Do It Anyway

Last first day of school-Seniors Marissa and Kendra

Life is too short to wake up with regrets.

So love the people who treat you right. Forget about the one's who don't. Believe things happen for a reason. If you get a second chance, grab it with both hands. If it changes your life, let it. Nobody said life would be easy, they just promised it would be worth it.

I wish all the students and teachers a wonderful school year, strength for the journey and as much happiness along the way as they can grab........


Kavian and Calvin~ready for the challenge of 1st grade!


Grandpa Dave~enjoying retirement~taking more time for what is important!


People are often unreasonable, illogical and self-centered;
Forgive them anyway.
If you are kind, people may accuse you of selfish, ulterior motives;
Be kind anyway.
If you are successful, you will win some false friends and some true enemies;
Succeed anyway.
If you are honest and frank, people may cheat you;
Be honest and frank anyway.
What you spend years building, someone could destroy overnight;
Build anyway.
If you find serenity and happiness, they may be jealous;
Be happy anyway.
The good you do today, people will often forget tomorrow;
Do good anyway.
Give the world the best you have and it may never be enough;
Give the world the best you've got anyway.
You see, in the final analysis it is between you and God;
It was never between you and them anyway. ~Mother Teresa

Sister Linda

This is Linda's home away from home this week. She has been in so much pain. She has tried the therapy, the exercises, the remedies prescribed, but this knee involved much more than any of those, and she has grown tired of the pain. This week, she got a new knee. I have heard it said that she must be "bionic" as she has had so many surgeries. I am not sure she is as much "bionic" as "rebuilt"!

I am asking for your prayers for Linda. She is an amazing woman and sister to me. She is the firstborn of 9 and, if you have been following my blog at all, you know growing up was not so easy at our house. 11 people in a 2 bedroom house with no furnace and no running water and no bathroom....and no money. Linda actually went to work in town and bought things for her brothers and sisters, helped Mom with expenses, cooked, cleaned, fed and bathed the little ones. I really remember Mom saying that Linda was like a "little mother". She made sure everyone else was taken care of and fed before she ate. She is still like that today. Caring for everyone else before herself...

I love Linda so much and if I can ask for your prayers and they can help her be free from pain and recover from this surgery quickly to get back at the business of life, that would be my request.

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"A sister is a little bit of childhood that can never be lost".

We found a few minutes in this busy life to join together to be with Linda at the hospital this week. Any time we are together, we have to make use of the photo opportunity. One sister was unable to be with us. We miss you Susie!

Praying for you Linda. Be happy. Be healthy. Be well. Love you forever!

Heaven Is For Real

Heaven Is for Real is the true story of the four-year old son of a Nebraska pastor who, during emergency surgery, slips from consciousness and enters heaven. He survives and begins talking about being able to look down and see the doctor operating and his dad praying in the waiting room. Colton said he met his miscarried sister, whom no one had told him about and his great grandfather who died 30 years before Colton was born, then shared impossible-to-know details about each. He describes the horse that only Jesus could ride, about how "reaaally big" God and his chair are, and how the Holy Spirit "shoots down power" from heaven to help us.

The simple message is that heaven is a real place, Jesus really loves children, and be ready, for a last battle is coming! This book is a fast and simple read, but thoroughly enjoyable and engaging.

I also had the opportunity to visit this most beautiful "Sunken Garden", right in the heart of Lincoln, Nebraska. Who knew???

I LOVED IT! IT IS BEAUTIFUL! IT IS AMAZING! It was a hidden secret. It was a total surprise to me to find this just in passing on the busy city streets.

I got to thinking about heaven and that it "is for real". Now, I have been told that heaven is probably going to be whatever we love most. If you love horses, I am sure God would not allow you all of eternity to live without them. If you love hunting, I am sure there are the most amazing animals there for your pleasure. If you love beaches and oceans, I like to think God will provide that for you.

If you love flowers, maybe this is a tiny speck of what you will see. I remember my mama saying in her last hours: "Oh, there are so many colors" and "It is so bright in here", and "It is so orange, and it is so pink"!!! I like to think she saw ahead to where she was going and found herself in a beautiful garden. I am sure there were pansies there, as she loved them so much.

She also talked and talked about babies in her last days. With her love of children, I also like to picture her with the job of rocking babies....in a flower garden! What a great vision for me to look forward to!

Please enjoy my photo album from the "Sunken Garden"....holding all kinds of beautiful surprises, and remember, this is nothing compared to the glories we will see one day!

I am not sure what God has planned for me, but in my mind, there HAS to be a sunken garden that I don't have to weed, and for sure, the humidity will be more than bearable. There HAS to be lots of babies, canvases to paint, songs to sing, lots of hugs, and photos to take. I have been given a considerable about of grief for taking so many pictures here on earth, but I want it said of me one day..."She was busy recording life"! I am so grateful for the opportunity to share my photos with you. Choose Joy with me today!