A Very Special Gift From FAR-FAR AWAY from Very Special PEOPLE

On February 11th I received a phone call from The Green Parrot Cafe informing me that our wonderful friends, from South Africa had contacted them and purchased a gift certificate for Mickey, son Marc, grandson Aric and myself to enjoy a meal.  Talk about shocked and stunned.  I can only imagine the love, time and effort that went into their doing this!  First, locating a local cafe here in Coweta and then going through all the work, and back & forth they had to go through, to accomplish this surprise.

Due to Mickey's health and the hospitalizations, Dr. appointments, procedures, and just generally being basically home bound the majority of the time,  it took us 52 days to reap the joy and thrill of this unique and wonderful love.              

The four of us  awaiting our order.

The three generation of Joyce men as we enter 

The Green Parrot Cafe

This Cafe was established in 1942, 73 years ago and when I was a 4 years old child in Santa Fe, New Mexico and had never even heard of Coweta, Oklahoma!!!

It is on the main street, which is Broadway, and is known by everyone who lives in Coweta.

It is a landmark and a hangout for many of the locals.

The only female in this group getting a picture of the front window and sign (and myself!)

One of the nice things about The Green Parrot is they serve breakfast the entire 7 1/2 hours they are opened, in addition to a large selection of other items and a daily special.

Our choices ran the gambit - Aric had breakfas: waffle, egg, bacon - Mickey & Marc both had the Chicken fried steak special with 2 vegetables & bread - Susan had hamburger with fries.

EVERYTHING home-style and freshly prepared.

ALL was delicious and we were filled to the brim.

Another interesting thing, on this particular day, other than the owner and cook, I was the only female and all the other patrons were men.

The inside is all panelled with knotty pine and has the old time counter, stools and malt machine

Plus lots & lots of Parrot pictures, figurines and other Parrot items collected over the years.

Yes, quite a unique place and a very unique gift for us from so FAR away.

In a perfect world we would LOVE to have Jason, Retha & Ethan with us eating here at 

The Green Parrot in Coweta, Oklahoma.

Mickey & I all smiles and full of joy and gratitude for so blessing us with such a strong SPIRITUAL and LOVING connection with Jason, Rethan and their son Ethan.

It brings tears to my eyes on many occasions when I marvel at the great work GOD has done, and is doing, in our lives and friendship together.  ONLY GOD!!!! 

GIFTING

GIFT - n. 1) something given; present.  2) the act of giving. 3) a natural ability; talent.

I've been doing a lot of thinking this New Year about GIFTS, especially as it pertains to the GIFT God puts into us. Yes, if you are A Child of God, then God has given you a gift that He wants you to be and share with His Body.  Probably a lot of you reading this are thinking, or saying, "Well God didn't give me a GIFT" , or "God didn't put a GIFT in me."  That is a lie of the Devil, and he has been a liar from the beginning.  God created you to be in His plans and purposes for His Kingdom here on earth.  He has a special and specific plan for your life and He has given you the perfect GIFT or GIFTING to accomplish His plan.

Our problem is we look at ministers, teachers, or someone who has a prominent place within our church or the Christian community and think that if God isn't using us in some big way like that then we don't have any GIFTS.  Another lie!!!  We are The Body of Christ and each and every one of us that are a part of His Body have a function to play.  "For the body is not one member, but many."  I Corinthians 12:17

So what is YOUR GIFT?  Do you know what it is?  More importantly, are you using it????

Maybe your GIFT is encouragement - maybe it is helping to clean up the kitchen after a Church function - maybe it's being a great cook and able to make delicious things for a pot-luck meal or to take to a shut-in or a friend who is ill.  Maybe your GIFT is teaching - or opening up your home for a bible study or prayer meeting.  Maybe your GIFT is making prayer shawls to be given to someone who needs one - or starting or leading a prayer chain. The list could go on and on but you get the idea:

WE ALL HAVE A GIFT or GIFTS, given to us by God that we are to use for His glory and His kingdom.  "But now hath God set the members every one of them in the body, as it hath pleased him."  1 Corinthians 12:18  When you do not use your gift The Body of Christ where you have been placed is not complete.

So, open up that GIFT that God has made and given to you and use it for His Kingdom and His Glory. 

 If you aren't aware of what your gift to the Body of Christ is ask God to show you.   He will!!!

So what is YOUR GIFT?  Do you know what it is?  More importantly, are you using it????

Please leave a comment sharing what your GIFT or GIFTS are and how you are currently using them.   Also, ways that you might extend your GIFT into other areas of ministry. 

THE BEST GIFT

WRITING CHALLENGE - as I begin the New Year.  Saw this writing challenge for the New Year on a friends blog!  Decided to give it a whirl…

1. Write about the best gift you gave to someone else. What made it so special?

Back in 1986, when we were living in New Mexico, my husbands brothers & sisters were going to have a family reunion at a resort in So. Carolina.  Mickey had decided we couldn't afford it and had told them he would not be attending.

First - Behind his back (yes!!) I contacted his boss and made arrangement for him to have that week off and to not tell him I had contacted him.  He agreed.

Second - I purchased the plane ticket.

Third - I got a Chinese fortune cookie and broke it in half.  I cut out a very small strip of paper and wrote on it "You will go on a VERY long trip very soon!".  I placed it inside the cookie and glued the cookie back together.

Fourth - The Sunday, before he was to leave on Monday, after church we went out to eat.  After eating I told him I had his dessert in my purse and took out the fortune cookie, in a plastic bag, and gave it to him.  The look on his face as he cracked that cookie open and then read the "fortune" was, and is, priceless to me.   

Fifth - Then I took out the airline ticket and gave it to him and told him what I had done.  He left early on Monday morning.

It was absolutely the best gift I've ever been able to give anyone.

By the way, these 26 years later, that little slip of paper (with the glob of glue that held it in place!!) resides as one of his treasures in his jewelry box.  I am sure one of our children will some day have it and be sharing this story. 

A SPECIAL GIFT

Last Saturday my husband came in with the mail and handed me a box.  I thought, "What in the world is this?"  Then I saw the return address and who it was from and was surprised and thought "How sweet of Leigh Ann".  Then I opened it and after taking it out of the box, carefully unwrapping the tissue paper wrapped around it and seeing what it was I burst into tears!!!

Only someone with the heart of Leigh Ann could have thought to send, not only me but 2 other of her blog friends, a handmade, precious pillows with our word for the year embroidered on it.

Therein, came the tears....for the past 3 years I've asked the Lord to give me a word on January 1st for that year. In 2009 the word was "unity".  Go here to read about it. Then in 2010 the word was "vulnerable".  8 months ago on 1-1-11 it was "persevere".

At the time I thought, "Oh, persevere - that means that we will persevere through Suzette's chemo treatments and she is going to be healed, cured and whole."  Little did I know that on May 19th we would be called on to "persevere" in a way that we had not, until the week before, even let enter into our minds or hearts. 

Yes, persevere we did, and persevere we are, and persevere we will because Jesus holds us in the palm of His hands and because God has plans and purposes for each and every one of us that we know not, nor can we question why because He is God and He is good and He is all sufficient.

So this precious treasure, from a most precious friend, sits here in my office by the computer where I spend so many hours blogging, in this basket that holds yarn left off from prayer shawls I have made. It reminds me daily that I not only HAVE but CAN and WILL persevere no matter what. 

Another reason this gift is so precious to me is because of Leigh Ann and who she is in my life and what she means to me.  When I began blogging on January 21, 2007 I wondered if anyone would ever read or comment on my little blog.  I had 1 comment on that post and 1 comment on 1/22 post and then on 1/27 I had 3 comments and one of them was from Leigh Ann, but she went under Momma and then LA and it was some time before she told me her full name :o)  

Whatever she went by, it was instant connection between the two of us.  Strange, because I had just turn 68 years old and she was in her early 30's.  Younger than all 4 of my children.  But there is no question that ours has been a God connection from the very beginning and one I treasure with all my heart and soul.  

So thank you Leigh Ann, you touched me at a level you will never truly understand until we finally get to meet some day in Heaven around HIS throne.  I love you and thank you from the bottom of my heart!!!!  

A LOVELY GIFT

I have so much catching up to do!!!! Here goes one.

Way back on July 26th I was blessed to be the winner of a $40 Gift Certificate that Becky, of The Keys to the Cottage, had on a drawing on her previous blog.

It took me quite a while to select an item I wanted. There were so many items to choose from.

There is a young couple from our church getting married next month and I wanted to get a nice gift for them so I decided to get this:

A thermometer that reads the room temperature with different colored floating balls with the temperature on an attached tag. My daughter, Suzette, has one of these in her home and I have always admired it.

For weddings I like to give something along the "pretty" line, rather than something "practical" (like towels or sheets) so it is something they can have for years and remember receiving it from us. I have things like that in my home from 50+ years ago and I treasure them.

Thank you Becky for drawing my name. Thank you CSN Stores for offering the free Gift Certificate. Thank you God for yet another of your many blessings.

Best wishes Dream & James

I'm attending her bridal shower next Sunday :o)

A Gift & My Camera Update & Happy Birthday Jacque!!

I participated in Pay It Forward by signing up for it at Pea's Corner many months ago. I had actually forgotten all about it after I sent along my 3 Pay It Forward gifts. Then last week in the mail I got this:



A lovely refrigerator magnet Teapot made by Pea her self. Isn't it just adorable. It even has a tea bag in it!!! The tag on it reads:


The Christmas Teapot - On Christmas Day at half past three, Brew yourself a cup of tea, And I'll think of you, While you think of me, Sitting beside the Christmas tree.


Pea, you can be sure that I will be drinking my cup of tea at half past three on Christmas day. Thanks so much and what fun!!!!

Well, guess what????? My co-worker at the Klothes Kloset ministry at church on Tuesday's found my old camera!!! It was in the storage room. We had been working in there for about 4 hours last Tuesday. Thelma needed to find a small piece of paper and while she was looking for that.....low and behold here was my camera.


At first I thought I'd just return the new one I'd just purchased but........I just love my new one. Mickey wanted me to keep it so I made him PROMISE that this new camera would be my Birthday & Christmas gift this year. After some arm twisting he finally agreed and I could not be more pleased. I told him I'd give it back so he could wrap it up and put it under the tree!!!!


My blog friend, Chrystal, suggested that I could take a picture of it by using a mirror. Now I would never have thought about that. Thanks Chrystal!!!



So here's my new little camera and me!!! Get a load of the manicured nails from Saturday's birthday celebration. By the way, the shirt says "Jingle" and has a bell on it. A gift to all the girls from Suzette. She was wearing her's in the picture's at the salon & cafe.


Just sharing fun stuff from the blogging world we all participate in and enjoy.

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Also, HAPPY BIRTHDAY TO OUR DAUGHTER, JACQUE. As you know we celebrated all our birthdays on the 12th but today is her OFFICIAL day. Here's Jacque being greeted by her 1 year old sister, Suzette.

As a teenager.

WE LOVE YOU JACQUE!!!!!!

A WINNER AGAIN

My daughter, Suzette, always says. "Good things come in 3's." and this is surely true of this lovely give-away that I just won.

Tammy, of Country Girl At Home, had a drawing to celebrate her 200th post on May 13th and my name was drawn on May 15th.

Friday, while I was burning in the sun having my garage sale, this huge package arrived!!! How exciting.

(Click picture to enlarge)

A distressed, black colonial 16" x 12" shelf built by her husband, Jason. I love it and have the perfect place for it. I'll show you when we get it hung!!!!

A stitch, tea stained "Believe" primitive art piece 11 1/2' x 12" in a lovely distressed frame and an 8" tall pineapple dish.

Such a lovely give away, Tammy. I'm so glad Joy picked my name :o)

If you haven't already met Tammy please drop by and visit her blog. She & her husband are always doing neat things around their home. Right now they are in the midst of a bathroom makeover that we are all eagerly waiting to see.

ANOTHER BLESSING

This lovely box of goodies was awaiting me Monday afternoon when I returned home from my Woman's Bible Study.

It has come ALL the way from Alberta, Canada and a blog friend, Crystal. Crystal celebrated her 900th post (!!!!!!) recently and I was fortunate to be the very lucky winning name that was drawn.

I couldn't believe all the niceities Crystal had sent me: A Book "I'm dreaming of some White Chocolate" - 4 lovely rubber stamps - a beautiful blueish stamp pad - a package of 3 beautiful note cards - 2 sheets of linen stickers - a CD minibooklet - a little list pad tied with a pretty bow - Nestle Noir Dark Chocolate - and a lovely notebook with a sweet personal note from Crystal.

Thank you Crystal. All such a delight and will be put to very good use.

If you do not know Crystal I invite you to visit her blog, Be The Change You Want To See. Crystal will delight you with all her lovely scrapbooking, adventures with her grandbabies, and wonderful travels.

BLOGGER LOVE & GENEROSITY

Love & generosity is spelled ....... Michelle of Ozark Sew 'n Sews.

Look at the labor of love in this beautiful counted cross stitchery of the many names

of Jesus.

This lovely piece is 15 inches x 10 inches. Having done a lot of this type work in the past my self I know the many hours that it has taken Michelle. We are so deeply touched by this gift.

Michelle knows us well, and knew that nothing could mean more to us than the wonderful names of our Lord Jesus.

Along with it came this sweet note: "Dear Mickey & Susan - I sure hope you like this and that the color choice is okay. Susan hon, I remembered how you said if you could still cross stitch you would make one. So I wanted to do this for you both. God bless you guys. Huggles, Michelle & Jack"

Well, God surely blessed us and used your loving hands & hearts to do so.

Thank you so much.

If you aren't familiar with both Jack & Michelle's beautiful stitchery please check out their blog......It aptly carries the perfect name - Ozark Sew n' Sews.

A WONDERFUL GIFT

The Lord blessed us with someone giving us a new (newer to us)

computer recently!!!

Then, The Lord tested MY patience by making me wait over a 5 weeks period to be able to use it!!

Marc, changed out the monitors last Sunday when we celebrated his birthday. Yesterday Marc, Oksana & Aric came out after church for a home cooked roast dinner, with all the trimmings, and he was able to get the processor changed out and all our information transferred.

This is my old computer. This one was built by Marc when we returned to Coweta, in May 2004

The new monitor

The new HP monitor. This is 3-4 times faster than our previous processor.

YEAH-More speed in blogging!!!!

The slim line of the monitor

Marc, with Mickey looking on, as he changed out all the information from the old to the new.

(click to enlarge)

Aric & Oksana playing on Oksana's laptop while their Dad helps their Grandmom & Grandpa.

THANK YOU SON!!!!

Everyone should be blessed with a son like ours.

A CROWN OF THORNS

A VERY belated thank you for a WONDERFUL gift I received some time ago from my dear friend, Jennifer. This crown of thorns I have hung on the corner of the paint by number of the Lord's Supper that I did 49 years ago. What a perfect place and reminder of the price that was paid by our Dear Savior and the Love of Our Father in sending His only begotten Son to die for me.

I truly have egg on my face for it being so long for me to acknowledge this gift of love. It truly is a gift of love, both in the making of it, and then in the packing and shipping of it.

I see it every day, Jen, and I love it. Thank you so very, very much!!!

A GIFT!!!

LOOK!!!! what came in the mail for me yesterday all the way from South Africa. Retha, of Retha's Rambles , not only sent me a box of 40 Rooibos Teabags but had a special angel made for me. It is precious and adorable. Made out of wire and beads. The main part is silver with the halo and wings gold. Then I received a wonderful six page letter from Retha telling me more and sharing more with me. I love each and every part of it, Retha. Even the box with the South Africa stamps!!! Such a surprise and such a blessing.

Retha recently became the FIRST world wide participant in our Hearts In "1" Accord prayer team blog. I say first because I know that God has called this team to be a world wide 24/7 group. Circling the world with none ending, every hour, every day prayer. What a wonderful thing that will be.

Please drop over and meet Retha and get to know her. You will be blessed indeed.

Thank you so very much Retha. You surprised the socks off of me and blessed me to tears.

WE'RE BACK & ANOTHER GIFT.

Look what came the very day before we left on our trip!!These are the 3 lovely items that I won from Karoline of Cherished Vintage to celebrate her 60th post. 1) A hanging sachet filled with French lavender 2) a 7 Pennant banner garland & 3) Tote bag made from Vintage tablecloth pieces. Thank you so much Karoline. I love them!!! And it was so wonderful that they arrived in time for me to use the Tote on my trip :o)

Here I am at the Tulsa airport just before we flew out on April 12th. I carried my Bible and other books in this lovely tote.

Here's my man at the Delta gate for our flight.

Our trip and celebration, as part of our 50th year of marriage, was to attend the Virginia International Tattoo in Norfolk, Virginia. Those who are long time readers are aware we were scheduled to attend the Royal Nova Scotia International Tattoo in July, 2007 in Halifax. The trip was canceled when our dear friend and traveling companion, Don, became ill.

You know they say you can never recapture an event, place, or feeling, and this proved true in this case. Even though we thoroughly enjoyed this Tattoo and are glad we attended, it certainly did not measure up to our expectations or the previous one we had enjoyed while in Nova Scotia in 2000. The one in Norfolk had a LOT more Military bands and emphasis, but did not have as many of the Scottish marching groups, dancers, bagpipers, drummers and pzazz that Nova Scotia had.

The trip was wonderful as we have family living in Virginia and we got to spend 9 wonderful days with Mickey's niece, Karen, and her husband, Tommy, in their lovely home and 46 acre horse farm in Chesapeake. We also got to spend time with and visit their daughters, Helena & Rachel and Rachel's husband, Doug and we got to meet Doug's 14 year old daughter, Morgan, and Doug's mother; Karen's younger brother, Ronnie, and Ronnie's sons Ron Jr. & Scott all of the area. Plus they took us to Warrenton, VA for 3 days to visit Karen's sister, Regina & husband, Rich, and their mother, our wonderful sister-in-love, Sally. So getting to spend time with all of them was wonderful. I'll try and post a few pictures later. As you can imagine we took a bunch.

The BEST part of the trip was what God is doing on the Spiritual level and some of the wonderful things He confirmed in Karen, Mickey & I. We attended church both Sundays with them at New Life Christian Fellowship. Karen & I went to a woman's meeting, their second of the year, (which just "happened" to be while I was there!!!!) called Meet Me At The Well on Saturday. I was given a black writing tablet with the Eiffel Tower on it as planting a seed for Writing!!!! They passed around a basket of flower seeds and we were each to take a package. After the meeting the coordinator came up to me and gave me 7 packets of Zinnia seeds to bring back and give to ones on our prayer team here. It was awesome!!! We found out there was an International House of Prayer in Virginia Beach but they are not up and operating on a 24 hour level yet. Karen, Mickey & I were going to go until we found that out which was a disappointment. Karen & Tommy's good missionary friends to North Africa, Keith & Debbie, (just "happened" to) fly in from New York the same day we arrived so we got to meet them and spend a little time with them. Keith & Debbie (just "happened") to be picking up a pop singer, turned Christian, from Ireland at the airport yesterday at the same time we were flying out!!!! Karen & Tommy are taking a Francis Frangipane class through their church and I was blessed to get to listen to the CD teaching on prayer. I own every book Francis has written and have followed his work and ministry for about 10 years, we get his weekly messages and Mickey & I have talked about taking his training course. It was wonderful!!! I just marvel at how God orchestrates our lives.

Karen & Tommy and Mickey & I are all on the same Spiritual walk and level and it was such a joy to spend 9 days with them, and God confirming everything for all of us on each & every turn. I love HIM so much and am so excited about what HE is doing in our lives and at this time. We know exciting things are moving and happening here in Coweta and it was just added confirmation that the same is happening there in that area, too. God is soooooo good!!



I have to tell you, it is a little hard trying to get back into the blogging groove again but I will slowly get back and slowly get around to visiting all of your blogs again.

ANSWERED PRAY & A GIFT TO REMIND ME TO PRAY FOR KENYA

We are rejoicing and praise God for the good report we got on our dear friend and brother in Christ, Jack. His quadruple heart by-pass surgery this morning went very smoothly. In fact the Dr. found less heart damage than he had feared.

I want to thank the 22 blog prayer warriors who left comments and were praying for both Jack and Mary. They came by last night after church to leave their dog, Baron, with us to take care of for the week since Mary is staying in Oklahoma City with Jack. When they came in I pulled up my blog and read all the wonderful comments that the 22 of you had left. They were very touched to know people literally all over were praying for him.

I also want to thank the ones of you today who left comments asking how it had gone.

We are just all so thankful.

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Dawn, Call Me Grandma Dawn, had a drawing for her 300th post of a lovely pair of Elephant earrings that her son had gotten for her in Kenya. Her little granddaughter, Care Bear, wrote out the names on slips of papers and then drew my name, which she had spelled Soosen. How cute is that?!!!! You can read about it here.

The package with this lovely earrings arrive in the mail today, along with the cute card (which I cut the top off in my photo) reading Thanks for being my friend.

Thank you so much Dawn for giving away such a wonderful gift and thank you Care Bear for drawing Soosen's name.

I will wear them not only with delight but with pride as I tell everyone that they are from Kenya and remind them, and myself, to pray for this country and the people who are suffering so.

I am humbled and blessed with the love that is show in blogland on a daily basis.

A SURPRISE PACKAGE & 5 Questions Meme

Look what arrived in my mail box yesterday from Jennifer at Dust Bunny Hostage. It is an old Salvation Army Song Book that was dedicated in the memory of a Major Percy Holden by his wife on May 27, 1945. It contains the words to 730 songs and they are listed under categories.

It arrived along with this beautiful hand made note card. Thank you Jennifer I was totally surprised and very pleased. The book will be placed on my bookshelf next to the old small books I inherited from my father that I showed recently on Show & Tell.

I was tagged by Brenda, of It's All Good, for the following Meme. I think I did this one before but it's been months so I'll do it again!

Let's see...rules first.

1. The rules of the game get posted at the beginning.
2. Each player answers the questions about themselves.
3. At the end of the post, the player then tags 5 people and posts their names, then goes to their blogs and leaves a comment, letting them know they've been tagged and asking them to read your blog.

What I was doing 10 years ago:

I had just returned to work from a 6 month leave of absence where we took a trip in our RV to Alaska and we had just purchased our current home in Coweta.

Five things on my to-do list today:

1. Have bible study and prayer time with my husband when he gets up.

2. Post this meme and blog

3. Have coffee and a time of sharing with my son, David, around 9:30 when he comes over.

4. Try and select new wallpaper for my kitchen

5. Do ironing.

Snacks I enjoy:
1. Home made bread or rolls

2. Cookies

3. Potato Chips

4. Ice cream floats

5. Yogart

Things I would do if I were a billionaire:
1. Get a location for our 24 hour House of Prayer

2. Give to build the facility for Freedom House - a woman's ministry of our church

3. Set up an account for my 4 children and 3 grandchildren where they could use the interest but could not touch the principle and it had to be passed down to their heirs with the same stipulation.

4. Travel to Israel, Switzerland, Holland and all over.

5. Buy another house that had a smaller yard so my husband wouldn't have so much yard work to do........and then hire out the yard work that was necessary there......and get someone to come in once a week and clean house.

Five of my bad habits:
1. Snacking too much.
2. Lack of steady exercise regimen.
3. Back seat driving.

4. Not liking to make telephone calls.

5. Not checking on my neighbors more.

Five places I have lived:
1. Santa Fe, NM --born and raised

2. Albuquerque, NM - first years of our marriage
3. Denver, CO - for just a few years
4. Tulsa, OK and now Coweta, OK - since 1964.

5. In a 5th wheel traveling for 4 years.

Five jobs I've had:
1. Secretary
2. Realtor
3. Bookkeeper

4. Craft store operator
5. Staff Accountant at a CPA firm which I retired from.

Five people I want to know more about (a nice way of saying TAG!):

I choose not to tag anyone but invited those who wish to participate to do so. Be sure and leave me a comment and let me know so I can read yours.

PRAYER - More about - Thanks - Award

WOW!!!!!

I don't know about the rest of you......but I have been so blessed by the wonderful, in-depth discussion and thought that we, as The Body of Christ, are having about prayer and the aspects that relate to it. None of us have the entire picture, or answers, but put us together and the Holy Spirit moves and fills in a lot of understanding. One of my favorite scriptures is:

"Iron sharpeneth iron;

so a man sharpeneth the countenance of his friend."

Proverbs 27:17 KJV

&

"You use steel to sharpen steel, and one friend sharpens another."

The Message

and that is what I experience here from all of you. God has used each of you to sharpen me!!!

There are a couple of additional thoughts I have. We need to be very careful in requesting prayer that it does not turn into a form of gossip passing. For instance: "Mary needs your prayer because her husband is having an affair." If Mary feels close enough to you to share that kind of hurt and burden, then that is her option but it should not be passed on to another mutual friend, or acquaintance. Instead you could say, "Please remember Mary in your prayer as she is going through a difficult time". Even standing up in Church and saying something like, "Please pray that my husband will start coming to church with me." turns into a disparaging word against your husband.

I'm probably going to touch a tender spot here, but another thing I am personally against in praying for the sick is using the phrase "If it be your will please heal Mary." God is the healer........it is always God's will that we be healed. Satan is the one that comes to kill, steal and destroy not our God and Christ paid for our healing, as well as our sins, on the cross at Calvary.

We are ALL called to pray and to carry one anothers burdens. A prayer can be as simple as saying, "Jesus!" Some people have a special gifting in the area of prayer, just as some people have a gifting for teaching, or hospitality, etc. Some people are called out as intersessor's for their particular church, or their city, or their nation, or a particular mission area but we are ALL called to pray.

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Now a special thank you to Heather. Heather has a monthly give away here for a Home Interiors Candle each month. My name was drawn several months ago. Heather contacted me later to see if my candle had arrived and it had not. Apparently it had been lost or destroyed in the mail. I totally forgot about it. Monday I had a package arrive in the mail. I did not even recognize the name on the return address and I thought, "What is this?". Well, Heather had not forgotten and sent me not only 1 but 2 candles!!!! Thank you very much Heather. I will enjoy them.

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Last, but certainly not least, I have just been passed this Blogging With A Purpose award from a new blog friend, Tiffany of Southern Sass.

This award was created by Eric Novak at Blogging with a Purpose. Here’s how it works:Awarded parties must nominate five people who have not received the award.The blogs that receive the award must serve some purpose.In their post about the award they need to link back to this entry.Awarded parties must post the award banner on their site. The banner must remain linked to the above linked site.

These are Tiffany's remarks in passing this Award to me:

I am happy to finally have the opportunity to share something with Susan @ Penless Writer. She is truly an inspiration and a portrait of a Titus 2 woman. She is honest and forthcoming about her love for Jesus and her desire to know Him more. I admire her commitment to her marriage and her family and how she fervently prays for them without ceasing.

I am very honored to receive this award. I truly want the purpose of my blog to be to lift up the name of Jesus and tell of His wonderous works and ways and how wonderful He has been to me.

The five I pass this award on to are:

Aimee of Adopted As His Own. Just go to Aimee's blog and look at the beautiful picture of their family as her header and you will see why I have selected her. She is not only mother to EIGHT beautiful children but even creates beautiful patterns for childrens clothing on her SewSensible site. Aimee your entire life has a purpose and I am honored to know you.

Jennifer of Double Nickle Farm. Jennifer and her husband and children have just recently purchased a place in Southern New Mexico and the purpose of this blog is taking us step-by-step in the process of their learning to live a much more self-sufficient and self-sustaining life style. Something we can all gain from and learn from. Jennifer is truly a "can do" person.

Heather of Especially Heather. Heather does not even "know" me. I have only left her a few comments over the months I have been reading her blog. But read her blog I do!!!!! Heather's blog is about her journey with Brain Cancer. This young wife, mother and woman has such faith and courage and honesty that I marvel every time I read her. Many times I am reading through tears as I cannot begin to imagine going through what she is with such grace and charm. Your blog certainly qualifies as A Blog With A Purpose.

Rita of Jungle Hut. Rita is another of my must reads. She is a missionary wife and mother, although they are currently in the U.S. preparing and raising support for their next assignment. Rita's purpose in this blog is to keep us updated and informed about the doings of dictator Hugo Chavez in Venezuela. I am thankful for her doing so because we sure don't get this information on the nightly news.

Last, but believe you me not least, is Ginger of Just A Thought. Ginger is truly one of my dearest blog friends. BUT, not just mine she is a dear friend of many of us because she is such a kind, gentle, carrying, sweet friend and she loves Jesus with all her heart. Every post of Ginger's points us to Jesus........even in the difficult times and issues. I know you don't particularly like getting these Ginger but I just could not NOT name you.

As I have said in times past.........I take both the receiving of these Blog Awards and the passing them along VERY seriously. What we say, and how we say it, here in this public domain of Blogland is very important. There are MANY of you who bless me and you all know who you are because I comment on your posts. It is very hard to limit this to only 5 and pick only 5 but as always I do follow the rules.

SHOW & TELL '08 #2 - Gift from Germany

I find it hard to believe this is the second Friday of 2008 already!!


So, it's time for all of us to do Show & Tell hosted by Kelli at There Is No Place Like Home. Go here to find out all about it, do your post, sign up on Mr. Linky and then have fun reading and see all the wonderful Show & Tell's that everyone posts. By the way, Kelli, I love the new Show & Tell graphic that your hubby did for you, and us!!!

"Thanks be unto God for his unspeakable gift." II Corinthians 9:15

I know this verse speaks of Jesus and the unspeakable gift HE is to us from God. I also know that because I have the unspeakable gift of Jesus in my life I am also the beneficiary of many unspeakable gifts because of Him. My Show & Tell today is just such a gift.

(sorry it is a blur! but you can enlarge it)

The top left is a bag of Blue Sweet Peas

The lower left is the name tag on the gift

The lower right is a blank Christmas card in German.

The inside reads: "Merry Christmas and a happy new year to you and your family, dearest Susan! Best wishes from Germany, Anita."

Wednesday the post man brought me these lovely items from Anita, of My Country Garden, from Germany!!!!!

This adorable Victorian Boot. It is so precious. Anita, the detail, the perfect stitches, the ribbon, the rosettes, the tiny pearls. Everything just so perfect. I am displaying this in my guest room, the one with the pink & white embroidered quilt I showed last week on Show & Tell. How perfect!!!!!

I have also hung the gift tag on the peg next to the Boot and I have the Christmas card now sitting on the shelf. Just didn't get the second picture after I placed these items. The seeds are waiting on my computer desk with the Lupine seeds :o)

Anita and I became good friends after I was blessed to win a drawing she had on her blog in July that I won. I, along with two others, won some of her lovely Lupine seeds. I was so delighted that she added the Blue Sweet Pea seeds to go along with the Blue Lupine seeds we will be planting this spring.

One year ago, January 9, 2007, I didn't even have a blog. If you had told me that day I would be receiving a gift from a FRIEND (I didn't even know) from Germany one year later I would have not believed it.

I am sure I speak for each and everyone of us in Blogland of what a joy and blessing our blogs have been to our lives. Best of ALL, the WONDERFUL friends we have been privileged to make.

Thank you Anita, from the bottom of my heart, for your thoughtfulness.

YOU are a found treasure!!!!