Good day for a BabyShower..........

Yesterday was oh so very busy.... but it was a good busy.

Morning started off with David having a baseball game... which they won............. Go little Angels.

Michael had a game right after David's. This will was the second game he has played this season... due to the relapse. He is still carrying around 20+ pounds of water weight... but was feeling better ... so wanted to try and play a few innings. He did GREAT! He played 3 innings... and spent the last two cheering on his team. The did great ... only losing by 1 run.

I'm so proud of Michael for getting in there and giving it a try. I think the exercise was good for him.

Then I was off to my moms to ride with her to my daughters Baby Shower that a friend of hers hosted for her. Mom and I ended up being in charge of games and prizes.

Here are a few pics of some of the door prizes I made for the Shower.............

Flower Coaster setWashcloth with body soap and lotion
Dishcloth with dishsoap

Dishcloth with matching scrubby

Washcloth with candle

This is what I made my daughter for the baby. The blanket is a combination of a 'V' stitch and 'Shell' stitch. Kinda made it up as I went along.

Blanket...sweater...beanie...and itty bitty tote bag

Well.... off to tend to Michael.... yesterday took it out of him.

Have a WONDERFUL Day!

hugs............

love....................

blessings.....................

.::Tam::.

**This is the message we heard from Jesus and now declare to you: God is light, and there is no darkness in him at all.
~ 1 John 1:5**

A Boy Singing to his little sister.....

Like any good mother, when Karen found out that another baby was on the way, she did what she could to help her 3-year-old son, Michael, prepare for a new sibling.
They found out that the new baby was going be a girl, and day after day,night after night, Michael sang to his sister in mommy's tummy.
He was building a bond of love with his little sister before he even met her.
The pregnancy progressed normally for Karen, an active member of the Panther Creek United Methodist Church in Morristown , Tennessee
In time, the labor pains came. Soon it was every five minutes, every three, every minute. But serious complications arose during delivery and Karen found herself in hours of labor.Would a C-section be required? Finally, after a long struggle, Michael's little sister was born. But she was in very serious condition.With a siren howling in the night, the ambulance rushed the infant to the neonatal intensive care unit at St. Mary's Hospital, Knoxville ,Tennessee
The days inched by. The little girl got worse. The pediatrician had to tell the parents there is very little hope. Be prepared for the worst.Karen and her husband contacted a local cemetery about a burial plot.They had fixed up a special room in their house for their new baby but now they found themselves having to plan for a funeral.
Michael,however, kept begging his parents to let him see his sister. I want to sing to her, he kept saying.Week two in intensive care looked as if a funeral would come before the week was over.Michael kept nagging about singing to his sister, but kids are never allowed in Intensive Care. Karen decided to take Michael whether they liked it or not.
If he didn't see his sister right then, he may never see her alive.
She dressed him in an over sized scrub suit and marched him into ICU.
He looked like a walking laundry basket.The head nurse recognized him as a child and bellowed,
'Get that kid out of here now. No children are allowed.'
The mother rose up strong in Karen,
and the usually mild-mannered lady glared steel-eyed right into the head nurse's face, her lips a firm line.
'He is not leaving until he sings to his sister' she stated.
Then Karen towed Michael to his sister's bedside.He gazed at the tiny infant losing the battle to live.After a moment, he began to sing.In the pure-hearted voice of a 3-year-old, Michael sang:'You are my sunshine, my only sunshine,
you make me happy when skies are gray.'
Instantly the baby girl seemed to respond.
The pulse rate began to calm down and become steady.'Keep on singing, Michael,' encouraged Karen with tears in her eyes.'You never know, dear, how much I love you,
please don't take my sunshine away.'
As Michael sang to his sister, the baby's ragged,strained breathing became as smooth as a kitten's purr
'Keep on singing, sweetheart.''The other night, dear, as I lay sleeping, I dreamed I held you in my arms' Michael's little sister began to relax as rest,
healing rest, seemed to sweep over her.'Keep on singing, Michael.'
Tears had now conquered the face of the bossy head nurse.
Karen glowed.'You are my sunshine, my only sunshine.
Please don't take my sunshine away.'The next day...the very next day.
the little girl was well enough to go home Woman's Day Magazine called it The Miracle of a Brother's Song.The medical staff just called it a miracle.Karen called it a miracle of God's love.
NEVER GIVE UP ON THE PEOPLE YOU LOVE.LOVE IS SO INCREDIBLY POWERFUL.
Life is good.
Have a Wonderful Day!

hugs.........
love................
blessings...............

.::Tam::.


**The Spirit of the Lord is upon me, for he has anointed me to bring Good News to the poor. He has sent me to proclaim that captives will be released, that the blind will see, that the oppressed will be set free.
~ Luke 4:18**

2009 Runza Tournament .............

Champions!!!

23 May 09 - Saturday Morning at 10am started a wonderful Memorial Day weekend for these Summer Time Families. Baseball season is something we look forward to every year!

1st Game..... Won 15 -1

After the game ... we all found a nearby BBQ grilling area and had a wonderful picnic. Hamburgers.. Hotdogs... chips... salads of all sorts... fruit.... and so on.......... *whew*

2nd Game............ Won 8 -0

24 May 09 - Sunday morning at 8am starts our day two of the Tournament.

1st Game of the day(3rd game the boys have played so far)............. Won 9 -1

Since its still so early in the morning.. we all planned a late breakfast picnic. Ken and I got up early and made homemade biscuits and gravy.... other families brought fruits.... fixin's for breakfast burritos... and juices... (orange.. apple.. etc)

We stuffed ourselves with a lovely breakfast .... sat under our shade awning and rested until Game 2.

2nd Game of the day(4th game the boys have played)............. Won 8-0

25 May 09 - Monday morning at 8:30am starts the final day of the Tournament and the game for Championship.

Game.............. WON 4 -1

NEHAWKA ANGELS TAKE CHAMPIONSHIP!!!

We spent the rest of the afternoon celebrating with a BBQ at the lake!

I would like to thank everyone for a great weekend… of fun… food… and fellowship!
The weather was great… the food was awesome.. the company was fabulous and the ball playing was absolutely outstanding!
Parents…….. be proud of yourselves… you are raising some wonderful boys
Boys… also be proud of yourselves… you have showed honor to your parents and yourselves by your sportsmanship and team playing!
GO ANGELS!!!

hugs.............

love.......................

blessings.......................

.::Tam::.

**And this world is fading away...But anyone who does what pleases God will live forever.
~ 1 John 2:17**

Encouraging.......

“If your gift is to encourage others, be encouraging….” Romans 12:8

I was having a day, a day when I found myself slipping back into the pit of destructive thinking patterns. I knew what was happening and I almost enjoyed the anticipation of a pity party. It sounds crazy I know, but if we are honest with ourselves, there are times when the pit is a comfortable place to be. We are familiar with the surroundings. We know what to expect. We know what not to expect. And frankly speaking, it is easier to invite support in the pit than it is to get out. Can anyone agree?

After trying, unsuccessfully, to get someone to join my pity party, I decided to check my email. I read and responded to many emails. In one email, I shared some good news with a friend about a situation I had been praying about. Her response came back as I was sitting at the computer. The response was simply, "YEAH!!" In email world, a word typed in all caps followed by exclamation marks, indicates that the sender is shouting or at very least talking loud. The word popped out at me. I thought wow, I needed that. I responded with a thank you. Her return response said, "That's what friends are for."

Isn't it wonderful that Jesus reveals His love for us through others? He invites us to be a part of His plan to encourage and help His children.

In our world today it has become far too easy to become self-absorbed. Our lives move so fast that we can't see the needs others have, much less take the time to lend a word of encouragement. Encouraging others does not have a monetary cost. My friend did not have to spend a dime to make me feel encouraged. What she did took very little time out of her busy day. God took her words to help me change my focus and redirect my thoughts.

Today or perhaps tomorrow someone might need some encouragement. It will only take a few minutes of your time. God will invite you to help Him encourage one of His own. From one who received a gift of encouragement, accept His invitation.

Dear Lord, You are at work all the time. Help me to see You at work. Invite me to participate. I want to say yes to You and make a difference in someones life today. In Jesus’ Name, Amen.

Show & Share.......

Hotpad made with 9 saltine granny's on the front... and a regular granny on the back.

Hotpad front....

Hotpad back with opening to put hands.

You all have a Encouraged day..............

Hugs.........

Love.................

Blessings.................

.::Tam::.

**Proverbs 12:25, "An anxious heart weighs a man down, but a kind word cheers him up."**

Memorial Day................

'Lord, hold our troops in your loving hands. Protect them as they protect us, Bless them and their families for the selfless acts they perform for us in our time of need.
In Jesus name ~Amen.'

Friday is here..............

No more school……………………. Yeah!!! I get to have my babies home with me for 3 months! I would dance around the house…but my head hurts… so I’ll just dance in my chair… .hehehheeheee

Our weekend is full of Baseball games. Tomorrow morning David and Michael have games… (doubt Michael will be up to playing... he is struggling with 20+ lbs of extra water weight and generally not feeling real good) Patrick also has a game in the morning… so Ken and I may end up separate for a while…. Patrick is on a Select Traveling team and they are participating in a Tournament this weekend. He has two games tomorrow and one on Sunday.
Patrick is also playing for his regular league team…. (PeeWee’s) and has been asked to play on the older boys team (Pony’s) due to lack of players and him being a good little ball player. Pretty cool huh? He’s the oldest on the PeeWee team and the youngest on the Pony team!
I think this is going to be a good character builder this summer for him

So if you caught all that... Patrick is playing for 3 teams this summer..... we will be at alot of baseball games. Patrick x3 Michael and David. YEAH!
I’m keeping busy with trying to catch up on crochet commitments tending to Michael .. and not neglecting the others.

My youngest grandbaby is back home with mommy and daddy after them being out of town for a very dear friends funeral for the last couple days…. I love that little man to pieces.. but …..whew………… he wears grandma out! Hehheee

He will be 2 in July… and is a BUSY little guy.
I started a Quilt’ghan for Michael. He brought home a really cute graphed out picture last week from school that he did using math problems.
I saw it and immediately thought of making a ‘ghan out of it.

I think Michael will get a kick out of having a blanket out of a picture he created.
I think I may dig through old school papers and see if I can find pics from the other two and make them quiltghans too.

Okay…. Off I go…. Need to get some address labels on boxes and get them stacked by the door for tomorrow morning before we head out to ball games.
But first ... a little show and share.............

Tote I made for a swap on the 'ville

Gecko bookmark that has become a toy for the boys...

Kittens in a row 'ghan for our kitty (Charlie)

You all have a Fabulous Friday and a Wonderful Weekend!!!!

**The man whispered, "God, speak to me." And a meadowlark sang. But the man did not hear.So the man yelled "God, speak to me!" And the thunder & lightning rolled across the sky. But the man did not listen.The man looked around and said, "God, let me see you." And a star shined brightly. But the man did not see.And, the man shouted, "God, show me a miracle." And a life was born. But the man did not notice.So, the man cried out in despair, "Touch me, God, and let me know you are here."Whereupon, God reached down and touched the man. But the man brushed the butterfly away and walked on.This is a great reminder that God is always around us in the little and simple things that we take for granted...even in our electronic age.The man cried "God, I need your help"...and an e-mail arrived reaching out with good news and encouragement.But the man deleted it and continued crying....."The good news is that you are loved." Don't miss out on a blessing because it isn't packaged the way that you expect.**

hugs........
love...............
blessings..............
.::Tam::.

**Look! I stand at the door and knock. If you hear my voice and open the door, I will come in, and we will share a meal together as friends.
~ Revelation 3:20**

Blessed to be a mommy............

Dear Lord, it's such a hectic day,

With little time to stop and pray,

For life's been anything but calm

Since You called me to be a mom--

Running errands, matching socks,

Building dreams with wooden blocks,

Cooking, cleaning, finding shoes

And other stuff that children lose,

Fitting lids on bottled bugs,

Wiping tears and giving hugs,

A stack of last week's mail to read--

So where's the quiet time I need?

Yet, when I steal a moment, Lord,

Just at the sink or ironing board,

To ask the blessings of Your grace,

I see then, in my small one's face,

That you have blessed me all the while --

And I stoop to kiss that precious smile.

hugs........

love...............

blessings................

.::Tam::.

**Even before he made the world, God loved us and chose us in Christ to be holy and without fault in his eyes.
~ Ephesians 1:4**

I Believe Always................

I believe always always
Our Savior never fails
Even when all hope is gone
God knows our pain and His promise remains
He will be with you always

Friend I don't know where you are
And I don't know where you've been
Maybe you're fighting for your life
Or just about to throw the towel in
But if you're crying out for mercy
If there's no hope left at all
If you've given everything you've got
And you're still about to fall
Well hold on, hold on, hold on

Cuz I believe always always
Our Savior never fails
Even when all faith is gone
God knows our pain and His promise remains
Always, Always
He will be with you always
He will be with you always
He will be with you

Building 429- Always

hugs...........
love......................
blessings........................
.::Tam::.

**We can rejoice, too, when we run into problems and trials, for we know that they help us develop endurance.
~ Hebrews 13:8**

Trust in God's Plan................

Once there were three trees on a hill in the woods. They were discussing their hopes and dreams when the first tree said,'Someday I hope to be a treasure chest. I could be filled with gold, silver and precious gems. I could be decorated with intricate carving and everyone would see the beauty.'
Then the second tree said, 'Someday I will be a mighty ship. I will take kings and queens across the waters and sail to the corners of the world. Everyone will feel safe in me because of the strength of my hull.'
Finally the third tree said, 'I want to grow to be the tallest and straightest tree in the forest. People will see me on top of the Hill and look up to my branches, and think of the heavens and God and how close to them I am reaching. I will be the greatest tree of all time and people will always remember me.'
After a few years of praying that their dreams would come true, a group of woodsmen came upon the trees. When one came to the first tree he said, 'This looks like a strong tree, I think I should be able to sell the wood to a carpenter, 'and he began cutting it down. The tree was happy, because he knew that the carpenter would make him into a treasure chest.
At the second tree the woodsman said, 'This looks like a strong tree. I should be able to sell it to the shipyard.' The second tree was happy because he knew he was on his way to becoming a mighty ship.
When the woodsmen came upon the third tree, the tree was frightened because he knew that if they cut him down his dreams would not come true. One of the Woodsmen said, 'I don't need anything special from my tree, I'll take this one,' and he cut it down.
When the first tree arrived at the carpenters, he was made into a feed box for animals. He was then placed in a barn and filled with hay. This was not at all what he had prayed for.
The second tree was cut and made into a small fishing boat. His dreams of being a mighty ship and carrying kings had come to an end.
The third tree was cut into large pieces, and left alone in the dark.
The years went by, and the trees forgot about their dreams.
Then one day, a man and woman came to the barn. She gave birth and they placed the baby in the hay in the feed box that was made from the first tree. The man wished that he could have made a crib for the baby, but this manger would have to do. The tree could feel the importance of this event and knew that it had held the greatest treasure of all time.
Years later, a group of men got in the fishing boat made from the second tree. One of them was tired and went to sleep. While they were out on the water, a great storm arose and the tree didn't think it was strong enough to keep the men safe. The men woke the sleeping man, and He stood and said 'Peace' and the Storm stopped. At this time, the tree knew that it had carried the King of Kings in its boat.
Finally, someone came and got the third tree. It was carried through the streets as the people mocked the man who was carrying it. When they came to a stop, the man was nailed to the tree and raised in the air to die at the top of a hill. When Sunday came, the tree came to realize that it was strong enough to stand at the top of the hill and be as close to God as was possible, because Jesus had been crucified on it.
The moral of this story is that when things don't seem to be going your way, always know that God has a plan for you. If you place your trust in Him, God will give you great gifts. Each of the trees got what they wanted, just not in the way they had imagined. We don't always know what God's plans are for us. We just know that His ways are not our ways, but His ways are always best!!!

huge hugs
lots of love &
bountiful blessings ...
.::Tam::.

**The thief's purpose is to steal and kill and destroy. My purpose is to give them a rich and satisfying life.
~ John 10:10**

Worry...............?

One of my favorite things to see is a rocking chair on a front porch. Looking at it makes me feel peace-full. I don't have a rocking chair, or a front porch, but I sure would like to!

Worry is the opposite of peace-full. It leaves me peace-less!

There are times when I don't even realize I'm worried. My mind is wired to think a lot so I get used to the constant flurry of motion in my brain. Worry will start to slowly creep in, and then before I know it, there's a stirring in my heart, my neck is tense, my mind won't shift gears and little concerns have kicked into full-blown worry.
"Worry is like a rocking chair, it will give you something to do but it won't get you anywhere!"

In Philippians 4:6-7, Paul tells us how we can find peace to replace our worries. He reminds us the Lord is near and tells us, "Don't worry about anything; instead, pray about everything. Tell God what you need and thank him for all he has done. Then you will experience God's peace, which exceeds anything we can understand. His peace will guard your hearts and minds as you live in Christ Jesus."

But God doesn't say He'll give us understanding in this verse, He says He'll give us peace in the midst of not understanding. And that's what I want. I want God's nearness to be my good and trusting His sovereignty to be my goal. According to the Word, all I have to do is:
1. Stop worrying – press the pause button on my consuming concerns.
2. Start praying – open my mouth and tell God what I need.
3. Start thanking God – remind my heart of God's faithfulness by thanking Him for what He's done.

Now that is doable! So why is it so hard to do? Why do we naturally do the opposite? I think it's because we listen to the enemy's whispers: Do not be calm about anything; instead worry about everything. Tell God what He should do and take control if He doesn't listen. Before we know it, our concerns are consuming us and our worries are robbing us of God's promised peace.

But we don't have to live that way. God promises to provide just what we need – to keep us in perfect peace, as we put our trust in Him and not in our worries. So, today when our concerns consume us, let's choose to stop and empty our hearts of our worries, talk to God about what we need and thank Him for His faithfulness and provision. It's amazing how "peace-full" comes when we stop worrying, start praying and begin thanking God for what He has done and will do.

Lord, thank You for the promise of Your peace that comes when I put my trust in You! When worry or concern threaten to consume my thoughts, help me remember to stop, pray and thank You so that my heart will remember how faithful and capable You are of taking care of me. In Jesus Name, Amen!


have a wonderful day!!!!!!!!
hugs... love ... no worries and blessings,
.::Tam::.

**And now, dear children, remain in fellowship with Christ so that when he returns, you will be full of courage and not shrink back from him in shame.
~ 1 John 2:28**

blanket I started.... called "Wool eater"

Thank You, Holy Father,

for Your special gift of mothers;

for the example of Your unconditional love they share with their children.

Thank You for the mother who lets her child know without doubt he or she is loved, and for the child who returns that love.

Lord, today we pray You will protect and guide mothers everywhere;

that You will grant them Your wisdom in loving and teaching their children.

Today, may children everywhere remember the warm caresses and whispers in the night; the tears dried and Band-Aids, the peach cobbler, the laughter;

and the blood curdling scream, "No!" at the brink of danger.

Thank You for the mothers who played with us, taught us, nurtured us,

fed us, listened to us and tried to understand us.

Today, may we remember Mom's beauty when we were young;

and her loveliness discovered as we aged.

Lord, today draw especially close the mothers who are alone,

for whatever reason;and grant them Your comfort, Your pleasure, Your peace.

And, Lord, for children who are alone, because of distance, death, or indifference, may good memories flood their minds.

And if there is not a good memory,may forgiveness burst forth from their hearts and revive in them long lost joy.

Thank you particularly for phone calls today,and for a shared "I Love You."

Today as we honor, celebrate, or simply reflect on the woman who gave us birth, or who adopted us into her heart.

We thank You, Lord, for life,

and for Mom!

In Jesus name,Amen.

Hugs... love and Blessings,

.::Tam::.

National Day of Prayer..........

Pray like you have never prayed before.......... today on our National Day of Prayer.

The following prayer guide is for your use as you pray for our nation during these demanding days.

God is holy, just, and righteous; but also merciful. Thus He brings justice and punishment upon those who refuse to repent of sin, but shows grace and gives forgiveness to those who repent. He who believes on the Son has eternal life; but he who does not obey the Son shall not see life, but the wrath of God abides on him. (John 3:36)
God refuses to hear the prayers of the unrepentant and rebellious. If I had cherished sin in my heart, the Lord would not have listened. (Ps. 66:18)
We can sin against God in word, thought, or deed. Our sin may be shown by acts of open disobedience toward God, or in apathy toward those things that matter to God. God forgives and cleanses those who confess their sins. If we confess our sins, he is faithful and just and will forgive us our sins and purify us from all unrighteousness. (I John 1:9)
Confession means humbly admitting your sins to God in an attitude of brokenness.
The Bible teaches that God blesses those nations that keep His standards of justice and righteousness, Righteousness exalts a nation, but sin is a disgrace to any people. (Proverbs 15:34)
It also teaches that God will discipline nations that defy His standards. For the nation or kingdom that will not serve you will perish; it will be utterly ruined. (Isaiah 60:12)
Our nation has clearly violated many of God's moral standards.
The Bible gives examples of individual believers who, convicted over the sins of their nation, confessed those sins to God. Thus, Nehemiah prayed:O LORD, God of heaven, the great and awesome God, who keeps his covenant of love with those who love him and obey his commands, let your ear be attentive and your eyes open to hear the prayer your servant is praying before you day and night for your servants, the people of Israel. I confess the sins we Israelites, including myself and my father's house, have committed against you. We have acted very wickedly toward you. We have not obeyed the commands, decrees and laws you gave your servant Moses. (Nehemiah 1:5-7)
When the ancient nation of Judah was returning to the Lord, they prayed: But, our forefathers, became arrogant and stiff-necked, and did not obey your commands. They refused to listen and failed to remember the miracles you performed among them . . . . But you are a forgiving God, gracious and compassionate, slow to anger and abounding in love. (Nehemiah 9:16-17)
God commands us to pray for all men everywhere, and especially for our national leaders, with the overarching goal of peace and salvation. I urge, then, first of all, that requests, prayers, intercession and thanksgiving be made for everyone-- for kings and all those in authority, that we may live peaceful and quiet lives in all godliness and holiness. This is good, and pleases God our Savior, who wants all men to be saved and to come to the knowledge of the truth. (1 Tim 2:1-4)
Holy Scripture teaches that Satan binds the hearts and blinds the minds of the lost, and that we should pray for their release from that bondage. … if perhaps God may grant them repentance leading to the knowledge of the truth and they may come to their senses and escape from the snare of the devil, having been held captive by him to do his will. (II Timothy 2:25-26)
Jesus taught that we should pray even for our enemies. But I tell you: Love your enemies and pray for those who persecute you, (Matthew 5:44)
The Bible teaches that we should not be anxious, but instead that we should present our requests to God with thanksgiving, which results is the experience of God's peace. Do not be anxious about anything, but in everything, by prayer and petition, with thanksgiving, present your requests to God. And the peace of God, which transcends all understanding, will guard your hearts and your minds in Christ Jesus. (Philippians 4:6-7)

hugs... love .... blessings and prayers.............

.::Tam::.

Some Sharing..............

RAOK'd........ (Random Act of Kindness)
I had a lovely package come in the mail... containing these beautiful Bookmarks from a wonderful RAOK Angel over at the 'ville.
Thank you so much................ I LOVE THEM!!!
This is a coaster set with dish to set them in for a gift at my daughter's baby shower this month.
I'll be making more of these along with other goodies.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

**Love in the Carlton House.....................

My little David is at it again...... He and Michael rescued these six baby bunnies from our yard after our dog dug up the nest and such.

Through research on the Internet and some info from a pet store .. we have been doing out best to nurse these little babies.

Well..... with great sadness... over the last few days... 4 of them have passed away. Very sad time around here. Although David took it very well.. and understood going into this that it was going to be a possibility that they may not live. I explained to him that if they died.. at least they wouldn't be cold and alone. They would safe and loved!!

Yesterday we buried the sweet little 4 that now are hoping in the yards of Heaven.

While the boys were at school... I made this Burial Bag for the 4 babies. We wrapped them in soft tissue and placed them in the bag with a lovely hand written note from David. Ken dug them a nice spot next to our other lost pets. This summer the boys and I are going to craft a nice cross or headstone for our family (pet) members. We have a beautiful Iris bed there... but David would like a marker of some sort. So thats what we'll do.On a good note........... two bunnies are hangin' in there. They are eating well.. staying warm and getting lots of love.

you all have a GREAT day........

God loves you and so do I!!!

Hugs... Love... & Blessings

.::Tam::.

**I will be faithful to you and make you mine, and you will finally know me as the Lord.
~ Hosea 2:20,**

Where does the time go?

Wow... can you believe my baby is 13? *sigh* Wow... a teenager... my big boy.
I thought I would just take this post to share a couple pics. I need to get a few more d/loaded from my daughter of Patricks cake and such.
But here is Patrick on the left and his friend Josh on the right at Chuck E Cheese playing a MarioKart racing game. We had so much fun. Patrick had a great day... and his friend Josh said that Chuck E Cheese was a pretty cool place. :)

This is what a 13 yr old that had a Baseball game immediately following a Track Meet looks like when its all over. Track Meet ended at 6:10pm ... Baseball Game started at 6:30pm

Patrick ran the last heat ... jumped in the van changed into his Ball Uniform on the way to the field... jumped out.. and headed straight to the Pitching mound to pitch. *whew*

Charlie had to snuggle with his buddy.

have a wonderful day............
Bless someone with a little extra patience today!

hugs... love and blessings,
.::Tam::.


**For his sake I have discarded everything else, counting it all as garbage, so that I could gain Christ.
~ Philippians 3:8**

The thief comes..........

“The thief comes only to steal and kill and destroy; I have come that they may have life, and have it to the full.” John 10:10

How many of us godly women who have loved and served God in our home, church, and community for years. Now, due to having very sad... discouraging issues in our lives do nothing. Ashamed, blame ourselves for others choices, and because of them, considers ourselves unworthy to serve. Not only does this allow our situation to steal our peace and joy, but our service too.

Many Christians fall into this same trap. They allow the enemy to rob them of their peace, steal their joy, and kill their witness over situations beyond their control.

It’s true. Satan has always been a tempter, but where he catches us off guard is by thinking he tempts us to do bad things. Our flesh mostly takes care of that job. The fact is Satan tempts us in order to lose what God has given us.

If Satan can rob our joy and steal our witness, then he makes us useless in the kingdom of God. We become unproductive when our faith is stripped by unexpected heartbreak. Nevertheless, you and I must not let Satan use our circumstances to steal our joy. That sounds good, but how do we find true joy in midst of heartache? We find it by depending on the Lord.

David reminds us, “The Lord is my strength and my shield; my heart trusts in him, and I am helped. My heart leaps for joy and I will give thanks to him in song” (Ps 28:7).

First, David believed God heard his cries. Second, he relied on God’s provision and strength. Third, David trusted in God’s help with all of his heart. This kept him from growing weak, losing heart, and giving up. Finally, because David believed God was for him, in him, with him, and behind him one hundred percent, David was able to give thanks with a joyful heart.

Like David we will experience situations that can steal our joy and leave us feeling unworthy to serve. To think this way is to see ourselves outside of God’s grace. You and I don’t serve God because we are good enough. We serve God because He’s good enough. It’s His perfection working through our imperfections. By the same token, our joy is not defined by our circumstances. It’s based on our relationship with God who, in due time, will bring us out of our present situation. Exercising faith in God - not circumstances - aids the discouraged heart so that Satan cannot steal our joy or our purpose.

Dear Lord, Today I refuse to let Satan steal my joy. I long for the fullness of life that You have given me. As I trust You in my present situation, I also trust You to restore my peace and joy. In Jesus’ Name, Amen.

Have a Wonderful day.... filled with God.. joy and happiness!

huge hugs...lots of love ... and bountiful Blessings,

.::Tam::.

**By his divine power, God has given us everything we need for living a godly life.
~ 2 Peter 1:3**

Show & Share Saturday...........

Just a quick post of pics of some of my recent projects before we head off to ChuckECheese for my 13yr olds birthday today! Its amazing... 13yrs old... WOW! Where do the years go?!
Okay.... the first pic is of the finished item from the Mystery CAL I have been posting all week.... isn't it Awesome!!!!!?

Boutique Baguette

Wiggly Hotpad

Swap items of a coffee cup with cozy... and a coffee cup shaped hotpad

Pineapple doily done in Red Heart Baby yarn

Well... we're off to eat too much pizza... lots of cake... and play way too many games!

You all have a GREAT day!!!!

huge hugs... lots of love... and bountiful blessings,

.::Tam::.

**For all who are led by the Spirit of God are children of God.
~ Romans 8:14**

Mystery CAL...Day 4...........

WooHoo.............. here we are ... finishing day for the CAL.... what will our fun project be?

At this point before working todays instructions... your project should look like this.

Finishing and assembly...........
Day 4
***IF you are using 2 colors, finish off main color. Begin new color in the same st you ended off the last color. Start this row in the new color.**
IF not changing color, continue on with out finishing off.* (Making pleats in this row)

R15 Ch1, sc in same sp, sc in the next 38 sts, skip 4 sts, sc in the next 2 sts, skip the next 4 sts, sc in the next 57 sts, skip the next 4 sts, sc in the next 2 sts, skip the next 4 sts, sc in the last 16 sts. Slst to the first sc to join. (115 sc)

R16 Ch2, dc in the same sp, dc in each sc around. Join with a slst to the first dc. Skipping the beg. ch2. (115 dc)

R17 Ch1, sc in same sp, sc in each st around. Slst to the first sc to join. Finish off and weave in ends. (115 sc)

Loop
R1 Find the center 4 sts right above the center pleats on back row, (where you join rounds). Attach yarn to the last row (top sc row) back loops right above the pleats, ch3, dc in next 3 sts, (all 4 dc should be directly centered above the center pleats).

R2 Turn, ch1, sc in same sp and next 3 sts. (4sc)

R3 Turn, ch3, dc in the next 3 sts. (4dc) Repeat R2 and R3, 2 times, Turn, ch3, dc in next st, ch4, dc in last 2 sts. (4dc and 1, ch4 sp)
Turn, ch1, sc in same sp and next dc, 5sc in the ch4 loop, sc in last 2 dc and finish off.
Sew button to the other side in the center, above the pleats on R16. (the dc row)

Straps~ Here you make 2 straps, 1 on the front and 1 on the back. It is the same sts as the Loop. Just center the straps in place on either side of the pleats.

R1 Attach yarn in desired location for the strap, ch3, dc in next 3 sts. (4 dc) (I went 12 sts to the left of the center pleats, attached my yarn and made my 1st. four sts here. Then when desired length of strap is achieved, attached to the corresponding # of sts on the right side of the pleats. So they are centered on either side of the pleats.)

R2 Turn, ch1, sc in same sp and next 3 sts. (4sc)

R3 Turn, ch3, dc in the next 3 sts. (4dc) Repeat R2 and R3, as many times as needed to get the desired length of strap. Finish off, leaving a tail long enough to sew the strap onto the other side of the pleats. Repeat on the opposite side.
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You all have a Fantastic Friday.
Remember … be thankful for all… good and bad.
Count all trials a blessing!!!! Yes… trials are blessing! You would never grow and learn if not for the trials in your life.
So .. the next time your riding mower breaks down and you have to push mow 4 acres of land… be thankful the 4 acres are grass and the other 7 are woods.
The next time one of your children fall and split their head open requiring staples… be thankful its only staples and not major surgery.
The next time you find your life stressed… be thankful you have a life. You have a home.. a family…friends… food… etc…. and you’re not living in a box house with mud floors and the streets outside your door are covered in waste water.
And the next time you find everyone piling their own burdens on your shoulders and you feel you cant hold another one… due to your own life issues. BE THANKFUL you are trusted so confidently by others to hold their burdens for them… that you are the one they can come to because God knows and trusts you with their issues knowing they cant hold them and you can.
Be Thankful God loves you!!!!

Huge hugs…. Lots of love… and bountiful blessings to you all,
.::{T}::.


**When you go through deep waters, I will be with you.
~ Isaiah 43:2**