Hi Everyone and welcome Gwyn and Rose! Gwyn, I believe you are an encourager to others. And that was an awesome recipe.
My daughter phoned yesterday to say we are having a boy! He is due in late Aug. Yea! Can't wait!
I got an e-mail called, God is so good! It was so ummm, shall I say, "appropriate" . I will quickly tell you since I don't think there is anyway to send it.
This lady is on a diet and decides to go another way to work so she doesn't have to pass the dreaded bakery. Ops! One morning she forgot and went the old way. Seeing many wonderful goodies in the window she decided to pray and ask God if she should stop? Well, she would know the answer was yes, if He provided a parking place directly in front of the bakery. Wouldn't you know, on the 7th. or 8th. time around the block there it was - an open parking place directly in front of the bakery. God is so good!
Ha, now ladies, I think this cartoon could certainly be used in a counseling session on manipulating our thinking to get our way. Anyway, I thought it was a great example of life and diets and me! - Did I say Me? (ha,ha!)
Just a quick 'hi' to all, especially all the newbies, - can't believe how busy this thread has become. . . it's great!
EZ - GREAT news on your niece, - God is SO GOOD!!!
FYI - DD has her 1st tennis tournament (this year), next weekend in Cincinnati, looks like it's going to be good competition and I'm already so anxious, I believe more so than she. Don't remember if I told you but we changed coaches and of course he changed her swing, her stance, her serve, well just about everything, said she had progressed so much. . . she REALLY likes this coach and he takes a great interest in the her, teaching and explaining the whole session. . . really good
I'll try to post more perhaps over the weekend, cute pics, cute kids, lots of prayer requests, good recipies, so much to catch up with. . . prayers and hugs to all - Margie
Hi Everybody ~ Nice to see you found us GWYN!!! Yes, that tuna salad sounds just yummy; I bet it would be just as good with some nice red sockeye salmon (my fave). We love to hear about great recipes.
to GWYN and another ROSE. ROSE2, that is a nice sentiment; I call it the cross of love and forgiveness. It's all of that, isn't it? Nice to have you join us; come back and post again soon.
ELIZ ~ CONGRATS on being a grandma soon!
GARY ~ so glad for that great news about your niece!
MARGIE ~ nice to hear from you; best wishes 4 ur DD.
I've had a busy week. My hand is still yucky, but still hoping it's not broken; it will take a while for the swelling to go down, I guess. If that's not enough, the flu likes to rear it's ugly head, just when your immune is a little taxed.
But, GOD IS GOOD ~ and He's tryin' to keep my spirits high writing praise songs; it's good to get the focus off my little troubles. We had snow all day again ~ April is making up for the lack of snow we received in March. DH just told me it has finally stopped ~ he's glad for that!
I have been able to keep on plan and I am getting some exercise in around here anyways; added ladies sit-ups and leg lifts to my repertoire to increase my minutes for each day. Did a little more Ski-walking last week-end, but won't get much more in this year. Can't wait for the roads to finally clear up completely, so I can get in some more road walking (I'm not very fond of the ice ~ LOL).
HI TO EVERYONE ELSE ~ hope you are all well; God Bless, and keep on, keepin' on ~ your fellow encourager ... ROSEBUD. (U R in My Prayers)
I thought that I would introduce myself. I don't know if I am doing this quite right so please bare with me. Hello to all and I hope everyone is feeling well. My name is Rachel, I am 22. I have been married to my wonderful husband for almost 5 years now. We have a daughter that is now in heaven. Lincoln Grace was 3 when she left us and she would have turned 4 in January. I have been a Christian my entire life, but have been having great difficulties since the loss of my daughter. I find it very hard to go to church anymore. I usually end up crying in the bathroom the entire time anyway. It has almost been a year and the last time We went the greeter asked us where our lil' one was. I lost it! We drive 30 mins. for me to have a nervous break down every week? Sorry for rambling, it's a bad habit!
Everyone keep pushing towards your goals!
I shoulda typed this in notepad first. I can see I'm going to ramble ...
My husband thinks I should offer to speak to our Ladies Coffee Hour. The poor man is the brunt of my many rants about the God-given health of our God-given machines and God-given foods and on and on and on etc.
While I believe that God would not allow me to give these ladies a bumsteer ... I have a couple of reservations about this ... not the least of which is a social anxiety disorder ...
Hi Rachel and welcome. I am sorry that you have lost your baby. I can understand you crying constantly, I know that their hasn't been a day go by that I haven't cried since losing my dear mother in January, 2005.
It is easy to question your faith when things like this happen. In saying that I have found comfort in knowing, because of my faith, that our precious loved ones are now in a better place and waiting for us to join them. Keep the precious memories of Lincoln Grace close to your heart, they will never leave you.
My grandmother will be 93 next month, she lost a 10 day old, a 13 year old then my mother who had just turned 65, it doesn't matter how old the child it doesn't seem fair if they go before you.
Elizbennet- Congrats on becoming a grandma so special, really liked the story you posted
E.Z.- awesome news about your niece- will post pics of our niece in her knew glasses they are so thick, dying easter eggs, she had a great time finding the plastic eggs with little gifts and change in them. Nice pics of the race...
Rosebud- prayers that your hand soon feels much better, and congrats staying on plan...
Welcome to rose gwyn
Margie- glad all is well with daughter and tennis, a sure sign of spring
Rachelfern- so sorry to hear of your loss, are you close to your pastor, maybe you can talk with him. It is important to not push the Lord away, He is the source of strength through times like that, He holds your baby girl, and even though we know not why He took her home early, there is a reason, I know that doesn't begin to ease your pain. But will keep you in my prayers that there is peace to knowing she is in the Lord's arms, and you will be reunited one day.
Susanb- welcome- I am not sure what your asking- should you do like a bible study, with those ladies or convict them on something, they are doing. I am probably confused get that way easily. So come on back and post again so I
know what you mean. Hi to everyone else. Blessings!
Hi Everbody ~ was just lurking around and thought I'd just pop in for a sec ...
and HI to JENNYLEE and RACHEL and SUEB
RACHEL ~ so sorry for your loss, sweetie; I had three miscarriages (one time was twins days apart). I lost my mom when I was 34 y/o, and both my beloved Grammas, the sweetest ladies God ever created and my friends. I have also lost aunties, cousins, and many close friends who passed on, way too young.
Today, I was just copying a song I wrote based on Isaiah 60 & 61, where GOD talks about how He sent JESUS to comfort those who mourn ~ to give Beauty for ashes; the oil of Joy for mourning; and the garment of Praise for heaviness ~ Isaiah 61:1/3. These promises from the book of Hope (Isaiah) have brought me great comfort over the years.
Don't feel bad about crying ~ this is God's way of helping you to heal this terrible loss. GOD LOVES YOU and knows how you feel (He lost a son). You will always miss her; but, healing will come, in time. Yes, it will get better; in time, you will cry less often, and you will laugh again.
Meanwhile, celebrate your beautiful daughter whenever you can; and remember she IS in heaven with GOD and JESUS and all his angels and all your relatives who have passed over already. YOU AND YOUR DH (dear husband) ARE IN MY PRAYERS!
SUE-B ~ your DH wants you to do a talk to the ladies in your church about taking care of their bodies; our temples, so-to-speak. Be careful SUE ~ if you decide to do it; make it very light and upbeat and loving; offering help and not judgement! DH and I once sat thru a nasty sermon by an angry pastor who wanted his wife and several female members to lose weight. It was not received well; and some people left the church over it (and he is no longer the pastor there).
Maybe ask some ladies if they would like to have "a look after our health talk" first. If you get hums and haws, nix the idea; but, if they sound somewhat enthusiastic, then maybe they would appreciate a pep talk. Weight problems are so personal and wrapped up around self-esteem issues. Nobody wants to be overweight or unhealthy. They want help and support; thus the reason this site is soooo popular; but you already know that!
As for fear of public speaking ~ write it down and read it off; include some light jokes and after a bit, your nervousness will subside. Sorry, for my rambling, SUE-B; I really hope this helps you in some way!
SUE ~ your nieces' glasses may get smaller as she gets older (that's what happened for both my nieces). So much for me popping in for a sec ~ LOL!!!
HI TO EVERYONE ELSE ~ hope you are all well; God Bless, and keep on, keepin' on ~ your fellow encourager ... ROSEBUD. (U R in My Prayers)
Thanks! yeah they said they should decrease in thickness anyway, they are like coke bottle glass, she was cross eyed trying to compensate for poor vision, now she is doing much better.
My Dear Rachel, I don't know you, but I love you! I can't say I know exactly how you feel, but I feel for you. I wanted to share something that I went through and hope it will encourage you in some small way. My Father was an alcoholic for all of my life, up until 5 short years before his death. It was so awesome when my Dad accepted the Lord and allowed Him to change his heart and life. My Dad was a fireman and I loved going to visit him at the Firehouse and for the 1st time in my life, I had a Dad, a Dad who cared about me, and not just about His beer. He would call me everyday or I would call him and he would ask me questions about where to find this or that in the Bible. It was wonderful. In March of 1988 My Dad and Mom where in their time share condo on the Abaco Island in the Bahama's. They went there to vacation twice a year. Dad had a massive heart attack and died on the Island. There was one Doctor on the Island and he was very old and it took him 15 minutes to walk across the Island. Of course he pronounced my Father dead when he arrived. Mom flew back home. There was tons of red tape to cut through trying to get my Dad's body back into the States! When they finally released him and he arrived in the Atlanta airport, where they actually lost him! They could not find him anywhere. After 10 very long days, He was found and flown back home to Fort Wayne, Indiana. The day before his arrival Mom, my two brothers and I had a meeting with the funeral director. He was very adamant, about the fact, that we would not be able to have an open casket funeral. He said, the heat from waiting in the Bahama airport terminals and being lost in Atlanta, plus 10 days of time, will have caused rapid decay. He said there would be NO WAY! My Mother and I went to prayer, asking God to please preserve him, so that we could all get a last chance to say goodbye. The day after the director recieved his body, he called, and he kept saying, it's a miracle! For my Dad was completly intact and whole. No outward signs of physical decay were visable. They embalmed him and we had the normal 3 days and nights of calling and the funeral. After it was all said, done and over, I found myself very depressed , and angry at God! I was angry because, I thought, well God if you could keep him so well preserved and whole after all that, then why did you let him die??? Why did you take him away from me???? I just got him!!!! Before my Father's death I read God's Word every single day. I was a very faithful worshiper and Church attender. But after, I became a blob in my bed, I only got up to throw a load in the washer or dryer, and to cook supper for my family. That is it. I shut down! I refused to pray, I refused to read His Word , I quit His choir, I quit going to His Church In fact I was just a mess! I quit the ladies bible study! Everything!! I cried and cried a millon tears, I thought of nothing but death myself. It was horrable. I lived this way for a solid year! It was a huge black cloud of heaviness over my heart and soul! Then one morning I woke up and relized, how very much, I was missing my Father God. How I missed talking to Him, How I missed His presous Word. How I missed his touch. I picked up my Bible, right where I laid it down, one year before. I opened it up and my eye's fell on this...
1 The righteous perish,
and no one ponders it in his heart;
devout men are taken away,
and no one understands
that the righteous are taken away
to be spared from evil. 2 Those who walk uprightly
enter into peace;
they find rest as they lie in death. Isaiah 57:1-2
After reading that, I had such a peace!!!! Like I have never known wash over my heart and soul!!!!! I repented of my distrust, anger and stubborness and everything was well with my soul, everything was well between us! I still greived my Dad's passing. But I was set at peace. I knew, that I knew, that I knew that My Heavenly FATHER KNOWS BEST. I had only to trust Him. I believed His Word he revealed to me.
My Dear Rachel, rest in the Lords arms and be at peace knowing that He is good! In the end, we will understand.
Love in Christ, Your friend and sister, Gwyn
I am just taking a few minutes, waiting for my paint to dry on some posts that my brother and I are going to put up tomorrow. They will hold the lights for the shuffleboard that I am putting in.
I have been busy at work during the day, then nephew has had a lot of tennis matches lately as league play has started. He is doing well in his J.V. matches, winning most, but he really needs to work on the "respect" of the game I have had him on restriction for almost a month now from his "constant" lying about his homework. It has reached the point that I had to make drastic measures to prove if you don't do your job in my house, you lose rewards.
Angie and I went out for breakfast this morning then she took the dogs to dog park while my brother and I worked on my post holes and did Home Depot runs.
RACHELFERN ~ I am so sorry for your loss. I could not even begin ti imagine it. I only can assume how hard it is, but I do know that God is there and if you are in church then you are placing yourself in position to hear His Word and receive His comfort. Welcome and prayers for your healing.
Great to see you here! Come back often OK? As far as speaking in front of people at church, all I can say is that I have a very difficult time of it also, God is there with us, but even though I know He is there...well...I melt down!! I have no problem sitting around a table talking with the very same people, saying the very same thing...but boy make me walk up to the front of the room to speak...well, let's say I am heading for the back door as fast as I can! I will pray for strength for you!
ROSEBUD ~ I have been searching scripture for my daughter's wedding. She has asked me to pick it out for her, I have several ideas...for different reasons, along with the tradtional ones for weddings. When I look different ones up I think of you sometimes and your songs...any ideas off the top of your head? Prayers for the healing of your hand!
ELIZBENNET ~ congratulations on becoming a grandma! Love the cartoon
JENNYLEE ~ Keep coming back and posting, we always need new ENCOURAGERS here! Welcome!
MARGIE B ~ WOW! is that really you? Thanks for sticking up for me in the other thread! You are awesome. How is the job going? Great news on your daughter's tennis! Hope she does well in the tournament. Nephew is doing much better with his play but...the coach (a friend of mine from way back when Amanda played high school tennis) told him this week if he didn't stop screwing around, while they were waiting for the bus to go to another school, that he would take him out of the match AND if anyone was removed from the match for discipline reasons they would miss all three matches this week...well...KNUCKLEHEAD tells him "YOU WON'T TAKE ME OUT COACH BECAUSE I AM THE BEST PLAYER ON THE TEAM" I was so When coach told me! It is so difficult for me with him sometimes, Ryan and Amanda have so much respect for their coaches and their sports. I asked Ron what he thought Ryan would do if one of his track jumpers told him that, he just said I dunno....All I can say it is a good thing that the athletic director and coaches still have contact with my kids or I think Ron would have purchased his "dismissal" ticket last year!! Good luck to you and your kiddo...HEY where is my
AUNT SUE ~ WOW!! I can't believe how beautiful our niece is. She is looking more and more like us everyday! I am glad you and her had a blast with the Easter eggs. After our service last week and breakfast, I watched the young ones run around the play area collecting them, it was cute. I had to tackle Ron from trying to get in on it ...kidding...but he had that look in his eye Lara "hates" NY now...the weather especially...thinking of a transfer...I leave that up to her mom...it is WAY BETTER the less I know Having some issues with nephew and tennis (see Margie B) Will try to send sun...must just keep getting gobbled up through the midwest...troubling year for weather. Prayers for your "event"
GWYNDITMARS ~ Keep coming back here dear! I see you posting in some of the other areas. Always someone here to pary and encourage.
ROSE2 ~ Thanks for sharing. Feel free to visit anytime!
WILMA ~ I hope you had a great time with family for Easter. you are too nice on the new girl We just THROW them right on in...sink or swim If you can hang around with our bunch, you can hang around with anyone! In fact a couple of weeks ago, at Amanda's bridal shower, people that didn't know our family but knew her from work, couldn't figure out who was who My family ~ Angie's family ~ my ex-wife's family...someone said you all seem like the SAME family. Hope things work our for the "boy"!
HOMEBOUND ~ How are you doing? Did you get to see the MASTERS down there? It sure was neat seeing it on my new plasma television...so beautiful!
Well Angie just got home from shopping for "wedding stuff"...gotta go for now.
Thank you for the invitation to jump over and join the thread. Just reading a few of the posts, it sounds like a great group that sincerely cares about each other. I look forward to spending some time over here and getting to know everyone better.
My life is crazy busy with the 5 boys and I am having trouble finding/making the time for Bible study and prayer. Please pray that my nights will be restful, waking refreshed and with a desire to make the time I need to spend with the Lord.
I know that giving Him that time will only help me give over the control, or should I say lack of control, I have over food.
What a blessing to have stumbled onto a forum with godly people who will encourage each other through the tricky and frustrating world of weight loss!
Wow! What activity around here!! This is great! The more the merrier. I feel like it's been forever since I've posted. It seems the days just fly by.
The weather is finally warming up here and the snow is almost gone. My niece is moving in with us next week and I'm looking forward to doing some things with her. She wants to decorate the room she's going to be in and is going to help me pick out flowers for the yard. It'll kind of be like having a daughter around.
DS is loving his life right now. This girlfriend is getting him more involved in church activities and they are spending a LOT of time together. We just pray that after his school year is up that he finds a good job that he loves.
My DH and I celebrated 28 years of marriage yesterday. Sometimes it's hard to believe that it's been that long. I'm not old enough to be married that long. I am grateful to God everyday that He gave me my husband.
It's time to get ready to go to church. Have a great day!
A little note
and he takes a great interest in the her, teaching and explaining the whole session. . . really good 
Keepin' in Touch ...
~ Nice to see you found us GWYN!!! Yes, that tuna salad sounds just yummy; I bet it would be just as good with some nice red sockeye salmon (my fave). We love to hear about great recipes. 
to GWYN and another ROSE. ROSE2, that is a nice sentiment; I call it the cross of love and forgiveness. It's all of that, isn't it? Nice to have you join us; come back and post again soon.
(U R in My Prayers)
My Father was an alcoholic for all of my life, up until 5 short years before his death. It was so awesome when my Dad accepted the Lord and allowed Him to change his heart and life. My Dad was a fireman and I loved going to visit him at the Firehouse and for the 1st time in my life, I had a Dad, a Dad who cared about me, and not just about His beer. 
, and angry
at God! I was angry because, I thought, well God if you could keep him so well preserved and whole after all that, then why did you let him die??? Why did you take him away from me???? I just got him!!!!
to pray, I refused to read His Word
I have had him on restriction for almost a month now from his "constant" lying about his homework. It has reached the point that I had to make drastic measures to prove if you don't do your job in my house, you lose rewards.
Lara "hates" NY now...the weather especially...thinking of a transfer...I leave that up to her mom...it is WAY BETTER the less I know 
If you can hang around with our bunch, you can hang around with anyone! In fact a couple of weeks ago, at Amanda's bridal shower, people that didn't know our family but knew her from work, couldn't figure out who was who My family ~ Angie's family ~ my ex-wife's family...someone said you all seem like the SAME family. Hope things work our for the "boy"! 
