Chris Tomlin and Third Day are some of my favorite bands! I would listen to these bands on my walk everyday last summer on my way back to health. It has been proven in studies about music therapy, that it is healing! I don't need any proven studies, I have experienced it and Know it is True!
Saturday, February 28, 2009
PSALM 91
I read a book last year on our way to "The Ruby Fly In, For MonaVie" (I will make a posting soon on this awesome experience and company!). This Book: Psalm 91 by Peggy Joyce Ruth, was perfect timing, as all God's plans are! The Book is Amazing, it is full of personal miracle stories, that made a huge impact on my thinking and heart! If you are looking for inspiration, get this and read it. I wanted to have this Psalm on my blog because, it was and is perfect timing to be reminded of one of God's Promise's, for times like these, I love this:
Sunday, February 22, 2009
Thursday, February 19, 2009
HONORING A TRUE ANGEL, MY MOM!
Sierra (our 9 year old, named after my Mom) and I have been blessed to recently spend 3 days with my Mom and Brother. What a blessing it is to spend time with the people you love!
My Mom is my living Angel! She has been and is still the most Influential person in my Life! She is and has always been my example of:
{Galatians 5:22-23}
But the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness and self-control. Against such things there is no law. Those who belong to Christ Jesus have crucified the sinful nature with its passions and desires. Since we live by the Spirit, let us keep in step with the Spirit. Let us not become conceited, provoking and envying each other.
My Mom is my living Angel! She has been and is still the most Influential person in my Life! She is and has always been my example of:
{Galatians 5:22-23}
But the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness and self-control. Against such things there is no law. Those who belong to Christ Jesus have crucified the sinful nature with its passions and desires. Since we live by the Spirit, let us keep in step with the Spirit. Let us not become conceited, provoking and envying each other.
Sierra Sue..Everyone calls her Sue "My Mom" is the most;
Humble,Understanding, Compassionate, Loving, Giving, Encouraging, soul on the planet! I have never met to date anyone as Non-self serving and Unselfish as my mom! Her energy is, Alive and Amazing! She has suffered much in her life and never once have I seen her feel sorry for herself! It has been in these times of deepest sorrow and the toughest times of our lives that I have learned my greatest lessons from her! It would take me to write a book to share with you all the lessons I have learned from my mom, and her example, and maybe, God willing, I will ! There is no other word for her than an "Angel"! God is truly AWESOME AND AMAZING, He knew before I was born that I would need a Mom exactly like her! Words cannot express, my Gratitude and Love that I feel for my Mom. There isn't anyone on the planet that I have witnessed God's Spirit work through to teach me the truth about many things, especially Unconditional Love, Transparency, Humility,and Genuineness, than my Mom! She has touched and continues to touch me and others in such an astounding way, you will never leave her presence, in any way but blessed, she makes everyone feel loved, better and uplifted about themselves!! She is a Difference Maker, she may not be "famous" in a worldly sense but definitely has created a ripple effect, and the world has been forever changed, by her Love for Everyone that crosses her path!!! I am having a hard time trying to find words to explain, how incredible she really is!
She was born in Logan, West Virginia, and grew up in Bristol Virginia in the 40's and 50's until her Mom, Dad, and other siblings, (I think there were only 6 children at that time , the other 3 came along after the move, 9 total children) moved to Illinois where she completed and graduated early from High School. Her whole family has high IQ's, and even higher EI's ( emotional intelligence) not something I inherited, Ha! They are all intelligent, but their greatest asset is Love! They are the most humble, grounded people, with phenomenal sense of humors! She comes from the south, where the most loving, caring, people I have met in the world are from! There is nothing like the "southern hospitality" and " southern cookin", anywhere in the world!" My Mom, Shasta, and I took a trip last year to see my Aunt Dee Dee and Uncle Jr. in Virginia, ( I thank God that we went, because my uncle recently passed away and it meant the world to us to spend time with him and my aunt, I love and miss him greatly, they were always huge gardeners and my uncle would let me pick my own watermelon, just for me to eat all by myself!) but every morning we had Homemade biscuits and sausage gravy!! Yes, Homemade, Every morning! The memories that I have spending the night and helping them in the garden are forever with me! I loved picking and snapping green beans for them! They canned everything, and worked hard taking care of their 6 children and loving, everyone! I love my aunt, she is so sweet, with her southern accent, and I love to hear her call me "sugar"! They both are the most loving, and humble people, you will ever meet! I love you Aunt DEE DEE! Everyone of my mom's brothers and sisters are incredible cooks! I know they learned from their Mom and Dad, they both were incredible cooks, too! It wasn't unusual for my Grandma to have a full turkey dinner like at Thanksgiving, for one of the weekly meals!!! Everything is made from scratch and nothing goes to waste, it may go to your Waist, Ha! "the cookin" but nothing gets wasted!
I believe growing up poor financially with a family of 11 teaches you more about the important things in life, than all books combined! I believe they stay Humble because my mom told me recently when we were talking about some issues that in the south growing up they would teach their children from a young age to "Never Forget Your Raisin" (no not the raisin you eat, The way you were brought up, for those who didn't take "Southern Language" as an second language, HA!")My mom was teaching me another valuable lesson!! Always remember where you came from and who made you! If you forget, You will loose your Humility, which leads to the "Pride Before the Fall", She Amazes me the way she teaches through life experiences, this is the way she would teach all of us kids!! Nothing replaces experience! My brothers and I have been tremendously blessed by my mom's experiences, wisdom and love! We also, have been blessed by all of our aunts, uncles and cousins!
Even though her family grew up poor financially, they were wealthy beyond measure with work ethic, experiences, humility, intelligence, character, integrity, humor, and especially love! I have yet to meet a family that sticks together, serves and loves each other like my Mom's family! In all the families I have met in my lifetime, there is not one yet, that even comes close. What a tremendous example that I have been blessed to experience my whole life! They never speak ill of each other and will be there for each other, always! I have never seen any of them fight or argue with each other. It is like right out of a fairy tale. None of them are perfect, they just love each other perfectly!
For example, I mentioned my Uncle Jr. just recently passing away, and my mom drove 800 miles (one way!) by herself to stay with her sister for a month to help her with all she needed emotionally, and all the other needs that have to be taken care of after you loose someone you love. Then my mom's other sister left her vacation to come to my Aunt's to help where my mom left off and to stay for 3 weeks with her! Then I think my uncle is coming next! The love they show by their service is Unbelievable!!! This example, of loving and helping others in need was a common occurrence through-out my life! I remember a friend of my mom's families house burnt down, and immediately, my mom got a hold of all of her sisters, they pulled together to help out with all this families needs! There are so many of these experiences, that I witnessed and was involved in because of my My Mom's HEART is GINORMOUS!! Another, time the neighbor went into the hospital for surgery and she made meals and took to them and their 4 kids! This is such a common practice with my mom, there is no-one in need that she doesn't act on to make their lives better, it was just apart of our lives, by her example, we learned "Charity" in all forms! Unconditional Giving is synonymous to my Mom! I have been Unbelievably blessed through her example! Every time I talk to her she is doing something for someone, that is sick or hurting! She is Unbelievable and an Inspiration to All! She taught the most important things in life, not by telling us, it was by Showing us! How powerful!
There is no-one better for understanding what someone goes through when they loose someone they love than my mom!
My mom was left a widow at the age of 25, with 3 children ages 3, 4, and 6. She would have had 4 children, 3,4,5,6 but my sister died on my mom's birthday; she lived less than a day. Like that wasn't enough sorrow. My dad was killed in a car wreck, which left my mom to raise me and my 2 brothers, alone. Although we were surrounded by love from both sides of the family, my mom was left with then, the responsibility of raising her children by herself. I don't remember how my mom suffered through this (I was only 3) and couldn't even begin to explain how difficult this must have been for my mom, only those that have experienced the loss of their spouse, truly know. She later met and married my dad now, who is also a blessing in our lives and is the most generous man I know! They, then had my little brother, Scotty. My Mom, has an incredible zest, enthusiasm and love for life, her family, and people, that would amaze you, I mean AMAZE, you !! She doesn't allow anyone or herself to feel sorry for her, it's because she has a deep spiritual understanding of the truth!
She knows no stranger, she views everyone as family, the moment you meet her, you feel like you have known her your whole life! One of the things that truly amazes me about my mom, is her people skills! She loves and values all. She applies everything I've read in books, and more, NATURALLY, it is Astounding. Her uncanny ability to pick up on someones real issue is totally amazing to me!! She used to service 1000 clients, herself, in the insurance business, and would know all these people and their policies most of the time without opening their files, Not Kidding, I have never seen anyone remember everything that was important to them, like their children's names, what they did, where they lived! Unbelievable! Everywhere I went with her she would know someone! I would be in total amazement, everyone became her family and friend! She was "teaching me again" when she shared with me about a client, that came into her office very disgruntle about something to do with insurance, Mom listened carefully to her, and before she left, this person was crying telling my mom about some real serious issues that had nothing to do with insurance, and I know this person felt better after she left, because that is what my mom does best! It is her natural ability to help other hurting people, by caring for them and wanting to help, truly AMAZING, another lessened learned!
Right before my little brother was born, my mom lost her dad (my grandpa), which was my first experience with a military funeral, it was beyond description of the emotions I felt listening to the guns and "taps" that were played. At this point I was old enough to witness, the strength of my mom, and her perspective, in another moment of great sadness, losing her father. She is an amazing rock, and deeply understands life and death! Four years later, she lost my middle brother, Todd in a car wreck, whom we all miss dearly, he was 15 yrs old, a sophomore in High School. I remember the principle of the high school, let the entire school out with an excused absent for all to come to my brothers funeral. My brothers both were in the same grade and had a lot of friends. I already knew my mom was amazing, but this became a whole other level of understanding for me at how unbelievable she is!!! She and my Dad stood for hours at the funeral home, consoling all of these High School kids, adults, my brothers and I! It was pure love in motion, words cannot describe, what strength and love of God that poured out of my mom and dad, serving others, when it was her son, that she lost!!!! It was one of the truest and most powerful moments of my young life, (I was 13), a very spiritual lesson being revealed to me through my mom and dad that day, I started really getting it. That through giving of yourself, and serving others, you serve and honor God. It is the highest form of spirituality in life! It is where you truly honor and glorify God! My mom would always tell me that the time to cry is at a birth and death is a celebration! She never mocks anything, SHE LIVES IT! Through giving of yourself, even in the times of your deepest sorrow and pain, you heal yourself! I felt incredibly enlightened, and my mom became more than a hero to me that day! She never lost her, zest, enthusiasm and love for life, serving her family, friends and people, there is no other way to describe her but as an "ANGEL," she is the most inspiring human being I have ever met!
A few years later we found ourselves again, at another funeral, this time (my uncle Bill's what an incredible brilliant and loving man!), my mom's brother. He had served in the armed forces, and was honored with a military burial too, words cannot describe, but it is one of the most moving, deepest feeling of sadness and respect, when the guns are shot off and they play the "taps", the same feelings I had at my grandpa's, military funeral. I witnessed my mom's servant love in action again, repeating and reminding me that no matter how deep the sadness, you continue to love and serve! She is AMAZING!
This seems unbelievable, I know, but tragedy, hit our lives again, when my youngest brother Scotty, was killed in a motorcycle accident in 1995. It does make a person wonder how so much tragedy can hit one family, but we don't have all those answers, there are some things only God knows. Put our trust there! My Mom and Dad once again showed their amazing love and strength to my brother, Mark and I during this time of Great Sadness. We all love Scotty, and miss him greatly! I definitely need to write a book! It is true, we have all had immense pain and suffering, and have felt like "Job", but my brother Mark and I have had the greatest examples of Love, Strength, and Faith, (my Angels, our Mom and Dad)! There is no-one else in all the world, that has given us, the most valuable examples to live by! I miss my brothers, grandparents, uncles, cousins and all the friends we have lost here, and many more that followed even my little brother, Scotty's death. We had 3 sets of grandparents that have all passed away, had 2 cousins pass away since, one was 14 months old and the 15 years old, my brothers best friend, committed suicide. We have experienced, it seems every kind of loss, but yet we all feel blessed, it is all part of our journey and a part of God's plan and only He knows all, and what is best for our lives. My Mom could have climbed in a hole, and forgot about others, but she is the BEST example of someone who has choose to Make the world a better place in spite of what happens!!!We miss them all deeply, but I am Grateful for the time we had with them, and it has made us who we are. I will never loose my faith in God, I may not understand a lot of things, but this I know; There is Faith, Hope, and Love, and the Greatest of these is Love, because of my Mom's INCREDIBLE EXAMPLE! I have never seen my Mom claim the "victim", she has taught me that by example! If anyone would, you might think, she would cave in, but not my mom! Playing victim, is not something she has a lot of tolerance for!I have had many people through out my life ask me "How does your Mom Do It?" I cannot answer that, I only have the example, of her truth by the way she lives! There isn't anyone that holds a candle to her! She is the brightest light, that shines on everyone, everywhere she goes! These events have taught me another lesson, that the things of the world carry no weight, it is how much you love and our loved, and your service to others for God's glory, while your are here that matters, your treasures in heaven, eternity, is what to focus on! So, don't waist your time chasing vain things or worrying about things you think you need to control, God takes care of all that! You are fooling yourself, if you think you control people or things!
My Mom has taught and displayed values and morals that will last with me my lifetime!
Train a child in the way he should go, and when he is old he will not turn from it. {Proverbs 22:6}
There is not much that disturbs my mom more, and I know she detests; and that is Hypocrisy, especially if you use God.
“Woe to you, scribes and Pharisees, hypocrites! For you are like whitewashed tombs which indeed appear beautiful outwardly, but inside are full of dead men’s bones and all uncleanness. Even so you also outwardly appear righteous to men, but inside you are full of hypocrisy and lawlessness. {Matthew 23:27}
I have learned many valuable lessons from my Mom, and as I said before it would take a book to share them. I love it that God knows exactly what we will need before we were even born. I will Love, Honor and Cherish my Mom and all she has taught me all the days of my life! She is the brightest light of love, I know, and am so Thankful, God picked her to be my MOM! Thank You for never losing your zest, enthusiasm, and love for Life! Thank You for always loving me, even when I was unlovable! Thank You for Teaching me by example, and living what you teach! Thank you for believing in me and teaching me to trust my inner voice!! Thank You for sacrificing your wants to Be the example for us! You have been my greatest teacher of Truth and Love!
I Love you with all my Heart, Mom! Thank You, for all you have given and taught me! I will forever be Grateful to you! Thank You for being an incredible Grandma as You have been an incredible Mom and Mom-in-Law to John, he loves you, too! My Hope and Prayer is that I can give back to You, Dad, John, our children, friends and family and to the world all that has been given to me! I will carry your love through this world, and into eternity! Thank you for all the great recipes and being there for me when we needed you most!
My Angel, My Mom, You are the BEST! You have been my Greatest Inspiration! You have Inspired Me, to want to make the world a better place, through Truth and Love! The World is forever altered because of Your Unconditional Love, Acceptance, and Willingness to Give the Best part of You to Everyone!
THANK YOU!
Live Life Inspired, Live Life Free and Full of Love!!!
I Love You,
Melanie
Sunday, February 8, 2009
PEOPLE WE ARE GRATEFUL FOR KAT & MOTOR!
It was Bright, Sunny and 60 degrees in Iowa today! I couldn't help myself but to think about all the things I am grateful for! Kat, Motor, and Sequoya are definitely on my (grateful list!) of people who have blessed our lives in ways, words cannot explain!
If you haven't made a list of things that you are Grateful for, I HIGHLY recommend doing this, it is important to keeping your thoughts on the BLESSINGS and Good things in life that God blessed you, I and everyone else with!!
There are people that just enrich our lives that can't go without noticing! If they enrich your life then chances are they enrich others lives! I know this to be true about Kat & Motor!
There are times in your life that when you meet someone YOU KNOW, it was destined. All things are controlled by God, for God, and for His purpose! When I met Kat, the connection was undoubtedly a synchronicity moment! I am sure there are a whole world of people that have had these experiences at one time or many times in their lives! All things are meant to be!
This is how it went; I was leaving a room and she was coming in, when we both about ran into each other in a doorway, face to face, and said simultaneously "I KNOW YOU", OH YEA, we know each other, and laughed! The funniest part was Motor hadn't even had a chance to introduce us, that was just the two of us, Ha! I had met Motor briefly a couple times before, ( loved his name, (nickname) figured with a name like that he had to be cool! (they all just have the coolest names) and I know he was thinking I knew this was going to happen, because that was the one thing I remembering him saying "You have to meet my Wife", it took awhile, when the timing was right, we met and it has been magical ever since! It was like straight out of a movie! It was like meeting a long lost sister (you know the stories like two twins that had been separated at birth and find each other later on in life, amazing!) It was like we were brought together at that moment in time for a purpose that has yet to be fully realized! It is very hard to describe this moment, but those of you who have experienced, KNOW! Although, we share many things in common, there is always a freshness, and fun reunion when we talk or see each other.
Watch this video, this describes her spirit the best! She is theatrical, fun, loving and has a Ginormous heart of gold, AND she is Native Hawaiian AND a Masseuse!!!! ( Duh, No wonder why we needed to meet, HA!!) My two favorite things! I could live in a SPA in Hawaii!!!!!!
CLICK ON THIS
After watching the video, you now know, how hilarious and fun she is! Seriously, I watched her play one of the main characters in a professional play, and she was INCREDIBLE! Her Creativity just flows! She is definitely one of a kind!
Both Kat & Motor, are incredibly Real, Humble, and Genuine, and both have tremendous talents in many areas! They are the most Selfless Individuals, that Have Ginormous Hearts, and are some of the Biggest Servers, I know! With a Great Sense of Humor to Boot! They inspire me in many ways! You can check out Motor's blog www.lifeandlandscapes.blogspot.com/ . Motor gives some incite to where he has been. Great landscaping blog, you can learn allot there! They have experienced many things and many cultures, which explains why they are so accepting, and non-judgemental! Their open-mindedness, and unconditional love, will just astound you! Biggy! We need the world to learn from this!!! They are bright lights, and shine in a world that needs, a whole lot of shinning.! All of us needs to work on turning up our "bright" and "shiny" selves! They are huge servers in their church and know the church family is blessed! They have amazing stories and have experienced so many things that most people haven't, when you meet them, you would never guess. I am still trying to get all the stories to come out! They are so selfless, and are always focused on serving others, that it has taken us years just to get a few stories to come out, and they have been AMAZING, the stories, and them too! They are like reading a great adventurous book! The wisdom and the lessons they have learned, is totally incredible to me! For those of you who have been touched by them, already know, there is something magical about them! Those of you who don't know them, I know by now, you want to! Some of you might be thinking no one is that good, I challenge you to get to know them.. you'll see!
Kat is incredibly intuitive, she is an angel to me, and they both know exactly when we need a friend! They have always been there for us! We are truly blessed to have them part of our family, and are so grateful for all of them, including, Sequoya, she is beautiful, like her name, and I love seeing her grow, I can't wait to see her use her talents and gifts, (look out world!) and can't wait to spend time in Hawaii together!! I continue to learn from all of them. Kat is amazing at "Standing in Her Truth," and knows how to give the best of herself to everyone! She said something recently to me, that just resonated deep, she said: " Be careful, when you hang around the monster long enough, you might become one..."( this is just one of the many) She is notorious for sharing some great truths, that sometimes come unexpectedly, and sometimes knocks the wind out of ya! My mom, another angel, would tell me, "Choose wisely; because you become who you run with.., Great Advice Choose your friends wisely, if you get the feeling somethings wrong.. It Probably Is! There is no mistake, in us meeting them! We are thankful, that we have friends like Kat and Motor, and that we have built a lasting, trust together.
I could share so much more about this family, but if I did you would think I was making this up! Did I say they were humble, incredible, selfless, loving, kind, have integrity, are honorable, true to each other and themselves, etc.....NOT KIDDING! and when you get to meet them, you will love them too! We Love, Respect, Cherish, are truly Grateful, and Blessed to know them, and hope you also get a chance to be blessed by them! They will enrich your lives like they continue to enrich ours and the world! So, if you know them, leave a sticky note (comment, I just liked the sticky note!) on how they have Blessed and Enriched your life! WE ARE TRULY GRATEFUL FOR YOU and WE LOVE YOU GUYS!
All of our Love, Keep Shinnig, and lighting up the world!!
Live life Inspired, Live Life Free!!
If you haven't made a list of things that you are Grateful for, I HIGHLY recommend doing this, it is important to keeping your thoughts on the BLESSINGS and Good things in life that God blessed you, I and everyone else with!!
There are people that just enrich our lives that can't go without noticing! If they enrich your life then chances are they enrich others lives! I know this to be true about Kat & Motor!
There are times in your life that when you meet someone YOU KNOW, it was destined. All things are controlled by God, for God, and for His purpose! When I met Kat, the connection was undoubtedly a synchronicity moment! I am sure there are a whole world of people that have had these experiences at one time or many times in their lives! All things are meant to be!
This is how it went; I was leaving a room and she was coming in, when we both about ran into each other in a doorway, face to face, and said simultaneously "I KNOW YOU", OH YEA, we know each other, and laughed! The funniest part was Motor hadn't even had a chance to introduce us, that was just the two of us, Ha! I had met Motor briefly a couple times before, ( loved his name, (nickname) figured with a name like that he had to be cool! (they all just have the coolest names) and I know he was thinking I knew this was going to happen, because that was the one thing I remembering him saying "You have to meet my Wife", it took awhile, when the timing was right, we met and it has been magical ever since! It was like straight out of a movie! It was like meeting a long lost sister (you know the stories like two twins that had been separated at birth and find each other later on in life, amazing!) It was like we were brought together at that moment in time for a purpose that has yet to be fully realized! It is very hard to describe this moment, but those of you who have experienced, KNOW! Although, we share many things in common, there is always a freshness, and fun reunion when we talk or see each other.
Watch this video, this describes her spirit the best! She is theatrical, fun, loving and has a Ginormous heart of gold, AND she is Native Hawaiian AND a Masseuse!!!! ( Duh, No wonder why we needed to meet, HA!!) My two favorite things! I could live in a SPA in Hawaii!!!!!!
CLICK ON THIS
After watching the video, you now know, how hilarious and fun she is! Seriously, I watched her play one of the main characters in a professional play, and she was INCREDIBLE! Her Creativity just flows! She is definitely one of a kind!
Both Kat & Motor, are incredibly Real, Humble, and Genuine, and both have tremendous talents in many areas! They are the most Selfless Individuals, that Have Ginormous Hearts, and are some of the Biggest Servers, I know! With a Great Sense of Humor to Boot! They inspire me in many ways! You can check out Motor's blog www.lifeandlandscapes.blogspot.com/ . Motor gives some incite to where he has been. Great landscaping blog, you can learn allot there! They have experienced many things and many cultures, which explains why they are so accepting, and non-judgemental! Their open-mindedness, and unconditional love, will just astound you! Biggy! We need the world to learn from this!!! They are bright lights, and shine in a world that needs, a whole lot of shinning.! All of us needs to work on turning up our "bright" and "shiny" selves! They are huge servers in their church and know the church family is blessed! They have amazing stories and have experienced so many things that most people haven't, when you meet them, you would never guess. I am still trying to get all the stories to come out! They are so selfless, and are always focused on serving others, that it has taken us years just to get a few stories to come out, and they have been AMAZING, the stories, and them too! They are like reading a great adventurous book! The wisdom and the lessons they have learned, is totally incredible to me! For those of you who have been touched by them, already know, there is something magical about them! Those of you who don't know them, I know by now, you want to! Some of you might be thinking no one is that good, I challenge you to get to know them.. you'll see!
Kat is incredibly intuitive, she is an angel to me, and they both know exactly when we need a friend! They have always been there for us! We are truly blessed to have them part of our family, and are so grateful for all of them, including, Sequoya, she is beautiful, like her name, and I love seeing her grow, I can't wait to see her use her talents and gifts, (look out world!) and can't wait to spend time in Hawaii together!! I continue to learn from all of them. Kat is amazing at "Standing in Her Truth," and knows how to give the best of herself to everyone! She said something recently to me, that just resonated deep, she said: " Be careful, when you hang around the monster long enough, you might become one..."( this is just one of the many) She is notorious for sharing some great truths, that sometimes come unexpectedly, and sometimes knocks the wind out of ya! My mom, another angel, would tell me, "Choose wisely; because you become who you run with.., Great Advice Choose your friends wisely, if you get the feeling somethings wrong.. It Probably Is! There is no mistake, in us meeting them! We are thankful, that we have friends like Kat and Motor, and that we have built a lasting, trust together.
I could share so much more about this family, but if I did you would think I was making this up! Did I say they were humble, incredible, selfless, loving, kind, have integrity, are honorable, true to each other and themselves, etc.....NOT KIDDING! and when you get to meet them, you will love them too! We Love, Respect, Cherish, are truly Grateful, and Blessed to know them, and hope you also get a chance to be blessed by them! They will enrich your lives like they continue to enrich ours and the world! So, if you know them, leave a sticky note (comment, I just liked the sticky note!) on how they have Blessed and Enriched your life! WE ARE TRULY GRATEFUL FOR YOU and WE LOVE YOU GUYS!
All of our Love, Keep Shinnig, and lighting up the world!!
Live life Inspired, Live Life Free!!
Wednesday, February 4, 2009
HONORING GREAT FRIENDS IN OUR WORLD!
I am back! Had trouble with my blog, imagine that! For those of you who know me, I know are laughing right now! Couldn't get in to my blog. John, my amazing husband, I love so much, got me back in! I have been wanting to get in to share and honor some great friends and business partners that we spent years of love, time, effort, and a whole lot of money, building and are grateful for all the amazing memories and continue to create great memories together!
BRIAN AND JULIE RODMAN!
Deserve to be honored!
There is a lot I can say about Brian and Julie (Jules- she really is a Jewel and a "sparkly one to me !) I love Julie for so many reasons, which I intend to share through this posting.
Brian and Julie both are strong in character, and hold the line of Integrity! That in and of itself is worth Honoring and sharing with the world! It is worth catching!
They value their friendships, and have spent years putting effort into them and won't turn their backs on them!! So, if you are friends, with them you can count on that! They are not into pretending, it seems to be a rare trait, and many could learn from them! They are genuine, and sincere and we really value their friendship and love this about them! They are Honest!! Honesty builds trust and without trust, You All Know, there is NOTHING! It is like building a house of cards! Trust is the foundation in every relationship! I believe once lost, it can take years, maybe even a lifetime, and sometimes it is never gained back. It is a unbelievable to me, how much destruction can be caused by those who value personal gain, money, status, power, position etc. ( like that will last!) more than they value trust. Everyone gets stung in their life at one point or another by those who can't be trusted. What would the world be like if everyone could be trusted, WOW! It is a choice. Trust is a Biggy and We thank God for friends like Brian and Julie that we can trust. Trustworthiness is Honorable! They are truthful and you can count on them telling the truth! They know you "reap what you sow", and "get what you give," They are givers and are a blessing to us and those that enter their lives!!!
I love their discipline and willingness to seek their truth from the Bible. Brian is an early morning person and every morning he reads his bible first thing! I love the way God works in the lives of those that love and seek him. Julie has recently shared some amazing things lately, that God is showing her, I am soooo excited about this because of her desire to learn the truth! I hope those of you who know her will ask her about this. They have a lot of friends, because they are trustworthy, honest, humble, and incredibly hospitable! There is no question they are "true friends" because they show it by their actions. All of you readers that have been to their house, know you feel right at home! They are tremendous servers, willing to help in any way. Brian is a great cook, and Julie is famous for her brownies!(we like to talk about food!) they both are very accommodating and make you feel welcome in their home, always! They are over comers and confront issues with the heart of doing the right thing! Definitely, Honorable! Julie is very orderly and organized, I surely can learn a lot from her! We have so many great times together as couples laughing and sharing our lives even though we are miles apart when we get together we don't want to leave!
We are so grateful for our great memories and continue to build and grow together. We have had our share of common struggles together, which has been a huge blessing for us because, those who suffer together, grow together!
So then, those who suffer according to God's will should entrust their souls to their faithful Creator and continue to do what is good. (1Peter 4:19)
They are both gracious and generous! We are thankful for the year they let our daughter finish her school year, to remain with her friends, and helped her prepare for "another family move"! This meant the world to us, in helping with the transition.
Thank you both again for your love and generosity!
Did I mention Julie was organized and orderly, and patient too; and is NOT technically challenged (like Me, Ha!), this really has been a true blessing to me as you might imagine. Again, I owe Julie a "GREAT BIG THANK YOU!" for all your help! When I got the idea to start my own blog, I knew what I wanted to do and she was excited and very encouraging, and a great big help along with John of course to make it happen and continue to be! If it wasn't for those two, this blog would definitely not be in existence.
Julie really is creative and loves taking pictures and don't take my word for it go to her blog, check it out you will love it! It is fun and creative!
I have gotten to know some of her family and just love them. I have read her brothers blog also. Once you have met them especially her parents, you then know why Julie is so special, and the values she has been brought up with is priceless! It is what has helped make her the beautiful person she is! Her mom even has a blog! We were talking together and she shared with me about her helping her mom getting her blog started, and how well she caught on! We laughed because it was her loving way of telling me I could do it too!!!
I know I have shared many things with you all, and hope that you get the chance to experience the love and joy of the friendship with Brian and Julie as we have!
Thanks for being true friends, that we can Honor, and Cherish, Respect, and Love! Thanks for having the strength in Character and listening to your consciences and not hardening your hearts, it makes it a lot easier to sleep, doesn't it! ( like Pharaoh's hard heart; what an amazing story!) We appreciate you both, and are looking forward to a blessed life together.
Live Life Inspired, Live Life Free!
Love, John and Melanie
BRIAN AND JULIE RODMAN!
Deserve to be honored!
There is a lot I can say about Brian and Julie (Jules- she really is a Jewel and a "sparkly one to me !) I love Julie for so many reasons, which I intend to share through this posting.
Brian and Julie both are strong in character, and hold the line of Integrity! That in and of itself is worth Honoring and sharing with the world! It is worth catching!
They value their friendships, and have spent years putting effort into them and won't turn their backs on them!! So, if you are friends, with them you can count on that! They are not into pretending, it seems to be a rare trait, and many could learn from them! They are genuine, and sincere and we really value their friendship and love this about them! They are Honest!! Honesty builds trust and without trust, You All Know, there is NOTHING! It is like building a house of cards! Trust is the foundation in every relationship! I believe once lost, it can take years, maybe even a lifetime, and sometimes it is never gained back. It is a unbelievable to me, how much destruction can be caused by those who value personal gain, money, status, power, position etc. ( like that will last!) more than they value trust. Everyone gets stung in their life at one point or another by those who can't be trusted. What would the world be like if everyone could be trusted, WOW! It is a choice. Trust is a Biggy and We thank God for friends like Brian and Julie that we can trust. Trustworthiness is Honorable! They are truthful and you can count on them telling the truth! They know you "reap what you sow", and "get what you give," They are givers and are a blessing to us and those that enter their lives!!!
I love their discipline and willingness to seek their truth from the Bible. Brian is an early morning person and every morning he reads his bible first thing! I love the way God works in the lives of those that love and seek him. Julie has recently shared some amazing things lately, that God is showing her, I am soooo excited about this because of her desire to learn the truth! I hope those of you who know her will ask her about this. They have a lot of friends, because they are trustworthy, honest, humble, and incredibly hospitable! There is no question they are "true friends" because they show it by their actions. All of you readers that have been to their house, know you feel right at home! They are tremendous servers, willing to help in any way. Brian is a great cook, and Julie is famous for her brownies!(we like to talk about food!) they both are very accommodating and make you feel welcome in their home, always! They are over comers and confront issues with the heart of doing the right thing! Definitely, Honorable! Julie is very orderly and organized, I surely can learn a lot from her! We have so many great times together as couples laughing and sharing our lives even though we are miles apart when we get together we don't want to leave!
We are so grateful for our great memories and continue to build and grow together. We have had our share of common struggles together, which has been a huge blessing for us because, those who suffer together, grow together!
So then, those who suffer according to God's will should entrust their souls to their faithful Creator and continue to do what is good. (1Peter 4:19)
They are both gracious and generous! We are thankful for the year they let our daughter finish her school year, to remain with her friends, and helped her prepare for "another family move"! This meant the world to us, in helping with the transition.
Thank you both again for your love and generosity!
Did I mention Julie was organized and orderly, and patient too; and is NOT technically challenged (like Me, Ha!), this really has been a true blessing to me as you might imagine. Again, I owe Julie a "GREAT BIG THANK YOU!" for all your help! When I got the idea to start my own blog, I knew what I wanted to do and she was excited and very encouraging, and a great big help along with John of course to make it happen and continue to be! If it wasn't for those two, this blog would definitely not be in existence.
Julie really is creative and loves taking pictures and don't take my word for it go to her blog, check it out you will love it! It is fun and creative!
I have gotten to know some of her family and just love them. I have read her brothers blog also. Once you have met them especially her parents, you then know why Julie is so special, and the values she has been brought up with is priceless! It is what has helped make her the beautiful person she is! Her mom even has a blog! We were talking together and she shared with me about her helping her mom getting her blog started, and how well she caught on! We laughed because it was her loving way of telling me I could do it too!!!
I know I have shared many things with you all, and hope that you get the chance to experience the love and joy of the friendship with Brian and Julie as we have!
Thanks for being true friends, that we can Honor, and Cherish, Respect, and Love! Thanks for having the strength in Character and listening to your consciences and not hardening your hearts, it makes it a lot easier to sleep, doesn't it! ( like Pharaoh's hard heart; what an amazing story!) We appreciate you both, and are looking forward to a blessed life together.
Live Life Inspired, Live Life Free!
Love, John and Melanie
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