Quotes to Live By . . .

Goals: “There’s no telling what you can do when you get inspired by them. There’s no telling what you can do when you believe in them. There’s no telling what will happen when you act upon them!”   -Jim Rohn

“Do more than belong: participate. Do more than care:  help. Do more than believe: practice. Do more than be fair:  be kind. Do more than forgive: forget. Do more than dream:  work.”  -William Arthur Ward

"It's never too late to live . . . Happily Ever After!" -Unknown

"An arrow can only be shot by pulling it backward.  So when life is dragging you back with difficulties, it means that it's going to launch you into something great!  So just focus and keep aiming!!" - Unknown

“Thoughts lead on to purposes; purposes go forth in action; actions form habits; habits decide character; and character fixes our destiny.”  -Tyron Edwards

“You cannot do a kindness too soon, for you never know how soon it will be too late.”  -Ralph Waldo Emerson

“Live today!  Not yesterday.  Not tomorrow.  Just today!!  Inhabit your moments.  Don’t rent them out to tomorrow."  -Jerry Spinelli

“Set out each day believing in your dreams. Know without a doubt that you were made for amazing things.”  -Josh Hinds

"Remember always that you not only have the right to be an individuals, you have an obligation to be one."  -Eleanor Roosevelt

"You cannot raise a man up by calling him down."  -William Baeteker

 “Where hope grows, miracles blossom.”  -Elna Rae

Keep Me Together, Lord!

"Though; he fall, he shall not be utterly cast down; For the Lord upholds him with His hand."   (Psalm 37:24)

"Let the wicked fall into their own nets, While I escape safely."  (Psalm 131:10)

"The Lord upholds all who fall, And "raises up all who are bowed down." (Psalm 145:14)

Steve Urkel played on the popular TV series, Family Matters.  My children used to watch it and Steve's "catch-phrase" was, "I've fallen and I can't get up"!!! 

Have you ever fallen and could not get up.  The older I get the falls take a greater toll on this aging body of mine. It seems to take me longer to get up!!  The other day I got up early and went out and walked my 3 miles, came back to the house, poured my cup of coffee, took a few minutes to enjoy that and then went to get ready for work.  Took my shower, got dressed and was walking at the end of my bed to get my shoes.  I tripped over my sandal which I thought was under the bed farther than it was.  Long story short . . . my feet stayed tangle up in the sandal and the rest of my body slammed forward into my half open door and then to the floor with a "thud".  I was nearly in tears and just laid there in the doorway . . . "I had fallen and couldn't (or at least didn't want to) get up"!!! My arm and shoulder was throbbing from hitting the door and resulted in a bright purple bruise bigger than my hand, both of my knees were in excruciating pain (knee replacements do that when you fall directly on the knees!!) I hurt all over and I just laid there until some of the pain subsided. Then I slowly but surely got up and stood there!! "I thanked God that He kept me together" no broken bones, I could walk, talk, breathe, and really only suffered a couple huge bruises and sore aching muscles!!

"God, Thank you for keeping me together when I'm falling apart!!"

Maybe you are not prone to falling . . . like I am . . . but you "feel" like you are "falling apart"!!  Your plans have fallen through, your bubble has burst, your dreams are fleeting, your finances are depleted, you lost your job, the "cancer" word has hit home, your friends or family have disappeared - just when you needed them! Things just are not going the way you desired.  Things seem to be falling apart - "you" seem to be falling apart.  Have you been there?  Look around today and you will see people everywhere feeling just like that! Broken, bleeding, hurting . . . falling apart!

But don't despair - God CAN and WILL keep you together when you feel like or even when you "are" falling apart!  He is ready and willing to "uphold you with His hand" (Ps. 37:24)  He is there to help you "escape safely" . . . not just escape but to "escape safely"!!  (Ps. 131:10)  Isn't that just fantastic? And get a load of this - "The Lord upholds ALL WHO FALL, and RAISES UP ALL who are bowed down." (Psalm 145:14)

What assurance and confidence we can have in a God that can and will, a God that is ready and willing to uphold us in His hand and will provide a way of escape so we can escape "safely" and will raise those of us up when we are bowed low. Trust God! 

"God, Thank you for keeping me together when I'm falling apart!!"

Beef Roast

3 Envelope Roast

Ingredients:
3 pound beef roast such as chuck roast
1 envelope of dry Italian salad dressing mix
1 envelope of dry ranch salad dressing mix
1 envelope of dry brown gravy mix
2 cups water

Instructions :
Put the water in a measuring cup that is larger then the amount of water you are using. Now add and mix all three envelopes of dry salad dressings to the water. Mix until blended completely.
Brown the roast (if desired). Add the meat to your cooker. Pour the water, salad dressing mixture over the roast. In the slow cooker cook it on high for about 4 hours on low about 8 hours.

Wa-la - supper is ready!! :)

Maxine Moments!

If a cow laughed, would milk come out of her nose?

 I thought about how mothers feed their babies with tiny little spoons and forks, so I wondered what do Chinese mothers use, Toothpicks?

 

What hair color do they put on the driver's licenses of bald men?

 

 If it's true that we are here to help others,
then what exactly are the others here for?
 

Diamond Rio - In God We Still Trust

To listen to this song - Pause the music on my blog playlist.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
"Trust in the Lord with all your heart, and do not lean on your own understanding". – Proverbs 3:5

Have you ever been at a place in your life where you thought you understood what was going on around you? You knew where you were going, what was up ahead, what was around the corner . . . you just knew what was up . . . and you "understood completely"! 

Then right under that umbrella of understanding you slipped and slid totally out of control not knowing or understanding where you were headed at that moment in time.  What do you do in times like this?  Do you try to handle the situation on your own?  Do you retreat into your own little world and separate yourself from all that is out there in this world that you fear will hurt you?  Or do you "Trust in the Lord with all your heart, and lean not on your OWN understanding"? Proverbs 3:5 

God has us in His best interest . . . He knows the plans He has for us . . . His Word tells us this much.  He said it and we can believe it.  We don't have to lean on our own understanding we can trust in the Lord with all of our heart.

IN GOD WE STILL TRUST!

Kindness

We really do not know what other people may be experiencing whether good, bad or somewhere in between.  It may be that extra kindness shown to someone else that keeps them going and gives them the encouragement that they need at that very moment.  Always keep this quote in mind as you pass the people that you come into contact with. Be real, be genuine, be kind.

Brain Surgery to Remove Two Tumors - 12-12-12

Dec. 7, 2012,  I found out that I had to have brain surgery to remove what the MRI stated as a large, fast growing, malignant tumor embedded in my brain.   When they operated they found not one but two tumors the size of two tangerines, they were not malignant, and they were not embedded in the brain but in the lining of the brain tissue and they were fast growing so the urgency of the operation was imperative.  What an answer to all of the prayers that were going up. This was the beginning of the many, many miracles that I have experienced over the last 6 months of this journey through life with God totally in control! 

This MRI from December 7 shows the tumors one at time – there were two actually stacked on each other kind of at an angle. (Don't you just love my eyes?!!)  You can see the tumors pushing against the Optic area and other parts. It is actually hard to believe two tumors the size of two tangerines were inside by skull!!!

My 6 month check-up from my surgery was yesterday and another MRI was taken on June 13, 2013.  This was the first time I saw or I should actually say "remember" seeing either of the MRI films.  They were so interesting for me to finally see what the doctors were talking about.  The cavity where the tumors were is nearly all filled in except for the little space shown in the picture below. This should continue to fill in as time goes on.  And no sign of any new tumors!! 

Praise the Lord!  What a miracle this journey
has been!

Brain Surgery - 6 month MRI Check-up

This afternoon I returned from a doctors appointment with my brain surgeon. It has been 6 months since the two tumors were removed. Time sure does fly when you're having fun!!! LOL! The MRI showed no signs of the tumors return - I will have another MRI in December. The doctor could see a lot of improvement in my speech from 3 months ago at my last visit.  He said the whole healing process with the brain was impressive and he was very pleased with the progress I have made in these last 6 months!! YEAH!! We talked about the surgery itself and some of the things I did not remember around that period of time. It all just amazes me as I look back now and how far I have come in 6 months.  I am actually not even limiting myself in the things I am now able to do and functioning above and beyond my abilities before the tumors were discovered. At 5 months I started walking again and have even lost 12 lbs. (Yeah!)  I wake up at 5:45 am every morning ready to start my day and I can honestly say I feel better than I have felt for a couple of years!! Dr. Music said I looked great, was talking fluently, and had no real side effects from the surgery!  I told him that was because I had such a "good" surgeon and a great big wonderful God!!! 

I can truthfully say, I was given a "new lease-on-life".  God's timing was so perfect in discovering the tumors which could have been fatal at any point in time.  God knows what is best . . . though I would not have chosen 2 tumors each the size of a tangerine, had I been given the choice . . . but for some unknown reason that has become a part of my life.  It has taught me not to take life or people for granted and to live each day to the fullest that I possibly can, to experience life as it comes to me through people, places, and things that really make a difference. Life can be cut short so living it to the max each and every day is important to me!  Making each day count and catching each "Butterfly Blessing"  that God sends my way is so very important to me!  Those blessing come in the form of people, sunrises, sunsets, rippling streams, raging rivers, the warmth of the sun, the rain pitter-patting on my umbrella, the baby laughing, the flowers blooming  . . . I could go on and on. I've learned to ask questions, search and find out what is going on in people's lives and I've learned to reach out to them whenever I am able to.  I sometimes wonder if someone had reached out to me (many did, of course) but would have really pinned me down, and asked me some pointed  questions - would we have realized and found the tumors sooner?  That is a question I will never know but if I sense you are acting different . . . I WILL question you and sit down and talk to you!! LOL!!

I may never know "how" I got to the state of mind I was in before the tumors were discovered and I may never know "why" God chose to let me go through this whole experience but I do know that I am all the more ready to conquer each and every new day whatever it holds for me - whether good or bad - I am better equipped to handle the raging rivers or the quiet streams of life!   "For I know what I have planned for you, says the LORD. I have plans to prosper you, not to harm you. I have plans to give you a future filled with hope." Jeremiah 29:11   I have always liked that Bible verse for I do  know God does have a plan for my life and I am trusting Him to lead and guide me in the days ahead. My hope is in Him and Him alone!  He never has failed me yet!!

It has been an amazing journey for me and my family and God has been there each step of the way, miracle after miracle! And you know what? God never changes - He is the same yesterday, today, and forever! And it is so exciting to know and see that He is also still in the miracle business - I have seen it first hand - I have lived through it - I am experiencing it . . . and I am expecting it!! Thank God He Never Changes!

Ride em Cowboys!

Whatever happened to those Old Westerns? 

Someone once said, "Every happy Memory Makes happiness happen again!" Here's to some of those Happy Memories!

One look at this film clip and you'll be young and old all over again. It is "brand new" even listing 2010.

Well, this clip has pictures and names -- so after 50 or so years -- say "Howdy" to some of those mini-heroes from your youth.

(Be sure to "mute" my playlist at the top of this page) now just click on the link below, sit back and enjoy . . .  

http://oldfortyfives.com/thoseoldwesterns

Laughter in Crisis

After finishing an out-of-town errand, I discovered that my car wouldn't start because it was out of gas.

A passer-by told me there was a service station a half-mile away, so I took a gas can from the trunk and trudged the distance in the sweltering sun.

The attendant filled my two-gallon can, and I lugged it back and poured the gas into the tank. But when I tried to unlock the car door, it wouldn't open. Just then, I noticed an identical old car parked a short distance away. That was my car; I had filled a stranger's gas tank.

Wearily I walked back to the station.

"You know," the attendant suggested helpfully, "instead of walking back and forth to fill the tank from the can, you could put a couple of gallons in the tank and then drive the car here."

Secret Fruit Salad

This fruit salad is so easy and yet so "yummy"!!  My kind of fix-in!! The secret in this Secret Fruit Salad is 1 dry vanilla pudding mix...so delicious! Try it . . . you will like it, I'm sure!

Power to Turn Life Around

Too often we underestimate the power of a touch, a smile, a kind word, a listening ear, an honest compliment, or the smallest act of caring, all of which have the potential to turn a life around. 

 -Leo Buscaglia

Rosie the Riveter and Duct Tape!

We managed some rental property for a number of years.  I did a good share of the cleaning, painting and believe it or not a lot of the repairs.  I felt like Rosie the Riveter at times!!  Sometimes I just kept telling myself "I can do it"!  I learned how to repair things I never dreamed I could repair.  One of the quick fixes I used on several occasions was the use of duct tape!  What did we do before duct tape??!! It is amazing how many uses there are for duct tape.  I once used electrical tape to "repair" a pipe under a sink. It stretches around the pipe nicely and works wonders for a quick-fix!  My dad was a plumber by trade.  I had him later come up to one of the apartments and do some work for me.  He opened the cupboard and said, "Diana, WHAT is THIS"?  One look at the black electrical tape and I got the "Diana, you know better than that look" . . . but it held up - it wasn't leaking!!!  LOL!  

I recently went out to my folks home and while doing dishes after dinner I noticed water on the floor.  Mom said she thought it was coming from the dish drainer. I could see that that wasn't where it was coming from.  I looked under the kitchen sink and guess what I found? Yes, I found where the water was coming from . . . it was dripping from a pipe that had soggy "black electrical tape" on it!!!!!  Imagine that - pretty amazing don't you think??!!!  The tape looked like it had been wrapped around there for quite a while and was beginning to loosen and fall off. I immediately asked mom where her "plumber" was!!  After the bad time Dad gave me over my "taped pipe fix", I was tempted to give him a bad time also.  I must have learned that trick from him!!!  At least that is what I told him . . . I had the proof!!!

I was thinking about the many problems that we may experience in this life.  It has been said that everyone has either just experienced a problem, is in the middle of a problem right now or getting ready to deal with a problem in the near future.  Everybody has one problem or another!  It may be sickness, death, financial, family problems, marital, job related problems - so many things bombard us every day.  Problems we may, like Rosie the  Riveter would say, "We Can Do It"!  Some things we really can do it - we can fix them - like I fixed the leaking pipe. I did do it - it quit leaking!  (Yeah!)  No more leaks - at least . . . for a while!  I'm afraid my tape "fix-it" would over time look just like my dad's tape fix-it for his pipe.  With time, the quick tape fix proved not to be a true fix - it only lasts for a time. It was only a "temporary fix".  

Jesus is the answer for whatever problem you and I may be going through.  He knows all about it. He has the answers to the problems we are facing. He is there to help us through them, to encourage us through His Word and His Way. He is willing and ready to meet us where we are right now - today!  He fixes broken people . . . and He never uses Duct Tape or Electrical Tape!!!  His fixes are for real. They are for real problems. They are for real people. They are for you and I today.  Trust your past, present, and future to the God who knows, cares, and loves you. 

"Therefore humble yourselves under the mighty hand of God, that He may exalt you in due time, casting all your care upon Him, for He cares for you."  I Peter 5:6-7

Attitude is Everything Movie

Attitude is Everything Movie 
(Mute the blog playlist then - Double Click on this Movie title for some inspiration!)

Here is a video to get you thinking straight - especially when we get so run down, out of sorts, and just plan tired.  When we forget the things that we need to remember.

Memorial Day 2013 - Everyday!

It has been said that only two defining forces have ever offered to die for you . . . Jesus Christ and the American Soldier . . .  one died for your "soul" and the other died for your "freedom".

There is a lot of truth in that. Truly, "greater love has no one than this, than to lay down one's life for his friends." (John 15:13) But do we really know that kind of love, do we experience it in our friends and acquaintances, in our own lives, and in the God we serve.  That love that goes above and beyond the call of duty even unto the call of death?  Would we go there, do that, be the one that loves beyond love itself?  Are we passionate about that kind of love - that self-less kind of love that cares about others more than our own being.  The solders that have sacrificed for the cause of "freedom" feeling a greater passion and cause. . . even when self-sacrifice may be the end result. Thank you - we honor each of you and also your families that paid the price for the freedom we so often take for granted.  Help us remember the life you gave for us . . . for me!

Again, "greater love has no one than this, than to lay down one's life for his friends." (John 15:13)

Jesus Christ was the ultimate "sacrifice" for the sins of the whole world. He died for each of us - for your sins - for my sins - for the wrong things in my life.  And He gave His all - everything He had when He suffered and died on the cross.  Everything so that I could experience a different kind of freedom - a freedom from the chains of sin, guilt, and destruction.  A freedom of love, grace, and mercy.  A love that goes far beyond our understanding and reaches deep into our hearts and lives changes us and makes us like new creatures. "Therefore if any man be in Christ, he is a new creature: old things are passed away; behold, all things are become new. (2 Corinthians 5:17)It is then we are able to understand the kind of love that would lay down ones life for another.  The kind of love that has a passion behind us pushing us forward to that same freedom of country in the sacrifice of men and women willing to fight for that freedom and most importantly - freedom from sin redeemed by the sacrifice God made when he offered His Son, Jesus Christ to save the world!

50 Things Money Can't Buy

 
So you see, money isn't everything! There is a lot more to life than the "all mighty dollar".  As much as we may think that we need it or want it . . .  remember that our "real "treasures" in life simply cannot be bought - they are "lived" out each and every day! Live with meaning and purpose in life.

Maxine

I thought this cartoon was very fitting for me since I decorate ice cream cakes at the Dairy Queen part-time!!!  And we did have a little "mini-blizzard" last week and it was "MAY"!!!

Don't Let Me Miss the Glory . . .

I just recently ran across this song and fell in love with it. I guess it is because I can relate to it so well. 

 "Don't Let Me Miss the Glory" https://youtu.be/o0-0vlHB5gQ

In light of discovering I had two brain tumors last December, I am realizing every week that I have "missed" a lot of things this last year and half! Things in my own life, my families lives and life in general. This realization comes to me as I talk with my family and friends.  They will mention things that I have no recollection of hearing or being a part of or if it sounds somewhat familiar - it is sometimes very vague and distant to me.  The kids will say, "mom, you probably don't remember this but ..." and they then begin to expound on the event, person, place, things involved in that particular situation.  It is so mind-boggling to come to this realization that for the past year and half, I have actually "missed" out on so many things and I didn't even realize it. It would appear that the two brain tumors were actually squeezing the "living-life" right out of me or I should say "right out of my thoughts and brain"! Each of the two tumors was the size of a tangerine.  When I think about two tangerines inside my brain cavity pressing and compressing my brain - I guess it is no wonder that some things were squeezed out of my memory and I "missed" out on a few things! 

As I listen to this song, "Don't Let Me Miss the Glory", I'm reminded of the day-to-day "glory" that God gives us. The blessings both big and small for us to enjoy and make our days "joy-filled" and "God-focused".  Are you looking at life through the eyes of God?  Are you seeing the grandeur of His design or are you "missing the glory"?  To look through His eyes is to see the glory of God's ultimate creation!

Lord, I pray that you would open our eyes so that we do not go through life "missing" the blessings of life, the real purpose of life, the ultimate gift of life through the sacrifice of Jesus Christ on the cross. I would like to challenge you to look at each segment of life whether it is a sunrise, a bird singing, a baby crying, a hurting heart, a brain tumor, or a tragic encounter as a part of the "glory" God sends our way ... the good, the bad, the heartfelt, the tenderness ... all in the many forms of His ultimate blessings and glory. The whole earth is vibrant with every aspect of God's creation. It is alive with His blessings and most of all His presence.  "You will seek me and find me, when you seek me with all your heart ."  (Jeremiah 29:13 - ESV) Seek Him and His Glory . . . . He is right there with you in the cool of the day, when the rooster crows, when your hope may be faltering - look to Him - "Don't Miss His Glory" wherever He takes you and in whatever your situation is. Take hold of His glory and "don't miss it!"  

My hope and prayer is that you and I experience every part of His creation and that we "Don't Miss The Glory . . . any of His Glory"!  But that we experience God's glory to the fullest extent that God Himself intended for each of us.

"Don't let me miss the Glory - Don't let me miss the Grace - Don't let me miss the wonder - Don't let me miss the grand design! Lord open up my eyes - Don't let me miss the Glory!"

Able to do . . .

Able.

Able to do.

Able to do what we ask.

Able to do what we think.

Able to do what we ask or think.

Able to do all that we ask or think.

Able to do above all that we ask or think.

Able to do abundantly above all that we ask or think.

Able to do exceedingly abundantly above all we ask or think.

What do you need from God today? Go ahead and tell Him. He’s more than able.

                                                                       (Micca Campbell)

"Now to him who is able to do exceedingly abundantly above all that we ask or think, according to the power that works in us” (Eph 3:20)

Don't you just love this? What an encouragement this is if we can only grasp the full extent of God and His power in us!

Brain Surgery - 4 Months Ago!

April 12th marked 4 months since my brain surgery removing the tumors! Yippee!! Originally the doctors & speech therapist said I probably wouldn't be back to work full time for about 6 months. 4 months and I am back working full time once again! I'm still going to speech therapy but doing great!! I ran into a lady last week in Omaha & she said I looked familiar & she sorta did to me also. Then she asked if I had been in Mercy Hospital recently, I said, yes I had brain surgery. Before I finished saying brain surgery she squeeled with excitment. You would have thought we were long lost friends. She was the nurse when I came into the hospital & was there when I went down for surgery the 1st time. She hugged me & was so excited to see me - said she had wondered how I was doing many times since December & said she didn't know if I was going to make it through that. She too, was amazed to see me out & about doing so well. We were both so excited by our "little" reunion. It made my day!! I am still working on some of my words that seem to be blocked from my vacabulary - I comprehend the words but just can't seem to communicate some of them! But this is also improving beyond what the speech therapist had expected. The doctors and Speech Therapist are "amazed" at the progress . . . I'm not . . . I know it is nothing less than a "God-thing"!!!  God is so good - miracle after miracle!  Thanks to everyone who has been so patient, understanding, & supportive of me during this life-changing experience for me - family, friends, pastors, church members, doctors, nurses, FB friends - the list goes on and on. You ALL deserve a "star" in your crown!! Thanks so much!

Words to Live By . . .

Someone has written these beautiful words.  Read them and try to understand their deep meaning.  They are like the ten commandments to follow all through your life.     1] Prayer is not a "spare wheel" that you pull out when in trouble, but it is a "steering wheel" that directs the right path throughout.   2] Why is a car's windshield so large and the rear view mirror is so small?  Because our past is not as important as our future. So, look ahead and move on.   3] Friendship is like a book.  It takes a few seconds to burn, but it takes years to write.   4] All things in life are temporary.   If going well, enjoy it; they will not last forever.  If going wrong, don't worry, they can't last long either.   5] Old friends are gold!  New friends are diamonds!  If you get a diamond, don't forget the gold  because to hold a diamond, you always need a base of gold!   6] Often, when we lose hope and think this is the end, God smiles from above and says, "Relax, sweetheart, it's just a bend, not the end!   7] When God solves your problems, you have faith in HIS abilities; when God doesn't solve your problems HE has faith in your abilities.   8] A blind person asked St. Anthony: "Can there be anything worse than losing your eye sight?" He replied: "Yes, losing your vision!"   9] When you pray for others, God listens to you and blesses them.  Sometimes, when you are safe and happy, remember that someone has prayed for you.   10] Worrying does not take away tomorrow's troubles; it takes away today's peace.

Pepper Jack Meat Loaf

1 lb ground beef, turkey or chicken
1 cup celery, diced
½ cup onion, diced
... 1 cup oatmeal or crumbled saltine cracker
2 eggs
2 cups pepper jack cheese shredded
¼ cup ketchup
1/8 tsp chili powder
Salt and pepper

Preheat oven to 400 degrees F. Grease a loaf pan.

Mix meat, celery, onion, oatmeal or crackers, eggs together well. Press half of the meat mixture into prepared loaf pan. Place cheese over meat mixture. Top with remaining meat mixture and press down to seal. Spread ketchup over top of meat loaf….sprinkle with chili powder, salt and pepper.

Bake, covered lightly with foil, for 30 minutes.

Increase oven temperature to 425 degrees F, remove cover and continue to bake for 20 minutes or until edges are bubbling and knife inserted in center comes out clean.

Let sit for 5 minutes then slice and serve.

No-Bake Peanut Butter Oatmeal Cookies

2 cups sugar
Dash of salt
1 stick butter (1/2 cup)
1/2 cup milk
1 cup peanut butter
1 teaspoon vanilla
3 cups oatmeal
Waxed paper


In a large saucepan bring to a boil the sugar, salt, butter and milk. Boil mixture over medium heat for 1 full minute. Remove from heat immediately.


Add peanut butter and vanilla; stir well. Add oatmeal and stir until thoroughly incorporated. On a sheet of waxed paper, drop mixture by the teaspoonfuls. Drizzle with a mixture of cocoa, powdered sugar and water if desired. Cool until set and firm.

These are yummy!

Be still and know . . .

I would like to be sitting on the bank of this stream. It looks so peaceful, relaxing, and beautiful! It is there at a place like this that I sense an awesome awareness of God – “who” and “what” He is! I can picture myself sitting there in the quietness of the moment taking in the scenery with all of the beauty of God’s creation – the rippling steam, the hills, the trees, the moon, the stars, the clouds, the birds in flight and I know God made all of this!  It’s at a place like this that I can settle in and say as Psalms 46:10 says, “Be still and know that I am God.”

But what about when I am in the middle of my busy “rat-race” of a day??  Some days are quite the opposite of the serene, peaceful setting above.  I love the above picture and want to “engrave it in my mind” for those busy, hectic days so I can, in the midst of my whirling world, take a moment and go back to this moon-lit stream in my mind and remember to . . . “be still, and know that He is God”!!! 

It is not “me” and what "I" am doing or where "I" am going but life is about "God".  Who He is, what He has planned for me, who I am in His eyes, where I am this very moment and what I am doing to make a difference in my little world.  God has given me a new “lease on life” since my brain surgery in December, and I want every moment to count as “God Moments”! I want to look through "His eyes" and see my little world as He sees it. I want to see the opportunities to share my faith in God with those I come into contact with and share God's wonderful love, grace and mercy. 

In the busyness of our days, the problems and trials we need take a mini-vacation to that "moon-lit stream" and listen to the rippling water and take in the quietness of the moment and "be still, and know that He is God"!  Go ahead . . . you deserve a vacation!

3-Month Follow-Up to My Brain Surgery

Well, this month marked three months from my brain surgery removing the two tumors back in December.  In ways it seems like a long time ago and then again it seems like it was just yesterday.  I have come a long way since December 12, 2012, and my Christmas miracle!  God's hand has been on me blessing and guiding me each step of the way.

This month marked my 3-month follow-up doctor visits.  I had seven doctors appointments along with speech therapy 2 x's a week. I'm getting a little tired of all the doctors visits, but I know they are necessary.  My brain surgeon, Dr. Music (isn't that a sweet sounding name - music to my ears!!) was very pleased with how I am doing.  I am scheduled for another MRI which will be interesting! He said I am doing better than most considering the size of each of the tumors but also warned me to not "over-do-it" in my eagerness to get back in the full swing of things!

My speech therapist is a real "angel" also. She has been such a help and encouragement to me - even when I could hardly talk! Slowly, I am experiencing less and less word blockages and am able to communicate my thoughts verbally.  I am working to overcome my Aphasia which is a type of word-finding difficulty. I understand what you may be saying to me but I may need a little extra time to get some of my words out and communicated verbally. This is getting better as the weeks progress.  I feel like I have gone back to school as I work on introducing 100's and 100's of words, synonyms, antonyms, opposites, & sentences -  reconnecting them to the learning & communication center of my brain. It is quite a process but the challenge is good for me! Again, the therapist warned me to watch my fatigue and stress levels. I can really tell when I reach that point!! I have had a couple of set backs but continue to plow through those times and look forward to the next week which always seems to get better. God has really worked a miracle in this whole area. Of course, He created my brain and knows it better than I . . . what better teacher and healer than to have HIM on my side!!!   

I am still in awe over the whole ordeal.  I still have lots of questions in my mind, which I may never have the answers to, but I am simply trusting in the God who made me and also knows the plans He has for me. I like to call my whole hospital experience with the removal of the tumors "My Christmas Miracle". I felt like I was this caterpillar trapped in my own cocoon when I went into the hospital but when I came home I felt as if I were the butterfly - old things behind me & all things new! Now I am experiencing the "Butterfly Blessings" that God is sending my way every week! It is exciting to see God's hand in my life and each of His blessings have been beyond my expectations. I look forward with anticipation to each new "Butterfly Blessing" that comes my way!  My only hope and desire is that God can use my experiences to help and encourage someone else along the way.  I have learned to look at life as a much more fragile thing.  We have no real guarantees of tomorrow so I want to make the most of my "todays" and make each one count!