Prayers Requested

Hi Sweet Friends

It has been a difficult week

For several people I love

Would you mind lifting up the needs

Of these precious friends please

"Before they call I will answer; while they are still speaking I will hear," says the Lord." Isaiah 65:24

1. Dianne

Dianne is a sweet coworker whom I've known for 9 years.

She is a busy wife, mom, grandmother, sister and nurse practitioner

On Saturday evening she and her hubby, sister and brother in law

Were involved in a serious ATV accident

Fortunately Dianne was the only person

Who suffered serious injuries

They were a 3 hour drive from a hospital, So

After being transported to a local hospital via AirEvac

Dianne was diagnosed with several broken and fractures

Bones in her pelvic and hip area

She has had surgery as well as blood transfusions

She is doing well but will be off her feet for

Probably 2-3 months and will then be able

To begin weight bearing therapy

This will be a huge challenge for her

Because she is such a physically fit woman

I know she will heal well

However, I'm sure she will be challenged

Emotionally and Mentally

Praying for healing in all areas of her life

"I wait for you, O Lord; you will answer, O Lord, my God."

Psalm 38:15

2. Michelle

I met Michelle and her hubby and daughter 8 years ago in church

I had the joy of walking her hubby through a new believers class

And a family friendship began

During the month February, Michelle's mom began having pain

After numerous tests, specialists and finally surgery

Barb was diagnosed with metastatic pancreatic cancer

Just 2 weeks ago

Unfortunately, Barb (Michelle's mom)

Passed away on Tuesday morning

Just hours after being placed in hospice care

Barb's service is tomorrow

Please pray for her family

For Michelle, Steve and Kendahl

"For the eyes of the Lord are on the righteous and His ears are attentive to their prayers." 1 Peter 3:12

3. Renee

I have known Renee since she was a wee little tyke

She is the youngest of three kiddos

Who lived two houses down from our family

While we lived in SoCal in the 1960's - 1970's

My sister, brother and I all went to elementary

School together with her sister, brother and herself

We've stayed in touch over the years

And encouraged each other through

Life's ups and downs.

Renee is younger than myself by several years

This morning Renee became a widow

Her husband passed suddenly this morning

She lives across the country

And I won't be able to comfort her personally

But I do ask for prayers for her

For her sister and mom as they travel from their homes to hers

I know the brokenness she is suffering right now

And my heart aches for hers

Some of you are widows and know the deep

Sense of loneliness she will face in the

Days, weeks and months ahead

I appreciate any prayers, good thought and Cyber Hugs

You are will to share with her

Life

It is so very Precious

So Very Fragile

Very Short

Hug a loved one or friend today

Look them in the eyes

Let them know how much you Love Them

Thank you for your Prayers

Busy Celebrating

Hi Sweet Friends

Oops...

I was too busy Celebrating my mom's

80th Birthday that I forgot to take many photos

I got a few

But none of the family

21 of us silly members

Having a super fun time

At mom's

50's Style Celebration

We all had a great time

Mom has been through so much in recent years

She's battled many serious illnesses

Including a broken hip and mini stroke

But has bounced back each and every time

This past summer she bought her own home

And now lives alone

LOVES IT!!

God has been faithful to heal her

And we are So very grateful that we

Have been able to celebrate another year with her

It is always fun to have my 3 K's around

They are such Joy in my life

HA HA HA

Fortunately we didn't Need the fire extinguisher

Mom's Birthday is April 4th

I'll send her all of your birthday wishes

Cards welcome :)

Easter was a bit of a rough day for me

But I did get 45 minutes with all of my kiddos and grands

I can Never get a good photo of all of them

But at least they were all in one place

At the same time

Lots of hugs and smiles

And finally

I purchased a card today

Wrote it out with kind and loving words

Signed it

Addressed it

Stamped it and placed it in the mail

I'm sure in a few days

I'll be SO surprised to receive it - LOL

Be Happy and Blessed

The Presence of Easter ... Revisited

Sweet Friends,

In the middle of Holy Week

I decided to share a post I wrote 5 years ago

May it help focus our hearts

On what Easter really is

Blessings to You

April 21, 2011

The Presence of Easter

Holidays! Oh how I love them! Ribbons, wrappings, flags, fireworks, turkeys, pilgrims, Santa's, lights, hearts, and even egg laying bunnies! Oh, and did I mention Candy??? The hustle and bustle of each holiday brings with it excitement for the big day with all it's splendor.

We are standing at the eve of another such holiday. The world shows us how it will play out. The stores are filled with candy, bunnies, eggs and decoration upon decoration just waiting for our purchases! The lines for those overpriced but coveted Easter Baskets grow longer each day. What child wouldn't want one or two? What parent wouldn't spend their last dollars to buy one? I mean come on, it's Easter for goodness sake.

The presents of Easter shine and cause out little ones to spend sleepless nights with anticipation of what they will receive. Our eyes as parents/grandparents wait expectantly to see those little faces light up with joy when they see their awaited gifts. Yet again lost in the fuss of commercialism is the true meaning of the holiday upon us.

The presence of Easter! Have we forgotten what Easter really is? In the presents of Easter have we lost the presence of Jesus?

Let's take a walk back in time and see if we can find what so many of us are missing and are desperate for.

As I open my Bible and begin to read the accounts leading up to the crucifixion of Jesus I find the presence of Easter in Gethsemane.

It is in Gethsemane that we see the anguish of Jesus, fully man, fully God and fully devoted to His purpose. As he prayed for His Father to take the cup from Him the pain he began to feel from that which He would face poured out of Him as drops of blood. I look at the price for my sin alone and the anguish I feel during this season of grief but I can hardly fathom the weight of the sin of a fallen world being place on one man's shoulders. With one word He could have changed everything, He could have said no, but he chose Love.

Easter is also found in the heart of a mother. This young mother whom like you and I, carried hope and dreams for her young son. As she pondered and treasured the words spoken to her by an angel, was there anything in her that could have seen the future? Now she stands at the precipice, the place where her heart will break and the son she loved will face His darkest hour. There was probably nothing that could hold her back from attempting to protect her child yet she chose Love.

It's found in the cross! Let's close our eyes for just a moment and picture that old rugged cross high atop a hill with the body of a man nailed to it. Imagine the wounds, the blood, the mockery and undeniable hatred that men of 'honor' held for the man of God. Yet, in that moment: "It is Finished", there must have fallen an eerie silence upon the crowd as the sun darkened and the veil was rent. I can only imagine that some felt a deep sense of loss while others a deep regret and fear. On that cross Jesus could have turned a deaf ear toward our sin, our pain, our weakness, yet He chose Love.

Ultimately we find Easter and hope in the empty tomb. As the women approached the tomb to anoint Jesus' body with burial oils they found the tomb empty. Fear and confusion must have filled their souls but in the days that followed hope began to pour forth as the realization of Christ's resurrection became evident. Today, some 2000 years hence we continue to have a great hope of a future, one in heaven for eternity, one that will never be lacking or troublesome. Hope of spending our forever's with that very same Jesus who so willingly said yes to death and no to self all because of Love.

Also in the empty tomb we find peace. I doubt there was peace in those first days when the women found the tomb empty or when the disciples learned about the mystery of the missing body. Yet, in the days that followed and now with our knowledge and hindsight view we have peace! An everlasting peace that allows us to walk day by day through our Gethsemane's, our broken hearts, our crosses and our emptiness and know He walks with us. He will never leave us nor forsake us, because of Love!

That hope and that peace bring me to my knees in humble adoration. How can I become so lost in eggs and bunnies when there is such a hope for my eternity, for my forever? This Easter season it will be my privilege to spend time in prayer at my own Gethsemane, the place where my soul meets Jesus' heart. My prayer is that each of you is able to do the same. Rest in the Lord as you Seek and Find the Presence of Easter.


Considering Easter with Great Joy, Cindy

Camera Woes

Hi Sweet Friends

Being MIA was not my plan

But this past week I realized just how much

I depend on my camera for blogging

For some reason it will no longer read my card

So, I'm unable to take photos

Unfortunately,

I realized that problem while I was at the Carnival

With My 3 K's last weekend

So, No good photos!!

Anyway,

I'm hoping to get to the camera shop this week

Maybe it just needs a good cleaning

At least that's what I'm hoping

I do hope to get outside tomorrow and plant the

New bushes I purchased

It is supposed to be 93 degrees tomorrow

And 97 on Monday

Need to plant and water these pretties

Before it hits 100...

Oh My

Where did winter and spring go?

How are you?

What are you plans for Easter?

Can you believe it is next weekend?

Is it just me - or is time running on OverDrive??

I have a few fun events coming up in the next couple weeks

So I am hoping to get my camera working again

In the mean time

I am praying you are well

That God has shown Himself Faithful to you

And that You are finding Joy in the little things

Blessings

My 3 K's and a peak at Easter

Hi Sweet Friends

Thank you for stopping by

Today I was able to enjoy a bit of spring break

With My 3 K's

Besides playing

We walked to Taco Bell

It was in the upper 80's

So as we walked home

The girls enjoyed a sweet cool treat

A little ice cream never hurt anybody

Well, except my tummy

But who cares

When you get to watch these sweet faces

Enjoy a treat

I am happy to report that

Besides sticky fingers and chocolate faces

All three K's came home clean!!

The 2 smallest K's played outside for awhile before our

Hike to have lunch and ice cream

The sun was a little intense for smiling photos

Most of the afternoon was playing inside

It got a bit too warm

Little K~Baby was so excited

To give Nana a Shot!!!!

And K~Bel was making sure Nana

Had her check up 

While K~Bug enjoyed a bit of music

And a few fun games on her phone

I Love that I get to hang out with all 3 girls during

Spring Break

I just can't wait for Summer

I have not done a lot of decorating for Easter

But enjoyed pulling out a few fun pieces

For the table

That the K's are sure to enjoy

My little lambs and a cute bucket

Along with a few eggs and flowers

Make for a sweet and simple vignette

I found the white/pink table runner at goodwill last fall for $2

It's quilted with cute pink eggs

I'll need to get a better photo next time

I LOVE Thursday's

May you each be blessed for taking the time

To stop by

I hope you leave a comment

I certainly love to read them

Blessings for a Great weekend ahead

When God Finally Says YES

Hello Sweet Friends

Living in the Desert Southwest

We tend to search for any bit of shade we can find

Drivers will park far from the door of a store

If they can park in the shade of a tree

You just don't know how hot it gets

In the summer when you get into the your car

Any amount of shade helps keep it a tad cooler

For the 21 years that I have lived in my home

I have enjoyed the shade of this tree in my neighbors backyard

However, it has been a love/hate relationship

The tree SHEDS all year

Into my swimming pool

It has created tons of work for me

Especially since losing Mark

No matter how many hours I work in the backyard

And around the pool

I just can't seem to keep up with the mess

I've prayed for 11 years that the tree would disappear

The Lord never saw fit to say yes

Until

Today

After visiting with my mom

Shopping for her groceries and prescriptions

Coming home and then running my own errands

Getting my own groceries and finally coming home

I had sat down to relax a bit

When I heard the familiar sound of a chain saw

You just cannot imagine my JOY when:

My neighbor CUT The Tree DOWN

All of it!!

I actually ran outside and thanked the neighbor

For cutting it down.

We chatted awhile

He is a landscaper and offered to help me

Get my yard in shape

God finally said YES
And I couldn't be HAPPIER!!

I'm grateful that HE cares about the little things

I pray you find JOY in little things today

Even if you haven't been praying for it for 11 years

Blessings