i have done it again.....

I FINALLY added the music, I hope you enjoy some of my favs!

til next time....

Thank yous.....

Thank you to Stephanie and Pam ....

Stephanie for suggesting that Pam could help me with the cool, new background, and Pam for actually helping me do it!

TNT.......

Sermons and my life....

I heard something the other day that made me stop and think...... "The best sermons are not preached, they are lived". What a profound statement I thought. I mean really listen to the words, say them out loud, I did. Think about it. What does this really mean?

I have found, for many years now, great comfort and joy in my church home and my church family. I have heard many great sermons from our Pastor and others who have on occasion filled in for him, each sermon very worthy on its own. I have, in my life, even given what some would call a "sermon" or two. But when I heard this said the other day, "The best sermons are not preached, they are lived", it caused me to stop and think. What does qualify a "good sermon"? Is it the character of the person who is giving it? Is it the words themselves that are spoken? Is it the message alone that has meaning and merit? I have come to conclude that it is all of these things. This goes back to the old saying, "if you are going to talk the talk, you have to walk the walk". I have to admit I am not always good at "walking the walk", it is much easier to say something than to actually do it. But after thinking on this for quite some time I have decided that what we say has no real merit unless we actually do it. When I hear a "sermon" at church or even give one myself, my words are just that, WORDS, those sermon words are just words unless we take them and give them life. I have to follow them up with action, in every way. And the person who is saying them has to have character and value to me and/or others or I don't take what he or she is saying seriously. Likewise, I have to have merit and character for my words to matter.

For example, I say I love Jesus, do I really live it everyday? I say that I love my family, do I really show them, everyday? I say I have a heart and a desire to see lost people saved, but do I do anything about it? I have to admit I make an attempt on all of these points but do fall short more often than I succeed.

Thank God that He is a forgiving God and that He loves me inspite of myself. I challenge myself to walk the walk, to live out the "sermons" in my life and be a person of character and conviction each and every day, not just when I really think about it and work at it......I have to admit it will be difficult at times but I do want to mean what I say, and say what I mean......when I really think about what Jesus did for me, for all of us, (eventhough He knew I would be a sinner and would fall short more than I succeed) it is the very least that I can do for Him.


Til next time.....

I did it!!!

Thanks to my friend Pam.....I DID IT! The pretty background is there and so are all of my posts!

Thank you Pam...now on to the music. I have also been trying to add that!

Til next time.....

Okay -can somebody help me? I added the pretty background but then all of th words and all of my old posts were gone, I switched back to another template and now the words are all here and my older posts are back!

I have finally added this pretty background...but now I can't find the words I keep typing in for the posts.....

What is happening? I have this pretty background, but no words!

I have been trying to do that for weeks.....

I have been trying to change the background on the blog to one from that "cutest blog on the whatever" site....I never thought of myself as computer challenged, but that one got me.

I have finally done it, I think I lost all of the other posts in the process! but here it is....my bedroom curtains, right here on the blog! Not really, this background just reminds me of my curtains in the bedroom.

Anyway, I am still trying to add more of that cool stuff, the music, etc. Anyone who feels they are less electronically challenged that I apparently am, help me!

Horses....Horses....Horses

I took a few pictures of Cisco here (he still needs to gain some weight from being sick, but he is looking better) This first picture is not very good of him, he looks better than he appears to in this one). Then I proceeding to take my camera over to Cindy's (where Sutherlyn takes riding lessons) and took some pictures there too.

These are some of the girls that Sutherlyn rides with, there are others but these are the ones I was able to take snap shots of......

This is Sutherlyn on Bonnie and Mrs Cindy is helping them get ready to go......

This is April and Gypsy......her horse Ziggy was tired out, she'd been riding him all day....Gypsy was filling in!

This is Kaylee & Tonka...

Here is Mrs Cindy's newest addition, This is Hillbilly, he is a Missouri Foxtrotter and boy did I think my Hawkeye was big, this guy is big and beautiful!! BUT he doesn't like dogs, Skye (the Border Collie) had to make a run for it several times while we were there. She finally decided under the picnic table was safe!

There they are, all of them in the round pen, going out on the trail...Sutherlyn was so excited!

Sutherlyn is at a halt for her learning advancement, she still has to get a little stronger and a little longer (taller) but she is funny to watch. Her and those big horses, she isn't afraid at all and they are funny with her too. They are good with kids . It has been a pleasure to get to know Cindy and the others out there, we really enjoy going and look forward to the days when Sutherlyn can "really ride" ! For now, we are all having fun!

Till next time.......

Happy Birthday, Happy Birthday -

To my Mom and Mal's Dad...

How crazy that is that they have the same birthday.

Also, my Dad and Mal's Mom's birthdays are 4 days apart (different years) but only a few days apart and Mal's birthday is tomorrow!

What a birthday present he was for his Dad....

Okay - so I am terrible at "keeping up" here.......

Just a few things to convey....some things that we laughed at a few weeks ago.....

Sutherlyn, Mal and I were outside and Sutherlyn was playing make believe with us. Her imagination is amazing. Anyway, as most children her age do, she has a way of saying things that are "close but not quite" and some of the time you have to decipher what she means. Any of you with children know what I mean....

So, here are a few excerpts from our conversations.....

These are a few of them from her pretending that she was going on a trip..

Sutherlyn: Momma, I am leaving soon. Do you think I should take things with me?
Momma: Yes, you need to take the things you will need while you are gone, i.e. your hairbrush, toothbrush, change of clothes, etc.
Sutherlyn: Yes Momma, you are right. I want to be "impaired" when I go.

Another time she and Mal were discussing her horseback riding lessons and her posture at the table, this is a portion of that....

Daddy: Sutherlyn you need to be sure to sit up straight while riding.
Sutherlyn: I know Daddy, I am trying hard to have good "postrophe"...

Hope you get a kick out of these as we did.

Till next time.........