CATCHING UP!!!

Life has been so busy for me this month that I have only posted 9 times in the past 29 days of July. I am using this post to try and play some "catch up".

On July 2nd, which by the way would have been my Mother's birthday, I received the following award,

The RULES are:

•Thank the blogger who awarded it to you: Thank you so much Bobbi of Great Adventures II

•Sum up your blogging philosophy, motivation, and experience using five (5) words:

TRUTHFUL, SPIRITUAL, HERITAGE, REWARDING, FUN

Pass it on to 10 other blogs which you feel have real substance: Every other reward I have received I have always passed it along as required.....BUT this time I am going to leave it up to my readers. If I read & comment on your blog and you consider your blog to be "A Blog With Substance" please accept this award from Penless Writer. Thanks~!

Some close friends of ours gave us these wonderful looking and tasting peaches from their very own peach tree!!! Aren't they beautiful? Trust me, they are very tasty.

With our wonderful blueberries, & these peaches I added a store bought banana and have been enjoying a delightful bowl of this healthy eating every morning. Yum and double yummy!!!

Tomato's galore from Mickey's garden this year :o) He planted 4 plants and he has been bringing in a supply like this every few days. We have eaten tomato's almost every day, sliced, in salads, & bacon, lettuce and tomato sandwiches. We have given some away and I have 9 (to date) 2 cup containers full in our freezer. Have this many to work up this morning. They will continue coming until frost time, that is a l-o-n-g way off!! Thank you Lord for your bounty, blessing & harvest.

I had recently attended a 3 hour training class, put on by our local County Election Board, to learn about assisting at elections. Shortly after attending the class I was assigned to participate at one of the election sites.

Tuesday was our Primary Election here in Oklahoma and I worked as a Clerk from 6:30 a.m. until 7:30 p.m. (you can take a lunch but you cannot leave the premise). It was a totally new experience for me and I enjoyed it thoroughly: found it both fun and very interesting. I worked with 3 other delightful woman. I love meeting new people. It was also fun having people I know coming in to vote and saying (with a shocked look on their face) "Hi Susan - What are you doing here?"

There are 1500 registered voters in the precinct I worked and we ended up with 324 voters. Isn't that sad?!!!! Only 21.6%. Of course some people vote by Absentee Ballot I realize, but it's still so sad that so few people take their privilege and responsibility so lightly. I know a lot higher percentage do vote in the General Election but they should realize how important it is to research and get the right candidate, of their party or choice, on the ballot for the General Election. SO please VOTE!!!!

Yesterday, I received a call from the Election Board asking me first to work the Run-Off Election, which will be held on August 24th, and then asked if I would be willing to be assigned to this Precinct to work on a permanent basis. I was delighted to be asked, and delighted to accept.

We had both Aric & Oksana this week on Wednesday & Thursday. On Wednesday we took them to eat at McD's and then to see the movie, Despicable Me. They thought it was cute and enjoyed it......me, not so much!!! I am always appalled at the price you have to pay at the movies for pop-corn and soda drinks......but....what's the movies without those things? Then it was home and to Wednesday night Church services.

Yesterday, after they got up (which wasn't early!) it was off to the dough-nut shop. Then Oksana and I spent a good part of the day cooking. I'll post about that in another post tomorrow.......so please come back to read it.

Aric & Oksana had to be up at 5:30 a.m. this morning and are flying off to California to spend 2 weeking with their Aunt, Uncle & Cousins. They will also be seeing their Maternal Grandparents, their Great-Grandmother, other Aunts and Cousins. I know they'll have a grand time. Aric was a little apprehensive about the plane flight but he'll do fine. Thankfully they do not have to change flights either going or coming back.

I am truly blessed to live a wonderful, busy, satisfying and very happy life!!!!!

Karate Master of Friendship award.

I was tagged by Tiffany of Southern Sass for the Karate Master of Friendship award.

Here are the rules for the award: - List 6 things you are a master in. - Pass it on to 6 bloggers you think are masters at friendship and make blogging awesome. Since I would never qualify in the karate, physical fitness category :o) I am going to focus on the aspects of friendship that I am good at.

1. I have the ability to pick friends who help me grow. This has been true of me even as a young child, as evidenced by the fact I have a "forever friend" I made when in the 2nd grade and we have been "friends who stick closer that a brother (sister)" all these 66 years. I truly believe the scripture "Iron sharpeneth iron" and I desire to be sharpened in my friendships.

2. I have the gift of being an encourager and will be your biggest supporter. This is especially true if I believe you are following Gods plan and purpose for your life. I want to see you succeed in that calling.

3. I am totally loyal and dependable. If I tell you I will do something, or be somewhere, you can count on it.

4. I am a good listener and have the ability to "hear" what is not being said, as well as the words coming out of your mouth.

5. I am a good enough friend to tell you my honest opinion when asked. I do not "sugar coat" things and will tell you if I think your action or conduct are out of line.

6. You can share your heart, problems, anything with me and know that I will never share it with anyone except my husband (I share everything with him and we have no secrets) and with God in praying for you.

I am tagging the following 6 friends: Kahri - Ginger - Kathy - Brenda - Maxine

& Denise


I look forward to reading all about you and what you are working to master in your life or have already mastered.

Honest Scape Award - DO YOU HONESTLY KNOW ME?

I received the following award from Tiffany at Southern Sass back on December 1st and just now finding time to finally post about it. Go here to read Tiffany's. You will be blessed!!

Rules for the award:

1. Must thank the person who gave you the award and list their blog and link it.
Thank you so very much Tiffany for this award. It especially means a lot to me because it came from YOU. Tiffany is a young wife & mother and a lover of Jesus, who I have the utmost respect for. I truly hope you will follow the link above and get to know her.

2. Share "10 Honest things" about yourself.
This has honestly been a very hard thing for me to do. Not because being Honest is hard for me, but because I have been so open & honest on this blog that I feel most of you know me VERY well. I also realize that I have new readers. If you don't find anything new it's that you've been a faithful follower from my beginning and I thank you and appreciate you so very much.

1. THE most important relationship in my life is JESUS. Even though I was raised in the Church, my father was a Deacon, and I loved God I was not saved until I was 18 years old. I was invited by a neighbor to a revival at her Independent Baptist Church. When I heard this Pastor preach he presented Jesus in such a real way I'd never heard before and I literally ran to the altar. I have never been the same, and I have never looked back or had a moments regret for choosing to serve and love my Triune God; Father, Son & Holy Ghost. You can read my complete testimony here.

2. I am first and foremost a WIFE, MOTHER, & GRANDMOTHER. I cherish these roles and endeavor to be the best I can doing so.....although I have had many failures along the way.

3. Because of #1 & #2 Family is of the utmost importance to me. God established the family before He established the church . The family is the foundation for a strong church and nation. Part of the problem in our country today is the disintegration of the family unit. Especially so in the role of a strong husband and a submissive wife. Took me years to learn the submissive wife part!!! but believe me once I did I would not live any other way.

4. Lying, and even putting up a false front and not being real, is totally unacceptable to me. I call it "phony baloney" and have always demanded honesty from my family. It's not always the easiest way, at the time, but it is the only and best way to be in the long run. All of my close friends are "real" because it is so important to me. I wrote about being authentic here and here some time ago. I live by the 2 quotes that appear on my header.

5. The Bible is the foundation on which I stand and build my life. I have been in a variety of different churches, during my 54 years of Christian walk, and have learned different aspects from each of them but I do not stand on a church but on the Holy Word of God. No church or denomination has the whole word of God but The Body of Christ does have. I love THE WORD and I read it daily because it truly is the Bread of Life to me. To the old question so often asked, "If you were on a deserted island what is the one thing you would have to have?" I have always answered, my Bible. While I have many Bibles of various translations, and I use and appreciate all of them, the one Bible I treasure and cherish is a Leather Bound King James Version that Mickey gave to me on our First Anniversary in 1959. The pages are paper thin and totally marked and it has been rebound once.

6. I was engaged to my high school sweetheart at age 15 and we married when I was 16. I graduated from High School after being married and at the age of 16. My two daughters were born 12 days before I was 17 and 3 days before I was 18. I was divorced with 2 1/2 and 3 1/2 year old daughters when Mickey & I married in 1958 just 2 months before I turned 21. Mickey legally adopted Suzette & Jacque and they are every bit as much his daughters as they are mine. In fact, I think they are more Daddy's girls!!!! Our first son, David, was born when I was 26 and our 4th child, and 2nd son, Marc, was born when I was 31. It was very interesting having a 14 year old, a 13 year old, a 5 year old and a new born!!!!!!! I've always said, "I don't know if it made us older faster, or made us stay young longer!"

7. Books are my next greatest love and passion. I have been an avid reader since my childhood. Growing up basically as an only child, my books were and still are my greatest friends. Since becoming a Christian, at the age of 18, most of my reading has been spiritual in nature. I attribute a great deal of my growth as a Christian to my reading in addition to Church attendance and My Bible. It has NEVER ceased to amaze me how God can, and does, place in my hands the very book, on the very subject, I need at just the perfect timing in my life.

8. Life has not always been a bed of roses. Who's is???? Being divorced and facing the circumstances of why I was divorced at age 20 with 2 babies was very difficult. To sad I was shattered would be an understatement. I am so thankful for the support of my wonderful Father & Mother and for God placing Mickey in my life very soon afterward. We faced years long struggles with our 2nd daughter and drugs. Praise God it was a battle she conquered. It was the first real "blow" in my perfect little world of Mickey & our family of 4. Then we faced the same battle with our 1st son who literally disappeared and for 10 years we did not hear from him or know where he was. Praise God he is also doing great now. Talk about a growing experiences in the Lord. You have to grow a lot in your Faith and the Lord or you don't make it through drugs and disappearance. Last, but not least was the violent attack by Satan on Mickey's and my marriage after 25 years. It was absolutely almost my undoing and I was suicidal. During the drug issues with our children I would often tell Mickey, "Our world may fall apart but you and I are solid." When that turned out to not be true it was devastating to me. Praise God for two faithful friends, Joan & Beverly, who helped me through this terrible period of my life. I have often written about how happy I am that Mickey & I "weathered the storm" and have lived 26 wonderful years since. Joan lives in Albuquerque and I hope to see her next September for our Class Reunion. Beverly is waiting to greet me in Heaven. Last but not least, we have had the heart break of failed marriages among our children.

9 Growing older. I must admit that prior to this year I never "felt" my age. Oh, I could see it when I looked in the mirror. After all I am not blind!!! But I did not "feel" it. I wrote about my view of aging back here. The last few months I am beginning to feel it because I am finding that I cannot physically do all the things I use to be able to do. I find myself tiring easily when I use to be literally tireless and I find myself not remembering things as well as I once did, especially names. That really gets me because I use to never forget a name. It is a very humbling experience. Especially when you've been a busy "doer" all your life and jumping in and doing anything & everything you wanted to do.

10 On dying. When my mother was beginning to age I use to wonder, to myself, if she was scared or worried about dying. Now that I am going to celebrate my 72nd birthday in just 12 days I feel it important to address this issue for you young readers who might wonder!!! I have ABSOLUTELY no fear of death. I am looking forward to joining my family and friends in heaven and I have had a full, good life. If the Lord told me today He was taking me home I'd say goodbye to everybody and go. I do fear being very ill and suffering physically in that way. With the problems our family has faced the one thing we have been above and beyond blessed with is good health. I have only been hospitalized with 4 child births, major chest surgery (at age 18! among everything else going on in my life at that time!!), pneumonia, & gall bladder surgery. Mickey had never even been in a hospital his entire life until last year when he dealt with his heart issue and surgery.

I do not know what the future holds.....but I do know who holds my future and I am secure in that knowledge!!!!!

Well by this point you should honestly know me!!! Perhaps you know me too well but I trust not. With me, what you see is what you get.

3. Present this award to 7 others whose blogs you find brilliant in content and/or design, or those who have encouraged you.

These are the 7 blogs I find brilliant in content and have encouraged me and I would like to honestly know them. I'm not real into design, as you can tell since I've never changed my blog look since Leigh Ann helped me set it up very near the beginning.

1-Kathy of A Field Lilly
2-Dan of The Bumbling Genius
3-Sandra of Sister Faith
4- Bob of An Eye For Redemption
5- Maxine of Nanna's Reflections
7-Brenda of It's All Good

and excuse me but I'm going to add an 8th - Marallyn of Shalom From Jerusalem


4. Tell those 7 people they've been awarded HONEST SCRAP and inform them of these guidelines in receiving the award.
Now I'm off to do just that!!

Thanks for taking the time to drop by and PLEASE leave me a comment.

YOU ARE SOMEONE SPECIAL IN MY LIFE

I shared yesterday about our wonderful Sabbath but I forgot part of it!!!!

At the end of service we were each given 2 of these blue ribbons that read:

You Are Someone Special In My Life

They have a sticky strip on the back side. We were to go to someone in the congregation that was Special to us and put it on their shirt or blouse.

The second one we were to take with us and give to someone during this week outside the church and invite them to come to church with us.

So as part of blog world I thought it would be fun for us to do that here!!!

I am passing 2 of these ribbons along to one person in blog land and inviting you in turn to pass 2 on to a person in blog land who is special to you, etc. etc.

Please tell us who you passed it on to and what makes them Special In Your Life


Kathy of A Field Lily I am passing these two ribbons to you.

Please keep one for yourself and pass the other on to someone special to you.

Kathy, You Are Someone Special In My Life because of your gentle, sweet spirit and your incredible love for Jesus our Lord and that you share that love with us.

I am blessed. You are Special.

A Quote - A Granddaughter - An Award - A Lunch with my bloger friend

"To be nobody

but yourself

in a world

which is doing its best,

night & day,

to make you everybody else

means to fight

the hardest battle

which any human being can fight;

& never stop fighting......"

e.e.cummings

All, and any of us, who have learned to be "who God intended us to be" knows the truth of this quote.

Our lovely 14 year old grand daughter, Oksana, sitting at her grandfathers computer.

This child HATES for me to take her picture, so this side view is the best I could get!!

Thursday we took Aric home after spending his usual Wednesday and Wednesday night with us, and picked up Oksana to spend some one-on-one time with us.

A rare and very pleasant treat.

The first thing we did was go to the new antimated movie, UP. It was really cute and had a good message. Grandma (that's me) even shed a tear or two!!!

I could have done with a little less of the vicious dog scenes, but I thought the rest of the movie was good and enjoyable.

Mickey & I never go to movies but this is what Oksana wanted to do and this was her day.

Next she picked Ched*dar's for dinner. It was very good and we didn't even have to wait to be seated. Oksana had Chicken Wraps, Grandpa had 1/2 a rack of baby-back ribs, and Grandma had the appitizer of Baken Potato Skins.

All were delicious. We ended up taking 1/2 of Oksana's home in a carry out box.

Gramps and I enjoyed it yesterday for lunch!!!! Oksana didn't take it home with her because she said she probably wouldn't eat it.

Then we came home and watched a little TV together.

Friday morning, after lounging around and her being on the computer some,

we went to Cow*eta's Sticky Buns (of Aric fame!)

where Oksana had biscuit & gravy and grandpa and I shared a pecan roll.

It was a nice, fun time for the 3 of us. We took her home around noon.

I was just awarded this lovely award by Barbara of Ramblings from an English Garden. This award means a lot to me because it came from Barbara and because I truly endeavor to exalt Christ in all I do and say on this blog and in my daily walk with HIM.

I wish to pass this award on to 2 lovely bloggers who I have recently "met". Debra of And It Came To Pass and Sharon of Blogs of Blessings. Both of these gals Exalt Christ on their blogs. I invite you to visit them if they are "new" to you.

Last, but not least, I was privileged to have lunch Tuesday with Sohailah. She is a blogger who lives in this area and we meet via the blog 2 years ago. She is "out of town" a great deal. Working in Hawaii, being a tour guide to Washington, D.C. and recently returned from some Mission work in Africa and will be going back for 3 more months in September. We had shared lunch twice before 2 years ago and it was such a joy and treat to reconnect with her again. As usual we had a lovely lunch at Pan*era Br*ead and our usual 2 hour conversation. I didn't take any pictures.....can you believe it?!!!! but visit her blog and get to know Sohailah.

SOOO another busy, blessed enjoyable week.

Blessed with 2 Awards

This lovely award was passed on to me last week by Tiffany of Southern Sass.

The Lovely Award says the following: "These blogs are exceedingly charming. These kind bloggers aim to find and be friends. They are not interested in self-aggrandizement. Our hope is that when the ribbons of these prizes are cut, even more friendships are propagated.

Tiffany is a lovely young wife & mother who truly loves the Lord. If you are not familiar with her I hope you will follow her link and get to know her. I am so honored to receive this award from you, Tiffany.

Yesterday, I was given this lovely Golden Heart Award by Charlotte of At Home In Scottsdale . Charlotte and I share many things, we are about the same age, have both been married over 50 years and we both love the Lord. I was blessed for you to give me this award, Charlotte.

I was to pass the Lovely award on to 8 bloggers and the Golden Heart award to 5 bloggers. In the past I have always passed these awards on to my choices as instructed. This time I am just thanking these lovely gals for thinking of me, posting them here to acknowledge them and asking anyone who would like to have one or both of these awards to please take it, or them, and post about it. Just be sure to let me know when you do so I can come and see!!!!

I'm doing this in this fashion today because as far as I'm concerned all the bloggers I read on a regular basis are LOVELY and have GOLDEN HEARTS.

TWO AWARDS & Something different

I've been given this lovely award twice recently. On January 9th by Pam of Midnight Musings and back in November by Barbara of Ramblings from an English Garden. Since I've already passed this one on here I'm just taking the opportunity here to say a big "THANK YOU" Pam. You certainly are in my BFF club!!!

They say good things come together and this was true of this lovely award. I received it January 9th from Pearlie of Pearlie Gates and January 14th from Mari of 365 Days.

The Lemonade Award is a special one.......making Lemonade when life hands you lemons. This has been a favorite saying and attitude of mine for years. We all get handed some lemons from time to time in life and it's up to us how we deal with them. I choose to make that Lemonade!!!!!

The rules for the Lemonade Award are:

ONCE YOU'VE BEEN AWARDED, THE RULES ARE:
1. Thank the person who was so thoughtful for giving you this award by linking their blog to this post.
2. Put the logo on your blog or post.
3. Nominate 10 blogs which show great attitude/gratitude.
4. Link your nominee to your post
5. Comment them to tell them about the award they've won.


Instead of picking just 10 of you,,,,,, I am passing this on to EACH of you who read my blog and KNOW that you have earned this Lemonade Award because you've chosen to take some lemons life has handed you and made that sweet Lemonade. that.

**********

SOMETHING DIFFERENT: I thought it would be fun to have everyone who reads this post to comment and put tell me what the verification word is for your comment. As I've left comments and done the verification letters I've just always thought it would be fun to know what ones are coming up on my blog. Sometimes they "almost" say something. Humor me PLEASE....leave me a comment and tell me the verification.

I LOVE YOUR BLOG - Award

I received this lovely award from Tiffany of Southern Sass. As her name indicated, Tiffany is a wonderful Southern girl. If you haven't visited her site I know you will be blessed to do so.

Along with the award goes meme questions to be answered.

1. Where is your cell phone? We only carry and use one for emergency use so it sits on the kitchen counter until we are ready to leave to go out somewhere.

2. Where is your significant other? In the living room watching TV.

3. Your hair color? Gray (use to be a dirty blond when I was young)

4. Your momma? In heaven

5. Your daddy? In heaven

6. Your favorite thing? The Word of God

7. Your dream last night? Not aware of dreaming.

8. Your dream/goal? To see all my children, and grandchildren serving the Lord.

9. The room you're in? The office/computer room.

10. Your hobby? Blogging, but I view it as so much more than just a hobby.

11. Your fear? That I would miss the purpose God has for my life.

12. Where do you want to be in six years? Wherever God wants me to be.

13. Where were you last night? Taking our oldest son to the airport :o(

14. What you're not? Phoney - I hate phoney bologney.

15. One of your wish list items? For the pain in my knees and legs to go away.

16. Where you grew up? Santa Fe, New Mexico

17. The last thing you did? Get up.

18. What are you wearing? New pj's I got for Christmas. Very soft, and comfy!!!

19. Your TV? Going in the living room.

20. Your pet? None

21. Your computer? HP

22. Your mood? Optomistic about what God's going to do in 2009

23. Missing someone? My oldest son not living in this area.

24. Your car? 2007 HHR Chevy -Bright orange and I love it!

25. Something you're not wearing? Shoes - you'll never find me in shoes in the house.

26. Favorite store? Walmart & Aldi

27. Your Summer? Went too fast

28. Love someone? Yes, but only for 50 years :o)

29. Your favorite color? True Blue

30. When is the last time you laughed? Yesterday

31. Last time you cried? Last evening as I said goodbye to #1 son

Since I had already received this award once before in August and passed it on at that time I'm not going to pass it this time to anyone individually but to all of you who read my blog and want to have it and answer the questions. If you do, please link to me and let me know.

FIVE REASONS FOR LOVING CHRISTMAS - 2 Awards

I got this lovely award from my dear friend, Ginger. This one means a whole lot to me because Ginger does not usually participate in Awards and for her to pass this one on to me makes it really special.

Along with the award comes a Meme to list my 5 reasons for loving Christmas and I am to pass the award and Meme on to 5 other blogging friends. EASY!!!

1. My number one reason for loving Christmas is because it is a double blessing to me, because it's my BIRTHDAY, too. How blessed I have been to share my birthday for, yes it will be, 71 years with the day we commemorate the birth of our Lord.

2. I love Christmas because it is still the one time a year, in our country, that there are still a lot of us that CELEBRATE, not Santa Claus, but JESUS

3. I love Christmas because if The Son Of God had not left the glories of Heaven and come to this earth, in human flesh, as a Virgin Born Baby I would still be lost in my sins.

4. I love Christmas because it is a time of Family Celebration and I love and adore the family God has blessed me with.

5. I love Christmas because it is a special time of letting Friends know how very much they mean to us and I am blessed to have the greatest, real life, and blog friends in the world.

Now for the difficult part....selecting five people to pass this award and meme on to.

1. Brenda

2. Saija

3. Jennifer

4. Leigh Ann

5. Barbara

********************************************************

I received this lovely Butterfly Award from Sioux with these sweet words: Susan is a good Christian woman who has encouraged me, through her blog, in my prayer life. Thanks, Susan! Thank you so much Sioux that is the highest compliment you could ever give me and I am very touched by it.

Now I will pass it on to 10 bloggers. Here are the rules :1. Put the logo on your blog.2. Add a link to the person who awarded it to you.3. Nominate 10 other blogs.4. Add links to their blogs.5. Leave a message on the blogs of your nominees.6. Give a reason why you consider their blogs cool

I am going to not only list 10 other blogs but am passing this one to all those who are Prayer Warriors with me on Hearts In One Accord (in the order they joined !!!):

Michelle - Jennifer - Diana - Dawn (private blog) - Annie - Rhonda - Pam - Leigh Ann - Mickey (my dear sweet husband of 50 years - he has no blog but know about each and everyone of you prayer warriors!) - Shirley - Sue Sioux - Ginger - Retha (our first International Warrior) - Amy (A friend of Leigh Ann's who has a private blog) - Nancy
- Lori - Jenileigh - Kim - Kitty (Kitty's blog is now private) - Sandra (another International Warrior) & Brenda.

These 21 Prayer Warriors join me as we pray daily for The Body Of Christ - Our Local Church Assembly - Our Nation - Our Community and special prayer needs that are posted for prayer. You 21 bless me......but the important thing......I know you bless the heart of our Father God: "Let us therefore come boldly unto the throne of grace, that we may obtain mercy and find grace to help in time of need" Hebrews 4:16

WE WOULD LOVE FOR YOU TO JOIN US IN THIS!!!!!!!

PROXIMIDADE! Award

"This blog invests and believes in the PROXIMITY - nearness in space, time and relationships! These blogs are exceedingly charming. These kind bloggers aim to find and be friends. They are not interested in prizes or self-aggrandizement. Our hope is that when the ribbons of these prizes are cut, even more friendships are propagated. Please give more attention to these writers! Deliver this award to eight bloggers who must choose eight more and include this cleverly-written text into the body of their award."


The above is a VERY special award for me.......not because of what it is......but because of the person who gave it to me, Kahri of Our Peculiar Life. Here are her kind words:
1. Penless Writer: They may have written the award specifically for Susan's blog. There is no other blog that fits the criteria as well.



I've mentioned Kahri several times on my blog, but for you who might be new readers I would not even have a blog if it were not for Kahri. When I first met Kahri, oh my that's been about 4 years ago now, I did not even know the word "blog", much less know what it meant. She had a blog and I read it faithfully to keep abreast on her newborn baby girl, Kaedra, who was in the hospital. I NEVER left a comment. I didn't know that not only could you leave a comment, but that the blogger would love for you to leave a comment. She knew I read it, and I would mention it to her. I became a "lurker" of several blogs in her blogroll.



Finally, on January 21, 2007, I very gingerly stepped out with my blog. I thought, "Who in the world cares what a 69 year old grandmother has to say?" It has indeed changed my life and had far reaching effects on my life that I never could have imagined. So to Kahri I say "Thank YOU".

I usually participate in passing these awards along, but this time I am going to beg out. We are extremely busy right now. Mickey's niece & husband are coming in from Virginia to spend two days with us Friday & Saturday.......YEAH!!! We are so delighted they are coming. I am having a big dinner for all the family Saturday night to meet them. We have 4 birthdays this month, in addition to Christmas!!! To say I am just swamped is an understatement. We also have a trip to Oklahoma City and the VA Hospital on the 11th for Mickey's final cardiac check-up. Yes, a very busy time for us.

We got a few Christmas things out yesterday and began decorating the house. We usually put up a lot of outdoor decorations, including a manger scene, and decorate a lot inside but this year, with Mickey's recent heart bi-pass, I only dug out just the few items I could get to easily. That will have to be it this year. Believe me, our hearts are "decorated" and full of joy and thankfulness for this season of the Birth of our Jesus, our family who bring us such joy and comfort and mostly celebrating Mickey's recovery and health.

To all my faithful readers I give this Proximidade Award because "This blog invests and believes in the PROXIMITY - nearness in space, time & relationships."

UBER Award

I recently received this lovely award from Bobbi, Great Adventures II. Thank you so very much, Bobbi.

About the award: Uber (synonym to Super) Amazing Blog Award is a blog award given to sites who: ~ inspire you ~ make you smile and laugh ~ give amazing information ~ are a great read ~ have an amazing design ~ and any other reasons you can think of that makes them uber amazing!

The rules of this award are: * Put the logo on your blog or post, * Nominate at least 5 blogs (can be more) that for you are Uber Amazing! * Let them know that they have received this Uber Amazing award by commenting on their blog, * Share the love and link to this post and to the person you received your award from.


I'm going to do mine a little different in making my choices. I'm doing it by category.


INSPIRES - Meredith at A Mother Singing with her inspiring posts of her adopted daughter, Jane and her grown children. Her mother love is evident in each and every post.

MAKES ME SMILE & LAUGH - Linds of Rocking Chair Reflections. Linds writes with such a sense of humor even when faced with very difficult situations. Many times when reading Linds blog I am literally laughing out loud. I think it is a wonderful gift to be able to laugh at ourselves and see the absolute humor in so very much of life.

GIVES AMAZING INFORMATION - I picked two for this award because each blog is from such a different perspective of information.

Barbara of Ramblings from an English Garden . Barbara blesses us with many lovely tours of interesting places around England where she lives. I get to share in these places, through her camera and narrative, that I will never see with my eyes in real life.

Shirley of Alabama Times. Shirley & her husband and 2 children recently moved from Pennsylvania to Alabama and are building their own home from the ground up!! She is sharing with us each step of the process. It blesses not only me, but my husband, Mickey, to get to follow along on the very intriguing process that her husband has designed and how they work together in this great undertaking.....even the children.

A GREAT READ - Maxine of Nanna's Reflections. I especially appreciated the Godly approach that Maxine took when posting her thoughts and concerns about the Presidential election we just had. She caused me to think even deeper than I already was.

AN AMAZING DESIGN - Susie of A Pink Carnation in Bloom. Since I am so much more a "word" oriented person I have picked Susie for her header design because it so fits the wonderful story of how that name came to be and about Susie. If you aren't familiar with it......go to her blog and click on her side bar and read it. It will bless you. Susie is one young woman I have followed almost from the beginning and I love her "heart" for her Lord and her family.

ANY OTHER REASON YOU CAN THINK OF - ALL OF YOU who I read and comment on a consistent basis. Realize, I think you are all UNER or I wouldn't be coming around!!!

I'm also going to name two more bloggers who don't blog any more and who I miss terribly!!!

Both of these gals blessed me with their wonderful Spiritual insight. They were truly Proverbs 27:17 to me – “Iron sharpeneth iron; so a man sharpeneth the countenance of his friend.”

Karen of Karen's Ramblings, who lives in New Zealand with her husband and young son & daughter & Carin of Folded Wings, who lives in England. It is my prayer that God will bring these two voices back into Blogland because they always lifted our Savior high and I miss them so. In case either of you happen by to read.....WE NEED YOU!!!!

BFF GOLD CARD

Finally, I am getting around to a blog award....Blogging Friends Forever. I received this from my English friend, Barbara, back a little while ago. With my husbands surgery and the election taking priority on my blog I'm just now getting around to doing this.

The idea behind this award is that you send it to three bloggers who have regularly commented on your blog and also to one new blogging friend.

The 3 people that I have chosen to pass this award on to are bloggers that came and commented on my blog right at the beginning almost 22 months ago and have continued to comment ever since.

I have many regular blog friends now but these 3 have been here from the very beginning. Leigh Ann, Ginger and Jen. These 3 have truly passed from blog friends to "friends" and people I would stay in contact with even if I quit blogging. They are also 3 people I want to get to meet in real life so badly!! We ALMOST made it Jen :o)

For a fairly new blogging friend and regular commenter I award it to Brenda. I am so happy I not only got to meet Brenda on blog but in real life!!!

I very much appreciate all who visit and comment. You really add joy to my day.

I especially appreciate all the wonderful woman who pray daily with me on Hearts In "1" Accord . What an honor and blessing it is to know we are praying with others from all over. If any of you would like to join this 24/7 prayer group just click on the button on my side bar.

A CUP OF FRIENDSHIP AWARD -

I got this blog award from Danielle! It's so cute I had to do it and pass it on.

To claim my fabulous prize of four cyber coffee cups full of mysterious liquid, I must answer the following questions and provide links to my unsuspecting victims:

1. Do you have the same friends since childhood? Not friend(s) but friend. My forever friend, Joan, who I have written much about. I do keep up with some of my fellow classmates via e-mail forwards and updates, etc. I also have to list our wonderful friends, Don & Barbara. We meet them 32 years ago.......that is equal to a lifetime for many of you!!!

2. What do you value most about your friends? Truthfulness & honesty is #1 with me, loyality, understanding, acceptance, sharing our belief in Christ so "Iron Sharpeneth Iron", people of their word. All of my close, personal friends exhibit ALL of these qualities and MORE!!!

3. Are your friends your sounding boards? Very much so. Of course my dearest & closest friend of all is my beloved husband, Mickey. He is REALLY my sounding board!!!

4. What is your favorite activity to share with your friends? Anything and everything, with lots of fun and laughter thrown in the mix.

Since there are 4 cups of liquid, I'm keeping one for myself and passing the others along to....

for this I'm giving it to the 2 blog friends I just met and the one I had planned and hoped to meet.

1. Kitty

2. Brenda

3. Jen

(I'm wondering what this liquid is, too.) I'll bet its to grow these friendships even stronger!!! What do you think?

A SPECIAL AWARD

I just received this neat award from Leanne of The Life & Times of the Olson's.

I really like this one because of the questions, that make you think, and we learn more about each other. Thank you Leanne for choosing me as one of your 6!

Here are the rules:
Mention the blog that gave it to you & comment on their blog to let them know you've posted your award

Publish these rules
Share 6 values that are important to you and 6 things you do not support
Grant the prize to 6 people

What I value:

That Jesus is my Lord and Savior

The Bible, God's written word

My long, loving relationship with my wonderful husband

Living in a free country where I can go to the Church of my choice without fear

Always having a nice home to live in

Being blessed with 2 daughters, 2 sons, and 3 grandchildren



What I do not support:

Judging other people

Drug use of any kind

Gossip

Abortion

Not being truthful or forthright

Hyprocrites

This second one was hard for me and I realize my answers are more "things I cannot stand" rather than direct "things I do not support".

Leanne stated: I wasn't sure what the name on the award meant, so I translated it on-line (may not be a completely accurate translation). "Premio al Esfuerzo Personal" = Prize to the Personal Effort. So I chose some of the blog writers who I feel deserve a prize for their personal effort in blogging.

The six blog writers who I feel deserve a prize for their personal effort in blogging are:

Diana - Sunshine on my Shoulder

Shirley - Alabama Times
Kitty - Kitty's Korner

Leigh Ann - Living to Learn and Learning to Live

Sarah - My Wonderful Life
Tiffany - Southern Sass

It is always so difficult to narrow this down to the number required. I always give great thought to whom I select. This is the first award I have passed along in some time because it appeared a very special one to me with the questions.

A LOVELY BLESSING & THREE AWARDS

Our good neighbor, and friend, Wayne, brought us not one, but three, Rose of Sharon cuttings. Here Mickey is holding up the two smaller pink blossom ones.
This is the large white bloosom one after Mickey got it planted.

I have recently been blessed with three awards that I am just now getting around to acknowledging.

This is the first time this has ever happened to me, but I cannot remember who gave me this Beacon Of Hope Award. I feel so ashamed and terrible about that. Please forgive me for my forgetfulness but thank you so very much for blessing me with this award. It especially meant a lot to receive it because of the name, Beacon Of Hope. If you read this blog and remember it was YOU please leave me a comment so I can acknowledge you properly.

This Brillante Weblog award came from my sweet friend, and fellow prayer warrior, Michelle, of Ozarks Sew N Sews. I received this award August 9th. Every time I see the name of her blog, Ozarks Sew N Sew, I marvel at the appropriate and oh so cute name!!! Thank you so much Michelle. You are always an encourager to me and your sweetness is a true blessing to many of us in blogland.

This sweet I Heart Your Blog was received yesterday from Melinda, The Nest Egg. Thank you so very much Melinda. This one especially meant a lot to me because Melinda is a fairly new reader of Penless. Melinda can teach ALL of us a lot about couponing so be sure and visit her blog.

CLEAN UP - CATCH UP - THIS & THAT

Since the vacation I've had a hard time trying to "catch up" so decided to post a mix-match of things here.

I had posted about our living room, dining area & kitchen re-do and the wall paper jog. We had one last step - which was putting up a border all around the wall paper. Mickey finished that job and here it is. It finished it off nicely we thought.

Many of you prayed for our dear friend, Jack. This picture was taken 4 days!!!!! after his quadruple heart surgery. We would not believe how great he looked. The surgery was on April 7th. They were back to the Dr. last week and he is doing so good he doesn't have to go back for 3 months. Thanks to you all who prayed for Jack. We just praise the Lord for this victory!!!!!


I was given this You Make My Day award on April 23 by Brenda of It's All Wonderfully Good. Sorry, Brenda, it's taken me 5 days to say Thank You. I do appreciate it very much.

PERSEVERANCE AWARD

Channel of Healing has passed along this Perseverance Award to 8 of us. Her comment for me was: "Penless Writer you have truly preserved".



Thank you so much. I truly appreciate this award because it honors a trait that I truly admire - that of perseverance. "Perseverance" = to continue doing something in spite of difficulty, opposition, etc. This is another word for the fourth attribute of the Fruit of the Spirit - "But the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, longsuffering, gentleness, goodness, faith, meekness, temperance: against such there is no law." Galatians 5:22-23



I am passing this award along to:



Mynra - Cherish the Word - Mynra just lost her beloved husband of 38 years, Lee, on March 22th. Mynra you have truly persevered during Lee's long illness and I know you will persevere during this time of adjustment with your loss.

Jennifer - Pen of Jen & Double Nickle Farm - Jennifer personifies the word perseverance as she and her husband have adjusted to life after her husband being involved in a horrible accident and now setting up a brand new life on their Double Nickle Farm.

Retha - Retha's Rambles - Retha is a young wife and mother who lives in South Africa. I must admit some of her posts bring tears to my eyes when I read of her struggles with the situation they find themselves in. You are truly an example of perseverance Retha as you cling to your faith.

Linds - Rocking Chair Reflections - Linds is another of my blog friends who lost her husband tragically a little over a year ago. She is facing the adjustments she has been confronted with not only perseverance but maintaining a wonderful sense of humor while doing it.

These are 4 wonderful, persevering woman I have selected to pass on this very special Award to. I am so thankful that each of you blog and that I have had the privilege to "meet" you via blogland and be inspired by your walk. Each of you 4 inspire me greatly.