Well, as Laurel pointed out, I am WAY overdue for a post on here. To make a long story short, I will just say that my attention span has been too short to write out a post. This one was pretty easy, though. Laurel tagged me to list 6 things about myself that others might not know about me.

Here are the rules.

1. Link to the person who tagged you (as I did with Laurel).

2. Mention the rules.

3. Tell 6 things about yourself.

4. Tag 6 other bloggers by linking to them.

5. Go to each person's blog and leave them a comment to let them know they've been tagged.

Well, I am going to break rule #4 since I haven't been on blogger in a long time, I have no idea who to tag and whether they have already participated. Instead, I will just say that if you want to share your 6, feel free, but leave me a note so that I can go and check in on you!


My 6 Facts
1. I love for someone to play with my hair or massage my head...I relax immediately!!

2. My third grade teacher told me that I would be a "C" student in Science at the very best. I went on to middle school and competed in state science fair for three years. I placed each year, but won the second highest award overall in my last year. I am thankful for the teacher that told me I couldn't suceed in Science, as well as the one that encouraged me to be soooo much more(Mrs. Rawlings)!

3. I enjoy reading about scientific studies that reveal God's design.

4. I am addicted to my Cricut diecutting machine and my paperdoll cartridge. It is therapy to make little clothes for my friends' daughters.

5. I miss my "men" during the day when they are at work or school.

6. I dream vivid dreams, in color.

Okay, so maybe another president won't be sworn into office before I decide to update my little blog corner of the internet!

Then Sings My Soul Saturday~HAPPY

This is one of my son's favorite songs! I am HAPPY about several things that will take place tomorrow. We will be able to use our master bath shower for the first time in over a month since our renovation began. The leak first appeared in January and I am HAPPY that it is finally resolved. My son has a soccer game tomorrow and it makes me HAPPY to cheer him on because I know what a privilge it is. Lastly, I will be spending the afternoon with some awesome girlfriends scrapbooking, but mostly just talking! That makes me HAPPY, too! Seriously, I am counting my blessings because I had let myself get too stressed out to focus on the little things that matter like friends and family(and a hot shower at home) :)

For more great music, pop on over to Amy's.

Then Sings My Soul Saturday~It's Like Me

Earlier this week, I happened to pick up the Sunday edition of the Atlanta Journal solely for the coupons. I didn't get around to going through the paper until Thursday and I almost missed one of the headlines. The article was about my rheumatologist, Dr. S, and how he had passed away the previous Saturday. I haven't been to see him since 2004 because I decided to pursue other treatments, but I knew that he had been seriously ill with pulmonary artery sarcoma(cancer). I will always remember how he consoled me the day of my diagnosis when another patient said that I would die soon. I vividly remember how he told me that my mild lupus was the disease most people would wish they would have if they had to have a disease. Neither of us knew how his own health would soon deteriorate. He just had such a big heart for all of his patients!!
I knew that he was Jewish, but I didn't know how involved in the Jewish community he was until I read that article. It saddened me that he died without knowing Jesus and I wondered if anything would have been different if I had kept going to his office. I kept thinking of this song by Kutless and how many opportunities to share our hope we miss all the time.


ALSO...

My sweet friend Tonya blogged about a fun game. I am always up for games of all sorts and I love to learn about other people. So, anyone that wants to play, leave me a comment and I will give you a letter. Whee, I get to be Vanna White for a day!!!

Things I love that begin with the letter "S"(BTW, thanks for that letter, Gabe-He is Tonya's son)

1. SON~My fun six year old, ALEX!

2. SANDY~She is my sister! Whenever my dad would get in a hurry and try to call one of us, he would stumble over our names. We are forever known collectively as "Standy". Get it? Stephanie mixed up with Sandy!!

3. SINGING in the SHOWER! Where else would a BAD warbler belt it out?? I bet my neighbors aren't thrilled that I turned off the air and opened the windows.

4. SUSAN AND SANDRA~I love my aunts, but I wish that they did not live in Texas and Florida respectively.

5. SNUGGLES!!!

6. SCRAPBOOKING FRIENDS! Laurel, Roxy, Sandy, Misti, Lisa, Rebecca, Diane

7. SCRAPBOOKING SUPPLIES!!!!!!!!! Oh, what fun!

8. SISTER-IN-LAW~Autumn is one of my closest friends and is like a sister to me!

9. SAVIOR~These uncertain times remind me that this is not my FOREVER home! It is with Jesus!!!!

10. SARAH PALIN~I just LOVE her!!

For more uplifting songs, visit Amy!

Then Sings My Soul Saturday~I can hear your voice

Earlier this week, I was praying for Ann, a sweet family friend, who is in the end stages of pancreatic cancer. I have learned so much from God while praying for Ann over the last couple of months and this time was just as powerful. I had my MP3 player going softly in the background and this song that I am sharing came on just as I was starting to get upset. I never really listen to this CD of Michael W. Smith's, so I was unfamiliar with this song. The lyrics really resounded with me!

I'm in the river that flows from your throne
Water of Life
Water of Life
It Covers me and I breath again
Your love is breath to my soul

I can hear Your voice as You sing over me
It's Your song of Hope breathing life into me
I can feel Your touch as I come close to You
And it heals my heart
You restore and renew

This song was a gift in a difficult moment!

Cousins and Cowboy Boots

 
 
 
 


My Cousin Kana made a friend for life when she eagerly jumped at the chance to play soccer with Alex. She grabbed her boots(she's from Texas) and came outside to teach him a few things. Alex adored her, from start to finish, and I am afraid that she didn't have a moment's peace the whole weekend!

Thankful Thursday~God's presence in my life

I am thankful that despite feeling angry at God and doubting Him in so many ways, He has been fully present in my life over the last couple of months. Perhaps soon I will be able to come here and share some of those experiences, but for now, my heart has softened and I am finally able to accept things that I can't change.

I am thankful that I still remember feeling and knowing that Jesus was with me as I watched the towers fall seven years ago today. There is a story to that, but I will save that one for a later post.

I am thankful that I was able to attend my grandparents' 60th wedding anniversary party this past weekend. It was not only a milestone in years, but because my grandfather was not supposed to survive Christmas two years ago!

I am thankful that we finally received some rain this week and that property damage was minimal despite the strong storm Monday night.

I am thankful that my husband supports my crazy ideas like learning guitar. Thanks for the lessons and the guitar, sweetheart! I am enjoying the chance to torture others with my "talent"!

Have a wonderful weekend, everyone! I will be praying for all of you in Texas as Ike approaches.

Go visit Iris at Sting My Heart to be inspired by other thankful hearts!

Thankful Thursday~Thankful for Legs and Lupus

Yes, I know that I have been gone a while from posting. So long that I forgot how to sign into my account and I still might have to get my friend Tonya to give me a refresher course in linking within a post. Haha! One of the biggest reasons that I have been away from the computer is that I have made some changes in my daily routine. That leads me to what I am thankful for each and every day.

As some of you may remember from an earlier post, my grandfather(paternal)had both of his legs removed within the past year due to disease. I am so grateful that he is still with us because he defies all of the doctors and their odds each day he is alive. In my heart, I know that he would love nothing more than to walk across a room, but that is just not possible given his age and overall health. So, I began to feel that the best way to honor him is to put my own legs to good use. Our family joined the local YMCA. I have been a devotee of water aerobics and the cardio machines for about a month. It is my grandfather's wish that none of the rest of us will have to live our lives without our legs.(Diabetes is frequent in my family). I am grateful that I have the opportunity to take care of my own health while I still have the legs and strength to use them.

Another thing that propelled me to the Y was that my Lupus was giving me fits. I was so exhausted each day and my poor son just wanted to play with his mama. I am grateful that things had taken a turn with Lupus so that I couldn't be complacent any longer. I may have Lupus, but it does NOT and WILL NOT have ME!!

For anyone looking for an exercise facility, I can't sing the praises of YMCA enough. I am thankful to have such a wonderful place for my whole family to get fit and play together. In fact, my son wants me to play one of his favorite songs every time we head on over to the YMCA. Can you guess the song?? Yep, that good ole tune from the seventies by the same name. I am also thankful for Youtube! So, get ready to dance and by all means, TURN UP YOUR SPEAKERS! BTW, the performance in this video uses a puppet machine, so it is worth watching.



Visit Iris at Sting My Heart to read more thankful posts.

Happy Thankful Thursday!
~Stephanie~