Blue Monday

Today I'm linking up with Smiling Sally and splashing some of the sweetest blue your way.  I had the most wonderful weekend with my children.  I have exactly six more days before I have to take my son to check into his new ordered post in Fort Polk, Louisiana, and we are just making each day count.  Sunday we went to the beach and it was a gorgeous blue sky day.  The kind of blue that doesn't match a specific color of crayon.  It's specifically painted in the sky by our Creator to bring joy to you and I.

And the water was just brilliant blue!  And it splashed perfectly on the shore to bring pleasure to your toes and lower legs.  I love how God tells the ocean to come right here on the shore line and go no further and as it comes up and laps up at your toes and legs it dances just so as to obey His voice and then it pulls back to the ocean!  Bliss.

Here is Joshua doing his best impersonation of a Baywatch run! lol

This is my Krystle Pie hugging and loving on me.  I am one blessed Mama when it comes to my children and the lavish amount of attention they give me. 

OK, OK, my children have a flair for drama.  They love to make silly faces when I'm trying to get them to take a picture! Nice smiles, huh?  lol  Please notice the blue sky and the blue water.  Just gorgeous.  Well done, Lord.  Very well done!  Thank you for Your amazing gift of beauty in the ocean and the sky and in the silliness of children. 

Genesis 1:2a "and the Spirit of God was hovering of the face of the waters"

Happy SONday!!!

Christian Graphic Comments

An Amazing Story

Psalm 139:13-17 "For You formed my inward parts; You covered me in my mother's womb. I will praise You, for I am fearfully and wonderfully made; Marvelous are Your works, And that my soul knows very well. My frame was not hidden from You. When I was made in secret, And skillfully wrought in the lowest parts of the earth. Your eyes saw my substance, being yet unformed. And in Your book they all were written. The days fashioned for me. When as yet there were none of them. How precious also are Your thoughts to me, O God! How great is the sum of them"!

Word-filled Wednesday

I'm linking up with the girls at WFW today and sharing a favorite scripture verse.  If you'd like to share too, meet us at the Internet Cafe.  God bless you!

Psalm 31:16 " Let your face shine on your servant; save me in Your unfailing love"

Blue Monday

I'm linking up with Smiling Sally today and proudly displaying my son's "Turning Blue" ceremony pictures.  This ceremony is the advancement of a soldier to an Infantryman and is signified by a loved one tying a blue cord on their shoulder.  My son asked me to do this honor for him.  I'll let all of the pictures speak for themselves as I was trembling and couldn't speak anyway.  The middle picture is the beginning of the ceremony when we began with prayer....and this is when my tears began.  Every great man begins with prayer and it is my hope that my son never forgets this lesson. 

Numbers 6:24-26 "The Lord bless you and keep you; The Lord make His face shine upon you, And be gracious to you; The Lord lift up His countenance upon you, and give you peace"

Happy SONday!

Can't wait for this day!  God bless you!

Military Tribute - PV2 Joshua Mercuri

Today's military tribute is PV2 Joshua Mercuri, my son. This young man was born May 21, 1992, under very tenuous health conditions that rendered my heart to stop beating on three separate counts.  However, God showed up mightily that day, and granted me the extreme privilege and honor of being allowed to parent this child. 

PV2 JOSHUA MERCURI

Joshua was a pecocious young child always testing his boundaries without full out rebellion and his first aspiration as young boy of five was to be a weather forecaster.  He knew exactly every type of cloud and was fascinated by storms and thought he would be a storm chaser.  He wanted to do it to help people.  PV2 Joshua Mercuri WE SALUTE YOU!!

Joshua comes from a long line of familial service to our great nation.  His maternal grandather served in the Navy, along with many uncles who served in all branches of the military.  His fraternal great grandfather was a WWII decorated hero.  He received the purple heart for attempting to rescue many Jewish families in an ambulance but eventually getting caught.  Joshua loves history and has great compassion for those in need.  He has a great love for this Country and from the 7th grade on he knew he wanted to serve in the military.  He has never waivered in his desire to enlist...war or no war. 

Joshua pursues his dreams with great effort.  He turned 18 on May 21, 2010 and graduated the following week.  June 9, 2010 he was on the plane to Georgia.  There wasn't a lot of time to breathe!  Here is a picture of him receiving his diploma of which he graduated Magna Cum Laude with a 3.8 GPA.  He also played football his last two years of high school. 

A very proud mama!

Joshua loves his Lord and loves his family.  Since he has been at boot camp he has asked me to write to a couple of his battle buddies that he noticed were not getting any mail.  This is the kind of young man Joshua is.  He looks out for others.  He cares about others.  He also has invited these young men to church and Bible Study.  When I received a letter from one of the young soldiers he told me that he may not have a great home life but now he knows he has a God in Heaven who loves him and he has a great friend in Joshua and he is thankful.  I'm grateful my son continues to let his light shine before men and I pray he will always do so. 

Two more of my favorite pictures that we took for his senior pictures....very telling of where this young man was headed.

Senior Picture at Memorial Island

Tonight my son marches 12 miles and ends with a cross rifle ceremony.  Many of us Army moms are on pins and needles as we pray and worry over their well being and how they will do.  This is rigorous.  Not everyone makes it.  They have been sleep deprived for a week and in the woods doing the last phase of their training.  However, if they do make it, they receive the honor of being called Infantrymen.  As I write this, I can only wonder if my son has crossed the mark yet.  I wonder for the other mothers, as well.  I'm praying.  They are praying.  God be with our young men as they selflessly serve our nation.

JOSHUA 24:15 "AS FOR ME AND MY HOUSE, WE WILL SERVE THE LORD"