God's Cake

Sometimes we wonder, "What did I do to deserve this?"
or "Why did God have to do this to me?"
Here is a wonderful explanation!
A daughter is telling her Mother how everything is going wrong.
She's failing algebra, her boyfriend broke up with her
and her best friend is moving away.
Meanwhile, her Mother is baking a cake
and asks her daughter if she would like a snack,
and the daughter says, "Absolutely Mom, I love your cake."
"Here, have some cooking oil," her Mother offers.
"Yuck!" says her daughter.
"How about a couple raw eggs?" "Gross, Mom!"
"Would you like some flour then?
Or maybe baking soda?" "Mom, those are all yucky!"
To which the mother replies:
"Yes, all those things seem bad all by themselves.
But when they are put together in the right way,
they make a wonderfully delicious cake! "
God works the same way.
Many times we wonder why He would let us
go through such bad and difficult times.
But God knows that when He puts these things all in His order,
they always work for good!
We just have to trust Him and, eventually,
they will all make something wonderful!

God is crazy about you.
He sends you flowers every spring and a sunrise every morning.
Whenever you want to talk, He'll listen.
He can live anywhere in the universe, and He chose your heart.

I hope your day is a piece of cake!!!!

To My Quiet Little Blog Reader

Well, come on in!

I've heard that you were coming again
And that you'd look through
All of my blogs.

I'll let you go alone.
Though it would be fun
To hide and watch you
Just a little while.

You see, my blogs contain
A wonderful secret
And you don't know it
Or you may not be here.

But, oh, I hope you find
And so receive it,
And you will leave a note
Of when and where.

So, many times you'll
Find a certain linkage
To Heaven and
Eternal things.

But, most of all,
The great thing is the
Common Denominator
That the blogs will bring.

It all depends on One,
So precious, tender;
So merciful, so patient,
And so kind.

If you're any kind of reader,
You'll soon find it.
And, may I welcome you
Back - anytime!

$20.00

$20.00

A well-known speaker started off his seminar by holding up a $20.00 bill. In the room of 200, he asked, "Who would like this $20 bill?" Hands started going up. He said, "I am going to give this $20 to one of you but first, let me do this. He proceeded to crumple up the $20 dollar bill. He then asked, "Who still wants it?" Still the hands were up in the air. Well, he replied, "What if I do this?" And he dropped it on the ground and started to grind it into the floor with his shoe. He picked it up, now crumpled and dirty. "Now, who still wants it?" Still the hands went into the air.

"My friends, we have all learned a very valuable lesson. No matter what I did to the money, you still wanted it because it did not decrease in value. It was still worth $20. Many times in our lives, we are dropped, crumpled, and ground into the dirt by the decisions we make and the circumstances that come our way. We feel as though we are worthless. But no matter what has happened or what will happen, you will never lose your value. Dirty or clean, crumpled or finely creased, you are still priceless to those who DO LOVE you. The worth of our lives comes not in what we do or who we know, but by WHO WE ARE and WHOSE WE ARE. You are special - Don't EVER forget it."

Patrick Wayne Swayze August 18, 1952 – September 14, 2009

Rest In Peace Patrick....We'll Miss You

Second Glance

When will people understand
the faces that they see
on every person they will meet
aren't always what they seem.
Too often people are misjudged
before they have a chance
to show that what's behind the face
deserves a second glance.
Perhaps if we just took the time
to look a little more
we may see that deep inside
and behind another door...
is a gentle heart just waiting
for us to look inside
and see the love that hides behind
the face that does well to hide.
So remember when you meet someone
to take that second glance.
Who knows what treasures you may find
when twice you look again.

(c) 2000 Charmaine Gladfelter 

Let Us Never Forget - 9/11/01

Darryl Worley - Have You Forgotten

Alan Jackson - Where Were You When The World Stopped Turning

Prayer For Our Nation

Our Father, up in Heaven,
hear this fervent prayer
May the people of all nations
be united in thy care.

For earth's peace and man's salvation
can come only by Thy grace
And not through bombs and missiles
and our quest for outer space.

For until all men recognize
that "The Battle is the Lord's"
And peace on earth cannot be won
with strategy and swords.

We will go on vainly fighting,
as we have in ages past
Finding only empty victories
and a peace that cannot last.

But we've grown so rich and mighty
and so arrogantly strong,
We no longer ask in humbleness
"God, show us where we're wrong"

We have come to trust completely
in the power of man-made things,
Unmindful of God's mighty power
and that He Is "King of Kings"

We have turned our eyes away from Him
to go our selfish way,
And money, power and pleasure
are the gods we serve today.

And the good green earth God gave us
to peacefully enjoy,
Through greed and fear and hatred
we are seeking to destroy.

Oh, Father, up in heaven,
stir and wake our sleeping souls,
Renew our faith and lift us up
and give us higher goals.

And grant us heavenly guidance
as war threatens us again
For, more than guided missiles,
all the world needs guided men.

- Helen Steiner Rice

This Post Is For my Friend Gaia, GBU :-)

WHEN YOU THOUGHT I WASN'T LOOKING

When you thought I wasn't looking, I saw you hang my first painting on the refrigerator, and I immediately wanted to paint another one.
When you thought I wasn't looking, I saw you feed a stray cat, and I learned that it was good to be kind to animals.
When you thought I wasn't looking, I saw you make my favorite cake for me, and I learned that the little things can be the special things in life.
When you thought I wasn't looking, I heard you say a prayer, and I knew there is a God I could always talk to and I learned to trust in God.
When you thought I wasn't looking, I saw you make a meal and take it to a friend who was sick, and I learned that we all have to help take care of each other.
When you thought I wasn't looking, I saw you give of your time and money to help people who had nothing, and I learned that those who have something should give to those who don't.
When you thought I wasn't looking, I saw you take care of our house and everyone in it, and I learned we have to take care of what we are given.
When you thought I wasn't looking, I saw how you handled your responsibilities, even when you didn't feel good, and I learned that I would have to be responsible when I grow up.
When you thought I wasn't looking, I saw tears come from your eyes, and I learned that sometimes things hurt, but it's all right to cry.
When you thought I wasn't looking, I saw that you cared, and I wanted to be everything that I could be.
When you thought I wasn't looking, I learned most of
life's lessons that I need to know to be a good and productive person when I grow up.
When you thought I wasn't looking, I looked at you and wanted to say, 'Thanks for all the things I saw when you thought I wasn't looking.'

Each of us (parent, grandparent, aunt, uncle, teacher or friend) influence the life of a child. How will you touch the life of someone today?

What A Wonderful World

Yeah...ok...so I haven't posted anything on here in about 5 days. I had somewhat of a brain freeze and got sidetracked by the everyday hustle and stress of what we like to call "life". It happens to the best of us right? I sat here for about an hour trying to figure out what my next post would be, trying to get my creative juices flowing. How frustrating it is when you can't think of anything to write. My husband told me "Honey you can be creative and write about anything, your job (yuck), the dogs, your kids, a blog post you saw, a picture, etc." Nothing, absolutely nothing, was igniting my creativity until I went to his blog and watched, for the 10th time, a video of Billy Gilman and this precious, beautiful little girl named Abbey Umali singing What A Wonderful World. This little angel is the Goodwill Ambassador for MDA. Abbey sang that song from the heart and so did Billy. She brought him to tears. It sure humbles me. That amazing little girl has MD and may not live as long as I have but here she sat with that beautiful smile, singing the one song that should make us thankful for everything...even the little things we sometimes overlook. Which got me to thinking...sometimes I let life get me down and I sweat the small stuff. You know the stress I'm talking about, we all deal with it...an unrewarding job or one you hate, not enough money, bosses you want to kick in the knee (lol), rude customers, I could go on and on but you get my point. Then I get home, finally, so relieved, and my husband is happy to see me, tells me he missed me and he loves me, our puppy is ecstatic to see me and won't stop kissing me and trying to eat my face. Then after dinner I come on here and start searching for blogs I've yet to discover. Whew, I'm relaxed and breathing again. Then after a few hours I decide to check out that video on my husband's blog again and see beautiful little Abbey with a smile that could melt even the hardest of hearts and I am humbled all over again. So it got me to thinking that this would be the ideal subject for me to talk about. I decided not to post that video on my blog because my husband already has it posted so I went to Youtube and found a live video that is beautiful too. I sat and watched that and realized everything I have to be thankful for...another day that God has given me breath, my health, my husband and best friend, my wonderful children and grandchildren, my family, the fact that even though I don't always like my job I need to be thankful for it because there are others who haven't worked in months, my puppies who love me no matter what I say or do. We need to be thankful each and every day for everything we have. I can tell you from experience that we could be far worse off because there is always someone somewhere suffering more than we are. I could sit here all night and think of all the things I should be thanking God for. But in the end I'll just say thank you, thank you, thank you Lord, for everything...What A Wonderful World you created for us.

Tribute To A Songbird

Eva Marie Cassidy (February 2, 1963 – November 2, 1996)

This post is dedicated to a wonderful and amazing woman with the voice of an angel. She had such a gentle and loving spirit and was loved by many. Her legacy lives on through her music and her voice had and still to this day has the ability to draw you in and capture you heart and soul. She brought beauty to the eyes and ears of anyone she ever encountered. She mesmerized, hypnotized, and painted wonderful and vivid pictures for each listener. Sadly, she would not be properly recognized or honored until after her death. There will never be another like her in our lifetime. I know she is singing with the angels. I am forever changed by this beautiful woman and miss her tremendously. She has always had the ability to bring out such emotion in me and bring me to tears! Here are some of my favorite performances by this lovely woman. I know you'll love them as I do!

Eva Cassidy - What A Wonderful World

A Prayer For My Husband

On humble knees he prays for me
and thanks the Lord for everything.
Though he has seen love slip away
from those he loves, he still smiles today.
In silent moods, he cries the tears
for joy he's found throughout the years.

Though he has known a hellish life,
he whispers such love to me, his wife.
With prideful heart, he held the world
when he held the hands of his little boys & girl.
Though he has felt the loss of his dreams,
he still says they can do anything.

With sorrow close, he views the news
and wonders why so many lose.
Though he has lost through pain and death,
his heart still cares for all the rest.
Unloveable he's viewed himself;
his vanity stored on a shelf.
Though he's been taken advantage of,
his heart is unaltered by Greater love.

Dear God, in my humility,
please open his eyes so he can see,
that I'm in awe of what he's done
with a broken life, and what he's become.
For in his eyes, he's unworthy of
the blessings born of his woman's love.
Please lift him up, and let him know
he's the greatest man I have ever known.

Enduring Beyond Understanding

Whoever said that life is a bed of roses probably didn't warn you about the thorns. Just as we look past the thorns to see the beauty of the voluptuous rose, so must we do in life. There are a thousand examples of looking past the pain in order to behold something beautiful, too many to mention! How many times do we endure to reap the rewards? How many times have we given up, only to miss the blessings? I think of the woman, mentioned in the Bible, with the issue of blood. The pain she must have felt, the discouragement and heartache she knew so well. When all odds were against her, she kept pressing on. She knew that Jesus was passing by and she longed to touch the hem of His garment. Her determination to push through the crowd was enough. Her faith was everything. She pressed on until she touched His garment and right then, it happened, her miracle was fulfilled. Today we need to pray for that same zeal and determination to press on. It seems as though life throws us so many challenges. Every single day you will hear of someone, somewhere going through something. Or what about in your own life? Are you faced with circumstances that get you down? It may not be a physical challenge, it may be challenges in the home, on the job, within family and friends or a struggle for inner motivation. Whatever it may be, know that you can find your inner strength to press through the crowds that slow you down. There are too many biblical examples of children of God pressing through to use all at once. They all have their own story, each one unique. Still, the end results are all the same; They endured until they knew the taste of victory. Healing, triumphs, countless miracles; all came about through faith and perseverance. If they had given up, there would have been no rewards. It seems that anything out of the ordinary taps into the doubting Thomas within us, causing us to ask, "Why?" Face it, most of us are analytical people. We want to understand everything. If the answer can't come through reasoning then it's not acceptable in the sight of many. Rather than trusting through faith many of us would rather ignore these things we can't comprehend. It's easier to pass something by than to look beyond what's clearly on the surface. Being in ministry, I am faced with the thoughts of, "Why?" quite often. There are many times I want the cold hard facts that can explain why. I want the now yesterday and the tomorrows now! Through God's grace, I am learning to lean not on my own understanding. I am gaining wisdom and learning to see the beauty of God's plan. I can see that His ways are better than my ways. When I am bound by the challenges of life, I look through the crowds. If I can just touch the hem of His garment I will know that times of enduring were worth not understanding.