dessert: Describe your sleeping habits. This is currently one of my favorite habits. I never seem to get enough.

Name that Tune

Have ever had to love someone
That just don't feel the same
Tryin' to make somebody care for you
The way I do
Is like tryin' to catch the rain
And if love is really forever
I'm a winner at a losin' game

Friday Feast

Appetizer: Name a color you find soothing. Blue, it reminds me of the ocean.

Soup: Using 20 words or less describe your first driving experience. It's funny to think back to that particular day. Needless to say I thought I knew what I was doing but soon discovered the only gear I could actually shift to without choking down was reverse.

Salad: What material is your favorite clothing made out of? Denim, I love my jeans.

Main Course: Who is a great singer or musician who, if they were to come to your town for a concert, you would spend the night outside waiting for tickets to see? I can't think of anyone I'd spend the night outside waiting for tickets to see. Guess I'm just not that into singers or musicians.

Dessert: What is the most frequent letter of the alphabet in your whole name (first, middle, maiden, , last, etc.)? Tie between N and I. Six each.

Friday's Feast

Appetizer: Name one person you can fully trust? Other than my dad, the one I trust the most is Tom. He's a man that is trustworthy and one that I can share everything with.

Soup: What do you like about your hometown? Wasn't sure if this was referring to the place I was born or where I currently live. I'm going to go with where I currently live. It rarely gets cold and the small town atmosphere. It's a wonderful place to raise children.

Salad: Share a moment you really love. Hands down, the birth of my children and raising them.

Main Course: Share something special about your loved one. The joy they bring into my life. Knowing that no matter what I can count on them.

Dessert: What product can you not live without? My makeup!

Friday's Feast

Appetizer: Invent a new flower; give it a name and describe it. To invent something you must be creative and I don't have a creative bone in my body.

Soup: Name someone whom you think has a wonderful voice. Mac Powell of Third Day.

Salad: On a scale of 1 to 10 with 10 being highest, how clean do you keep your car? I like for my car to be clean, but sometimes slack on it so a 5.

Main Course: How do you feel about poetry? I enjoy it.

Dessert: What was the last/place/thing you took a picture of? Our new puppy, Bayleigh.