Wednesday, July 7, 2010

Patience is a Virtue

Stability Composure Calmness Courage strength
Character Love dedication Tolerance Meditation Constraint Balance
Steadiness composure Fairness  Justice Acceptance submission
Cool  Peace Quietness Passive kindness lenience sensitivity



And you are probably wondering what on earth I am talking about............

What I am talking about is Patience......

This is a word that we all like to dance around.  Many, many times I have heard "Don't pray for patience".  It has been said that if we pray for patience, we are going to be tested that much more and life is going to be that much more difficult.  

 There  are actually many different kinds of patience.  The one that most of us are familiar with is the patience needed when we are in a stressful  situation.  This kind of patience can really drive us to our limits.  In a sense, it becomes exhausting both mentally and physically.  

In one single day, we can be faced with countless reasons to lose our patience.  Like when people irritate us with little gestures that they do, when people show up late for a meeting, when a telemarketer calls, or how bout this one, when the person driving the car in front of you is not going fast enough.  I can name many minor little irritations that cause our reactions to jump the track. 
 

Another form of needing patience is when we are afraid of an outcome.  If a loved one is sick and we are not sure of what the future holds for that person, then we become impatient.  It is almost as if we want to be the one in control.  We do not want to wait on God or His timing.  We want immediate results, which only causes frustration within ourselves. 


Patience really is a virtue, which means that by having patience, we allow others to see our character traits or qualities that are valued as always being good.  Having patience is always an extension of having love for others.
We need to accept daily disappointments and move on by allowing God to be in control of every situation.  

Having patience can improve our lives if we will allow it to.
We need to give patience a chance.  Patience opens the doors for us to learn new things.  Patience comes to those that wait.  When we are able to remain calm, smile and wait on the Lord, then we know that anything is possible.  We get to decide if our day we be filled with misery or if our day will be filled with the power of God's love.

Shug.........

Do not allow a grain of sand to control your life......Let that grain of sand become a pearl of compassion that all can see.......

  

Tuesday, July 6, 2010

Girls will be Girls!

Oh, it is true that girls will be girls.....My girls and I, plus Mylee had a ball this past weekend.  Of course this is nothing unusual.  I was so sad that Tori was not there, because she would have been a real show out! (she chose to hang out with the guys back at the pool) That's OK though, we are planning on having a girls weekend coming up real soon!  NO GUYS ALLOWED....  Tori will be there and her little personality will be shining.

You just can't put anything past us, especially when Trista and Shanda are wound up!  My girls know how to have a great time.  Check out our hats!  I am very surprised that the management didn't insist that we model for them the rest of the day.  Cute?.....I might say, we were CUTE! 

Sometimes we all act super sophisticated, and sometimes we  act like the backwoods cousin from Arkansas that just came to town.  I won't let them do this anymore, but they use to carry a set of bubba teeth to pull out from time to time.  They would go in the dressing room and get all dressed up and come out to the big mirror, bubba teeth and all...CRAZY LOOKS coming from  EVERYWHERE!  Trista does get a little embarrassed from time to time, but she knows that the more she acts embarrassed, the more that Shanda is going to cut up!!

And oh my goodness.....If the store has some of that funky music playing, you can count on the dancing moves to take over.  Shanda is the dancing pro of this family.  She won a dancing contest many years ago and she knows all the moves.   Mylee and Tori follow along and before you know it, we have an audience. 

We really do have some great times.  One time we had tucker and Carson with us.  This was at the mall in Tyler.  We talked them into trying on these cute little boy suits, tie and all.  Once they got them on and we started the video camera, these guys were hooked.  They loved it!  One of them, and I think it was Tucker, even went to the front window of the store and pretended he was a model......

Having a great time with everything you do, isn't that what life is all about?  It is wonderful having two terrific daughters that still enjoy their mom.  It is also the best feeling ever seeing their closeness and getting to be a part of it. 

If you ever wake up feeling Blue, just give us a call....Shopping we will go, and when you get home, I promise your  blue's will be gone.... far away!!

Shug.........

Love offers everything that I want and Love is always available to me!






   

Monday, July 5, 2010

Richness of life


Can I celebrate the things like a 4th of July parade, fireworks in the sky, time spent with family and friends on Independence Day?
You bet I can, as long as their is Freedom in America!

This has been a terrific weekend!  One filled with Pride for our country, and one filled with laughter as we celebrated with our family and friends.


I love to celebrate all the things in life......
We spent Saturday with the kids in Frisco, rain and all!
Swimming, eating, shopping, watching the fireworks, spending time together as family, and celebrating the happiness of our love for one another. 



It is great to celebrate all the things in life and appreciate tomorrow as well.  We need to love our neighbor's, love our family, love our friends, and not condemn our life without a cause to be thankful for what we have.  We should never forget the people we love and we need to love them when we have every occasion to do so. 


We celebrated with wonderful friends on the 4th and the laughter that we shared was GREAT!  Can you imagine living life without friends?  I don't ever want to.  These are some of our BEST friends and because of them, it is easy to enjoy life......

Not only did we watch the fireworks, we celebrated what true friendship is really all about.  Celebrating the past, the now and the future.  I once heard it said that the most beautiful discoveries true friends make is that they can grow seperate without ever having to grow apart.  Those words are so true.  I am truly thankful for this group of friends that I love so dearly.


What better way to start a new week!  This past weekend has brought me so many smiles and much happiness.  I know that life will continue to be better and better because of the richness I share with my family and friends.

I must say thanks to all of you!

Shug...............

Be Thankful!

Sunday, July 4, 2010

One Nation Under God

One Nation Under God......

The question is.....Does God have a place in America today?

The United States was founded on Christian ideals and values, by men who were, for the most part, strongly and deeply religious.

The founders of the United States wanted God's Blessing on their endeavor and generally recognized His laws as their guiding principles.  They knew the nation's success and greatness would come in proportion to the favor God granted it. 

The Bible, moral principles and a constant looking to God for guidance were so integral to the thinking and acting of the majority of the founding fathers that they influenced even the structure of the government. 

Today, I myself,  question whether or not our country is led my such men with high morals and standards as those that our founding fathers built this country on.  I would seriously doubt that any of the arguments or debates are settled by referencing any of the scriptures!  Just the simple alluding to the Bible is cause for cases to be thrown out of the Supreme Court.  

So what is happening to America?  It is time for us to stand up and demand that our Government and Leaders seek God, and Trust Him to get us back on track.  We need again, to let our nation be:  One Nation Under God.......

Shug............

Without a drastic change of direction to seek the One who has Blessed the United States so greatly, this Country is headed for some very difficult days ahead...

Saturday, July 3, 2010

Oh! say, can you see, by the dawn's early light,
What so proudly we hailed at the twilight's last gleaming?
Whose broad stripes and bright stars, through the perilous fight, O'er the ramparts we watched were so gallantly streaming?
And the rockets' red glare, the bombs bursting in air,
Gave proof through the night that our flag was still there.
Oh! say, does that star-spangled banner yet wave
O'er the land of the free and the home of the brave?

**************************
How Beautiful is this song? 

How I wish that we the American People were more respectful of our flag.  Our Flag stands for peace, honor, truth, and justice.  It also stands for FREEDOM! 

The Star Spangled Banner is played each night over at the ballpark, just prior to the games starting.  I think this is a wonderful thing and I would like to say how proud I am that the league takes the time to do this.

However, just recently I was at the ballpark waiting on the start of one of the kids games.  The announcement was made for us to stand for the playing of the National Anthem.  As I looked around, there were children running around and a couple were riding their scooters.  Even though people were standing, these kids never slowed down enough to notice that honor was being given to the flag.

I observed that many people never placed their hands over their hearts, and few (if any) made any attempt to sing the National Anthem.  This is very sad!  I feel that it is my responsiblity as an American to not only, honor the flag, but to sing and let those words sink down into my heart.   The 6th line of the song says that the flag was proof that our flag was still there.  Do you have any idea what this means.  It means FREEDOM for us.........

How can any American just stand there?  No matter what kind of tune you can carry, this is a song that needs to be sung by ALL of us.  We need to teach our children the importance of the National Anthem and of our American Flag...The only way that they will learn to show respect is by seeing their parents give respect. 

Please make a conscious effort to not take our flag for granted.  Please make a conscious effort to sing the words of this beautiful song that has such a deep meaning.

God Bless America!!


Shug..............

Thank you God for our Freedom..

Proud to Be An American


If tomorrow all the things were gone,
I'd worked for all my life.
And I had to start again,
with just my children and my wife.

I'd thank my lucky stars,
to be livin here today.
'Cause the flag still stands for freedom,
and they can't take that away.

And I'm proud to be an American,
where at least I know I'm free.
And I won't forget the men who died,
who gave that right to me.

And I gladly stand up,
next to you and defend her still today.
'Cause there ain't no doubt I love this land,
God Bless the USA.

From the lakes of Minnesota,
to the hills of Tennessee.
Across the plains of Texas,
From sea to shining sea.

From Detroit down to Houston,
and New York to L.A.
Well there's pride in every American heart,
and it's time we stand and say.

That I'm proud to be an American,
where at least I know I'm free.
And I won't forget the men who died,
who gave that right to me.

And I gladly stand up,
next to you and defend her still today.
'Cause there ain't no doubt I love this land,
God Bless the USA.

And I'm proud to be an American,
where at least I know I'm free.
And I won't forget the men who died,
who gave that right to me.

And I gladly stand up,
next to you and defend her still today.
'Cause there ain't no doubt I love this land,
God Bless the USA.


Shug............................

I Am Proud to Be An American!!

Friday, July 2, 2010

Gone to the Dogs

Well, I did it....I took my precious little Bella to the vet for a little surgical procedure.....

It took a very long time for us to decide to get another pet.  We really have not had one since Sandy died about 15 years ago.  Sam just not feel like he ever  would want another dog.  He let himself become so attached to Sandy and it broke his heart when we found out she had cancer.  I will say she was the best dog anyone could have. 

She came up as a stray and she and I were at odds that very first day.  When the back door opened, she ran in and took off towards the back part of the house.  When I finally found her, she was laying on top of Trista's brand new bedspread.  I am sure I went ballistic!   Sam somehow convinced me to let her stay around and before I knew it, I was attached to her as well.  She was completely house broke, even though she was outside most of the time.  Sandy would go to the neighbors yard to do her business.  She never used our yard, so I guess you could say she was yard broke too!

We did finally break down and get Bella about 5 months ago and I have fallen in love with her too.  She only has one little eye, but she is so super sweet.  She actually is going to be a small shih Tzu and that is exactly what I was looking for when we got her.  (You know....., the grandkids needed a dog, so...Pops finally let us get one).

I wanted to make sure that we didn't have any smaller little shih Tzu's running around here, so that is why she had her surgery.  The entire family has been spoiling her so bad.  She loves her trick treats and I am almost sure she has had WAY more than her share since she came home from the vet. 

Now, we are one big complete family!  You know..... kids, grandkids, niece, and a dog.  What more could you ask for?
I thought we had it all, but Taylor has informed me that we need a fish.  I'm like what???  What is this family coming to?
Where am I going to put a fish? 

Don't be surprised if we end up with a family of fish to take care of.   I think I might be able to handle fish, but they better not ask for those ugly little animals.   I am drawing the line on  little hamsters or guinea pigs....Nope, I don't want anything that resembles a rat in this house. 

Surely, oh surely they won't be able to talk me into those little stickers that go on the back of your car.   Wouldn't that be cute?  A dad, a mom, three girls, two guys, four boys, two little girls, a dog, and a fish on the back windshield of my bug.   

Only three of us live here, plus Bella, but I couldn't possibly leave any of them out IF they did talk me into those crazy cut out people.  And of course, I'd have to have the sticker that says "One Happy Family" or should it say "One Crazy Family"

Bella did great with her surgery, so now I guess we have a dog for keeps!

Shug.....

Love your animals.......

Thursday, July 1, 2010

Knock, Knock Trey

You might as well get ready for it.....I'm talking about my post for the next couple of weeks.  What do you think happens when you write about one grandchild?  You are exactly right.....the rest of them are saying, "What you gonna write about me?"


Trey walked around all day yesterday, trying to make up some kind of story so I could write about him.   He just could not come up with one and it was wearing him out.  I told him not to make one up, just be himself and when I saw something, I would write about it.

It was not my intentions to write about him today, (wink, wink)but while I'm on the subject of Trey, what better grandchild to write about than this cute little fellow......God has truly Blessed this child with the gift of laughter.  He laughs ALL THE TIME!


Sometimes, I think he just starts laughing at himself.  His laughs are so spontaneous and I must say they are quite contagious.  When he starts laughing, I start laughing and usually the other kids laugh too...

He has fun, no matter what he does and he giggles at everything. 


According to the dictionary, laughter is "the sounds and movements that our bodies make when we find something funny".  He must find a lot of things to be funny!


Did you know that on average, human beings laugh about 17 times a day....This would mean that Trey laughs about a 100 or so times a day.....Most of us laugh when we see something unusual or ridiculous.  We laugh when we make a mistake, we laugh at ourselves and we laugh when someone falls down.
Trey laughs at all of these things,  PLUS........a jillion other things!

He loves "Knock, Knock" jokes, even if they don't make sense.



See, his laughs are contagious!  I know your laughing right now.  Not sure if your laughing at the joke or if you're laughing at me because Trey made his way onto my post!! 

Hey, you gotta keep those babies happy and you know that this Shug is going to make that happen.....
I hope you do laugh today and if you want to laugh at me that's even better!!  At least you'll be laughing at something FUNNY..  I can promise you that Trey will be Laughing!

Shug.....................

It is true, Laughter is good for the soul.....Laugh and then laugh some more!!!!

Sunday Thinking

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