Happy 2008!

Monday is my day to post and it so happens this year, I am privileged to welcome the new year....

Happy New Year
I wish you a Happy New Year
filled with peace, love and light
and keeping God always near

I wish you a Happy New Year
filled with laughter, smiles,
happiness, and cheer

I wish you a Happy New Year
online friends and family
You all have been dear

I wish you a Happy New Year
2008 is on it's way
and 2007 is soon to disappear

I wish you a Happy New Year
Good luck with your new goals
I pray you persevere


Dani

A Little About Me

For those of you who don't know a whole lot about me, I felt like I should share a little about myself. For some reason, it's laid on my heart that it might help somebody else. So here goes. I was married for 17 years to a very abusive alcoholic. Stayed in there thinking that divorce was a sin and should try to make it work for the sake of the kids. But now I know I was hurting them by exposing them to the life we were living. You see, I honestly believe that when you marry someone outside of God's will, he doesn't have to bless it. But out of everything bad, God brings good. And my 2 kids (now not "kids" at all, but will always be my kids) were all the good I ever needed. Three years later I married the most wonderful man in the world-God sent- no doubt about it. My very best friend in the whole world, and truly my soul mate. We've been married for almost 17 years. Now, Satan has tried to attack my family with everything. And I do mean everything. Drugs, alcohol, gambling addiction, divorce, prescription drug abuse, abusive Pastors and churches, "friends" who lied and slandered our name and did unrepairable damage, you name it. But you know, how true it is that if God brings you to it, He'll bring you through it. My testimony is: I'M STILL STANDING!!!!

I have 4 beautiful grandkids. And right now we're down to only 2 dogs-Tip the Jack Russell and Sydney the Heeler. Our other dogs have since gone on before us. And yes, I believe there will be animals in heaven-how else will Jesus come back on a white horse? Our horses left about 2 years ago, after our priorities changed and the grandkids came along. Of course the fact that we weren't getting any younger played a big part too. We still have, and it'll always be "2 Much Farm". The name came when we started out with two acres (which were heavily wooded and we cleared most of it by hand), two horses and we were always saying, "this is just tooo much!!" I really think this is just a preview of what heaven will be like. It might not seem like much to others, but I really do love our little farm.

My husband is a drummer and I'm a keyboard player for a band, "Street Corner Crusade". We don't really call us a "Christian Band", but a band who's members are "Christians". We don't consider our music to be Christian nor secular, but music that brings a good message. A message of love, which is what Jesus said is the most important gift of all. And we feel led to share this message with others. Although we haven't played a gig since the Sonlight Festival in July, the ministry has taken different spin. Jackie is playing with the Ambush Band, and the outreach has taken us in another direction. We don't understand why, and we questioned it in the beginning, but everytime we're "out in the world" and we share what God has laid on our hearts with others, we know that this is where God intended for us to be.....at this time. We also DJ together.

Let's see-what else? Oh yeah, I love candles, my home, country primitive decorating, flowers and plants, chinese food and pizza (not when eaten together!), all styles of music from bluegrass to blues to soul to southern rock. I love my Momma-she's a great lady-my wonderful Aunt Evelyn who practically raised me (thanks Evelyn), my 2 brothers and my sister, all my neices and nephews. And of course my husband, my kids and grandkids,and my 2 dogs. I still love my horses-wherever they might be. I love REAL people, like Joyce Meyer and Darlene Bishop who don't claim to be perfect and will admit they have weaknesses and make mistakes just like me while we're here on earth "just passing through" to a better place. But while I'm here, the Lord has truly blessed me with a wonderful life and a wonderful family to share it with. Even though it seems like I complain all the time, I really do have so much to be thanking Him for. So, Jesus, if you're reading this-THANKS SO MUCH. I'm really not worthy. Sometimes I'm very out spoken and brutally honest. Some say it's a blessing. Some say it's a curse. I truly never mean to hurt anybody's feelings or make anybody mad. But I would rather somebody be that way to me than to lie to me.

Well, that's it in a nutshell. You wouldn't have the time to read the WHOLE story. After all, it's been 53 years in the making. Bottom line: I love Jesus and give Him all the glory for the accomplishments and failures (because I've learned and grown sooooooo much) in my life.

If some of this hits home to you and you're not quite sure what to do. Do what I did. Let Jesus handle it. Trust me. He can do a WHOLE lot better job. If you're reading this and don't know Him. Ask HIM to be your friend. He's the best you'll ever have.

Thanks to all my friends here at GTPF. And, oh yeah, thanks Baby, for being there for us these past 17 years.

True Christmas Love

This is love: not that we loved God, but that he loved us and sent his Son as an atoning sacrifice for our sins. 1 John 4:10

May you discover the true beauty of the season and have the merriest Christmas ever!

Blessings,
Lea

New Years Eve

In those days Caesar Augustus issued a decree that a census should be taken of the entire Roman world. (This was the first census that took place while Quirinius was governor of Syria.) And everyone went to his own town to register.

So Joseph also went up from the town of Nazareth in Galilee to Judea, to Bethlehem the town of David, because he belonged to the house and line of David. He went there to register with Mary, who was pledged to be married to him and was expecting a child. While they were there, the time came for the baby to be born, and she gave birth to her firstborn, a son. She wrapped him in cloths and placed him in a manger, because there was no room for them in the inn.
Luke 2:1-7

Isaiah 9:6
For to us a child is born, to us a son is given, and the government will be on his shoulders. And he will be called Wonderful Counselor, Mighty God, Everlasting Father, Prince of Peace.


Wishing you and yours a wonderful peaceful Christmas, with love,

Dani

My First Love!

When I was little, I can remember asking my Mother and Grandmother to teach me how to embroider. They took an old raggedy dresser scarf that was stained and torn, wrote my name on it in simple letters, and gave me a threaded needle and showed me how to make a simple back stitch. I finished my name, and I thought I was just the greatest because I now knew how to embroider!

I wish I still had that little scrap I completed that day. I would frame it and give it a special place in my home -- only because of the special memories it gave me to hold on to forever and always.

I guess that is why I just love the simple stitcheries with sayings on them. I can just envision children living during the turn of the century times learning to make their stitches even and perfect on all kinds of old linens -- dish cloths, doilies, dresser scarves, etc. Over the past few years, I have stitched literally hundreds of these myself. I think I became obsessed with them! And most are done on dresser scarves, doilies, etc., that already have some type of vintage embroidery already done on them.

The Lord told the parents of the Isrealite homes to be sure that they taught their children the ways and words of God. They were to "Write it upon their hearts" and "Write it upon their walls" so they would not be forgotten. (Deut. 6:9) Well, I have taken Scripture verses, hymns, little poems and rhymes and have made these stitcheries so He would never be forgotten.

In the next few weeks, I plan on listing many of these stitcheries on Ebay. I really hate to part with any of them. They became a part of me as I was stitching them!

Merry Christmas Ya'll

I'm so excited about my very first post here at GTPF.....and have no idea what to post!! I'm very thankful for friends in this group that make me feel so loved and welcomed....and have helped me tremendously through inspiration and guidance and teaching me how to blog!! As I was sitting here wondering and praying what to post today, a dear friend of mine sent me a email and I thought, "Thank you God. This is exactly what I want to say". So, I'm passing this along to each of you. Thanks Brenda Jackson....hope you won't mind if I stole this :)



CORINTHIANS 13
CHRISTMAS VERSION
(paraphrased)

If I decorate my house perfectly with plaid bows,
Strands of twinkling lights and shiny balls,
But do not show love to my family, I'm just another decorator.

If I slave away in the kitchen, baking dozens of Christmas cookies,
Preparing gourmet meals
And arranging a beautifully adorned table at mealtime,
But do not show love to my family, I'm just another cook.

If I work at the soup kitchen, carol in the nursing home
And give all that I have to charity,
But do not show love to my family, It profits me nothing.

If I trim the spruce with shimmering angels and crocheted snowflakes,
Attend a myriad of holiday parties and sing in the choir's cantata,
But do not focus on Christ, I have missed the point.

Love stops the cooking to hug the child.

Love sets aside the decorating to kiss the husband.

Love is kind, though harried and tired.

Love doesn't envy another's home that has coordinated
Christmas china and table linens.

Love doesn't yell at the kids to get out of the way,
But is thankful they are there to be in the way.

Love doesn't give only to those who are able to give in return,
But rejoices in giving to those who can't.

Love bears all things, believes all things,
Hopes all things, endures all things.

Love never fails.

Video games will break, pearl necklaces will be lost,
Golf clubs will rust ... But giving the gift of love will endure.
You can give without loving, but you cannot love without giving.


Merry Christmas from our home to yours!

Christmas Tree Love to all!

What a beautiful BLESSING to us!

Many thanks Linda for your kind words! I am so fortunate to have found this beautiful inspiring group of friends to be in my life.