Twenty More

Twenty years ago today
A young girl
with butterflies in her stomach
clutched her Daddy's arm
And took a short walk

She never stopped grinning
At what she saw before her....

The bluest eyes
The broadest smile
Excitement
Joy
A thousand hopes and dreams
A home, a family
A life together

...Forever.

The walk
....was down the aisle

The eyes
...were yours

The hopes and dreams
...still grow from year to year

The family
....is ours (and an amazing blessing)

The life together -- tried and true --
...is a gift I would never trade




Today I Pray...

...for my husband,
my very best friend,
the love of my life

the hopes and dreams
the excitement and joy
are as real today as they were
twenty years ago

I am so grateful
that you never gave up on me...
...or on us

...I pray for 20 more years
...and 20 more after that

...always with you by my side

I love you Jeff.

Mom's Wisdom

Staring at a blank computer screen
Hypnotized by the blinking cursor
and its calming hum

Today I prayed for inspiration
New words, new thoughts,
new reason to give pause

Across the bottom of the screen
A message flashed
"One new email from Mom"

Prayers answered
Inspiration comes
Author unknown

Everything I need to know, I learned from Noah's Ark

ONE: Don't miss the boat.

TWO: Remember that we are all in the same boat!

THREE: Plan ahead. It wasn't raining when Noah built the Ark.

FOUR: Stay fit. When you're 60 years old, someone may ask you to do something really big.

FIVE: Don't listen to critics; just get on with the job that needs to be done.

SIX: Build your future on high ground.

SEVEN: For safety's sake, travel in pairs.

EIGHT: Speed isn't always an advantage. The snails were on board with the cheetahs.

NINE: When you're stressed, float awhile.

TEN: Remember, the Ark was built by amateurs; the Titanic by professionals.

ELEVEN: No matter the storm, when you are with God, there's always a rainbow waiting.

Today I Pray...

...with a peaceful heart,
grateful for the angels that flutter in and out of my life

...ready "to float awhile"
fully aware that at rest
and with a quiet mind
the answers will come

My Little Place

I stood on the porch
Looking out
at my little place
on this earth
and the celebration
at hand

A day for my daughter
to celebrate her accomplishments
and her future

To the right,
gathered 'round the table
a group of women
...mothers, sisters, daughters, friends

New friends being made
Memories being shared
Laughter

Behind them a garden
Bursts of color
Pink, yellow, green, purple, red
Butterflies fluttering

Looking in through the kitchen window
More family and friends
Filling their plates with food
Taking time to enjoy the memories
That flooded back as they looked
At colorful photo displays

Coming from the living room
The roar of celebration
And the sighs of despair
As a dozen avid baseball fans
Watched their team
Dominate or deflate before their eyes

Regardless of the outcome of the game
Friends of all ages
emerged from the house
And poured into the back yard
To join one of the games at hand

Horseshoes clanked,
Bases were run
Balls were thrown

Those that didn't play
Tapped their toes and danced
to the beat
of music that flooded the air

From the heavens
...Not the forecasted rain
But beams of sun
And a cool breeze
circling round

I stood on the porch
Looking out
at my little place
on this earth

Everywhere I looked
...I saw blessings




Today I Pray...

...with gratitude

for a wonderful weekend with family and friends

...thank you for the joy you bring into my life
...for your kindness, your laughter, and your spirit

...to those who helped me pray for good weather
God heard us and answered

...for my wonderful family
who stuck with me and helped me
every step of the way
The weekend was teamwork at its finest
and I love you dearly

My life is filled
with blessings
...too abundant to count

I'm humbled and grateful...

...Life is good.

If You've Ever...

If you've ever...

...played in the ocean's waves
...or built a castle along the sandy shore

...skipped stones across a lake of glass
...or chased fireflies on a summer night

...rolled like a ball down a grassy hill
...swung from the branch of a tree

......laid in the grass finding faces in the clouds
...or counted the stars that fill the night sky

...swam in waterhole
...walked in the rain

...jumped into a pile of fallen leaves
...made angels in the snow

If you've ever...

...you've played with God in His favorite playground.



Today I Pray...

with gratitude...

...for all of the precious moments at play

...help me to to be mindful
of what I am giving and receiving
and find ways
to protect and preserve
God's green Earth

"As long as the earth lasts, seedtime and harvest, cold and heat, Summer and winter, and day and night shall not cease." Genesis 8:22

Centered

I need...
...want
...should
...must
...could

A mile long list
of to do's

...the ticking clock
gets louder by the minute
as the shadow
cast by deadlines
quickly approaches

I feel myself slipping
out of control

...and pause for a moment
to center

It's so easy to get caught up
in the frenzy of the day

And forget
to celebrate Your glory

And thank You
for the countless blessings
that You have given me



Today I Pray...

...with a grateful heart

...for the love of my family and friends
...for the air I breathe
...for our daily bread
...and for the amazing energy
clarity, focus and resolve
that comes from keeping You
at the heart of my day

with You I know that all things are possible