Have a beautiful Sunday

May the Lord bless you this day! I'll be traveling to Tennessee with family and we will be on vacation for the next week. I'll be thinking about you and as God brings you to mind, lifting you up in prayer. See ya soon!

He changed everything

I have played this song before but will leave this post up through Christmas. He is the baby that changed everything. He is our Jesus. Merry Christmas to you and each of your families this year. God bless you!

Happy Sunday....praising Him in all circumstances!

Circle of Friends

My precious friends, Andrea and Alleluiabelle, have passed an award on to me called The Circle of Friends Award. I am humbled by both of these women and how they cherish friendships and take every opportunity to tell their friends they are special.

With this award, I'm supposed to tell you five things about myself that I like to do and then pass it on. Both women passed it on to all of their friends and I will do the same. Please know that I've come to love bloggy land even though I've been absent a lot.

I love to read the Bible. I love quiet time alone with my Lord. I love to watch movies with my hubby and son. I love time at the beach. And I love to look into my children's eyes.

Now it's your turn. Grab that button and tell me about yourself and let's keep passing it on. God bless you.

A beautiful reminder..........

I heard this song for the first time on my friend April's blog last year. As I was out and about with my Mom yesterday, I heard it playing and I just had to stop and take it all in. So as you are pulling out your Christmas trees, ornaments, boxes, decorations, etc...as you go shopping to look for the perfect gift for that someone special, please remember the one true perfect gift has been given and this baby changed everything for all of us. His name is Jesus. Amen.











May the Lord bless you abundantly today. Big hugs from me to you!

Blue Monday

Good morning everyone! Talk about a bloggy break! I'd tell you all about it but instead I'm linking up with Smiling Sally and splashing some of the most incredible blue your way. I'm especially proud of this blue. I hope you love it as much as I do!


This is my beautiful mother and I celebrating her 67th birthday yesterday. She is so lovely.

This is my son and my nephew, Jason, who looks just like Joshua at that age. This picture really stirs emotions in me. We were taking my son's senior pictures and we went to Memorial Island and as we were snapping pics by the penta-structure the little one was talking to my son whom he adores. This just reminds me of the bit of time that passes as they are little feet and then they become young men.

My son is one of the most patriotic young men I know. He has a love for this country that can sometimes make my heart feel like it's going to just explode with pride. This statue is a dedication to the POW's and the MIA's. Joshua will be enlisting after he graduates and I think you can see the look on his face. The men and women who have fought for the freedom in this country that we have will never be forgotten in this young man's heart. He will continue their legacy....and with pride.

It stands for our freedom....and you can't take that away....not on this young man's post!

Joshua and his younger cousin, Brendan.

Joshua sporting the football letterman jacket.

Joshua down by the fountains in his letterman jacket.

We will be making a booklet of his senior pictures for our family this year. It's going to encompass many more pictures just like these. We were really happy with how they turned out.

Thank you for sticking with me as I overflow with maternal pride. I pray the Lord blesses you today.

Word for Wednesday

Luke 12:27 " Consider the lilies, how they grow; they neither toil nor spin; and yet I say to you, even Solomon in all of his glory was not arrayed like one of these"

May the Lord bless you this day. May you consider the lilies and smile because you know that God is still on the throne and loves you :)

A tune for Tuesday

This song is by Hillsong and is entitled "From the Inside Out". I pray it blesses you today.








God bless you!

Then Sings My Soul Saturdays

I'm linking with Amy and the girls today and sharing a song by Kari Jobe called "My Beloved". I hope it blesses you wherever you are at today....because no matter where that is at, you are His beloved and He loves you. There is no greater joy than knowing that fact!

Where my heart is today............

I know it's not Word for Wednesday......but I was reading this Psalm and it spoke volumes to me and I just wanted to post it for you. I hope it speaks to you, as well.

Psalm 27:4 "One thing I have desired of the Lord, That I will seek: That I may dwell in the house of the Lord, All the days of my life, To behold the beauty of the Lord, And to inquire in His temple"

God bless you!

Happy Sunday!

May the Lord bless you this day!

Friday Night Lights / Sr. Appreciation Night

East Ridge High School Knights - 32 / Ocoee Knights - 20 Yay! We won. This is my knight before we took our walk on the field for Senior Appreciation Night. I could barely breathe across the field .. it felt so final .. next week is their final game depending on if they make playoffs.

To every mother who has raised a knight and must let him go, remember, they were only entrusted to us for this very purpose, and as much as there is an emptiness and ache inside, try to watch them shine!! May the Lord bless you today...big hugs from me to you!

Senior Appreciation Night ... A Mom's Perspective

Tomorrow night is Senior Appreciation Night. We, Josh's parents, are to walk down the field with our son, Joshua Paul, and the announcer will list out his accomplishments and then they will read out a written script of words of counsel that we have written for our son. We were allowed three lines. Three lines? Well, I got through it....not without crying...but I got through it and he turned in the form and tomorrow night Jason and I will walk arm and arm with our son down the football field as he is recognized.

Why does this feel like the first thing in many things to come in letting him go? A recognition, words of counsel to send him on his way and walking away. It hurts. It's exciting. It's only by the strength of the Lord that I know I can face it. If I have quoted Phil 4:13 once this week, I've quoted it a hundred times. Thank you, Lord, for Your Word.

Here are a few of my favorite pictures of Joshua playing football. Thank you for bearing with my Mama's heart during this post.



This is Joshua and baby Jason. He is one of the most affectionate young men I know at this age.

This is one of my favorite pics. Each time before kickoff, the players hold their helmets high!

Joshua is always humble and stays around to visit with his family and take pictures.

In front of everyone, this young man will still kiss his Mama. He does not care about the cool factor...never has. He would much rather be pleasing in the sight of the Lord.

These are both my children. Joshua loves his older sister, Krystle, and she enjoyed coming to watch her younger brother play.

Nice hands!

Getting ready in the huddle!

A look of determination. Focus. And still so handsome...be still my heart.

A practice catch before the game....so intent on doing it right.

Checking out the competition.

A hug for Dad too.

Our Joshua Paul...he walks alongside of Jesus and honors his parents. He brings us joy. We thank God for him each and everyday.

May the Lord bless you this day. May you know the peace of the Lord. Big hugs from me to you!

I choose to stand....will you?

May the Lord bless you today!

30th year class reunion

It's been 30 years since I've seen the people in Texas I went to school with. I went to school in a small town in Texas called Beeville from my 5th year to my 12th year minus the last six months. I did everything but walk with them.

I really hadn't seen or talked to many until I joined the classmates site and the Facebook community and now so many friendships have been rekindled. Why, I'm even on the reunion committee all the way over here in Florida.

I leave Wednesday to go and see my former classmates. I'm going to miss the blogger's retreat but I will be praying God blesses your time together. Please pray for my traveling mercies (yes, I'm a chicken when it comes to flying) and pray for my strength while I'm away.

I'll take lots of pictures....you know I will! lol May the Lord keep you and bless you. You will be in my thoughts and in my prayers while I am away. Can't help it...I take you gals with me wherever I go! Wouldn't have it any other way!

Friday Night Lights

We lost :( East Ridge 30 - Lake City 42.........long bus ride home. He was glad for the snack bag :)

May the Lord bless you this day!

Word for Wednesday

John 3:19 "Light has come into the world"

Blessings to you!

Listening to God

This post is dedicated to my son, Joshua Paul. This is his team on the field praying last Friday night after the game.

My son came home from weight training at school day before yesterday and the first thing out of his mouth was "Mom, we need to be praying for a girl named Kelsey". I agreed and asked him what we were praying for. He told me the following: when he got to school that day for weight training and entered the gym, this young lady was sitting in the corner, clearly distraught. Joshua heard the Lord say "witness to her". So he went over to talk to her and told her his name and asked her if she was okay. She told him "no, I'd be better off dead" and ran out of the gym.

Weight training was beginning but he said the opportunity was not lost because the Lord had told him where she would be tomorrow and what he was to do. I said "oh yea, wanna share". I was not being flip, I'm used to this with my son. He told me and then he went to get a Bible for her and mark specific verses the Lord instructed him to tell her.

The next day he came home from weight training and was so happy. He said he walked right into the coaches office (which is where the Lord told him she would be) and she was sitting right there with the coach. She took notice of the Bible and asked him what he had and he said "Actually, it's for you". She grabbed it from him and asked what it was and he pulled up a chair and began to witness to her as he explained to her that it was a Bible.

He told her that God loved her very much and she was definitely NOT better off dead. He told her that God wanted her to begin reading the book of John, the gospels, and then Ecclesiastes. He explained that Ecclesiastes was written by Solomon who was the wisest and richest man to ever live and he wrote the book summing up life to be meaningless without God.

He said she was very receptive and thanked him and then the bell rang and she left. However, after weight training, when he was leaving for his car she came running after him and told him that she had opened the Bible just to see what the first thing she would see would be and she read "keep away from evil". **She had told Joshua what had her feeling so desperate and it was a young man who was doing/saying horrible things about her and she liked him very much. So she told Joshua, "I'm going to stay away from that boy".

Joshua told her that God loved her and that boy but He had a great plan for her life and she should stay away from those things that God would not approve of. She said "that Bible is already making me feel better about myself"!

In a world, where we, as adults don't always take the time to listen to the Lord, let alone be obedient...my son did and I have seen this consistently in his life. His response "one more person knows now, Mom". Humble.


These are the crosses they earn for going above and beyond making plays on the field. You see his #82 and the cross above it. I asked him about the coach seeing him witness to this girl and did he think he would get a cross. His response "it's not about that, Mom, God told me to do it...it doesn't matter who saw it". Humble. I like it...made me feel two inches tall, but I am always amazed that God gave me this young man to be his Mama.

Luke 15:10 "There is joy in the presence of the angels of God when one sinner changes his heart and life" Amen!

Blessings to you today!

Word for Wednesday

Psalm 90:1-2 "Before the mountains were born and before you created the earth and the world, you are God. You have always been, and You will always be." Amen

May the Lord bless you this day. Big hugs from me to you!

Friday Night Lights

We won! East Ridge Knights 31 - West Orange 7



This is Josh #82 (in black uniform) playing offense.

This is the second down.

This is Josh (#82) black unform next to #8 runnng back to huddle.

After the game....never to old to hug Dad. One of the many things I love about this young man.

His sister, Krystle, and cousin, Brendan, came to cheer him on! Very exciting! We are celebrating Jason and Holly's birthday tomorrow and will be out on the lake. Looking forward to a fun weekend.

Joshua and his cousin, Hanah, and his Aunt Candy looking on proudly!

My son. He is quite simply the best.

Josh in the huddle...trying to hear directions.

Hope your Friday Night Lights were wonderful and all players came home safely. We enjoyed our family time and our time cheering on our favorite Knight!

Blessings to you this evening!

Word for Wednesday

Galatians 2:20 "I have been crucified with Christ and I no longer live, but Christ in me. The life I live in the body, I live by faith in the Son of God, who loved me and gave Himself for me."

Blessings to you today!

A Tune for Tuesday

Do you know how much Jesus loves you? You are His beloved and He delights in you! Here is the most beautiful song that says it way better than I can. Enjoy and be blessed.






May you embrace the love of the Lord today as much as He desires to embrace you! Blessings to you!

Happy Sunday

Friday Night Lights

We went into double overtime....but we lost....42/41 ... to Wekiva. Our boys fought hard. And Joshua rallied his team as he wasn't on the field this game. He gathered them for prayer many times and got them pumped up many more. However, in the end, our boys went for two in the end zone and while we can say the call was AWFUL and we were so there...the official saw it otherwise and we lost.

I love the game kick off with our helmets held high!

I love the look of determination on our young men's faces!

I love half time! lol

May the Lord bless you this evening....I hope and pray your teams played well and whatever the outcome...your boys and their opponents were safe!

Big hugs!

Word for Wednesday

John 15:12 "This is my commandmet that you love one another as I have loved you"

May the Lord bless you today.

PS...I used to tell my children when they were growing up that if you notice and look carefully, this is a command and not a mere suggestion of Christ! Who should we be loving today instead of thinking about it?

Big hugs from me to you!

Tuesday blessings..........

May the Lord bless you this day!

Blue Monday

Today is Blue Monday! I'm linking up with Smiling Sally and splashing some blue your way. We celebrated my nephew, Jason's, 4th birthday this weekend. Little boy blue....we had a blast in the pool, with a pinata....some silly string (my sister is crazy). It really was a good time!




Here is the birthday boy trying his turn at the pinata. He really did hit it hard and did get some good swings in there.

This is Gabriella. She was in the pool hamming it up when Uncle Jason took this shot. She loves Uncle Jay.

This is our birthday boy again jumping in the pool (I think at Josh)...I can't be sure....I try not to look too closely at these things. Jason had the camera.

This is my precious Lolly sporting a beautiful blue shirt and smile :)

Jason is the youngest in our family and he really did get a mess of gifts. He would stand back and just look astounded at things and then politely say 'thank you'. It was just precious!

Hope you had a great weekend. Hope you enjoyed the blue. May the Lord bless you today...great big hugs from me to you!