Question 1
(In honor of my best fwend today…. she has been so ill How often do you get real sick? I rarely get sick! I take authority over sickness and rebuke any symptoms that begin!  

Question 2
Do you usually send serious or humorous greeting cards? Why? Depends on who is recieving the card from me.  Usually funny cards, but occasionally meaningful or serious cards.  My mom gets her feelings hurt if the card is not a sweet card so hers are always sweet serious cards

Question 3
Are you a person who has a whole lot of acquaintances, or just a few very close friends? Both.  I have a circle of very close friends that are the bestest in the world and then a bunch of other friends I love too, but are more acquaintances. 

Question 4
If you could cure a disease, or heal a sickness, which one would you choose? Brain injuries.  Seems like it’s the only thing that doctors just give you a shrug and a puzzled look… the brain still is a mystery for the medical world.  Good thing God knows how to heal the brain… since He created it and all

Bonus Questions
Question 5
What does “being spiritual” mean to you? Letting my guard down completely and letting myself commune with God, to spend time in His word and pray constantly… to feel His presence always.
Question 6
Imagine you were talking to someone who did not believe in God and Jesus… How would you explain to them that Jesus is Real (from your experiences in your own life)? I would just say that I have felt the presence of God in my life so many times and that without Him and without the sacrifice of Jesus I would have no hope.  He died for my sins.  He died for my sickness.  For me.  For you.  

Great questions!  Visit “To Know Him” to participate!

How fun is it to ride your bike? Have you ever considered getting a bike for riding on the beach? A beach cruiser? They even have big & tall beach cruisers now! You all know how tall I am so a tall bike would be perfect for my long legs!

I love this aqua beach cruiser bike! Some of the features of this bike are:

Frame Extended / Oversized Hi-Tensile Steel Cruiser Frame
Handle Bar 30.5″ Wide Oversized Chrome Plated Handle Bar w/ Tilt & Telescope
Grips Black Rubber Grips
Fork Uni-Crown Fork
Stem Aluminum Alloy Stem
Wheels 26″ 36H Heavy Duty Stainless Steel Spokes with Brass Nipples on Aluminum Alloy Wheels with CPSC Reflectors
Tires 26″ x 2.125″ Flame Thread White Wall Cruiser Tires
Brakes Front & Rear Aluminum Alloy V-Brakes with Aluminum Alloy Brake Levers
Saddle Oversized Extra Padded Body Colored Cruiser Saddle with Dual Coil Spring Suspensions
Seat Post Chrome Plated Seat Post with Aluminum Quick Release
Pedals Oversized 4″ x 3.5″ Cruiser Pedals with CPSC Reflectors
Chain Guard Body Colored Chain Guard
Chain KMC Chain
Crank Arm One Piece Chrome Plated Crank Arm
Sprocket Designer Black & Chrome Plated Disc 44 Teeth Sprocket
Kick Stand Heavy Duty Chrome Plated Kick Stand
Nuts & Bolts High Polish Nuts & Bolts All Around
Reflectors Front & Rear CPSC Reflectors with Mountings
Fenders Included Body Colored Front & Rear Duck Tail Fenders
Baskets Ready for Optional Baskets

Isn’t it beautiful? I also like the multi speed style bike. What kind of bike do you have? Do you ride often?

“Sincerity”

“Be sincere… until the day of Christ.” - Philippians 1:10 NAS

The word ’sincere’ comes from a Latin word meaning “without wax”. In the original

Greek, it means “sun-tested.” In Bible times merchants sold very fine porcelain that

was greatly valued and expensive. Sometimes when it was fired in the kiln,

tiny cracks would appear. Dishonest merchants would smear pearly-white wax

over these cracks, which would pass for unblemished porcelain - unless it was

held up to the light of the sun. Honest merchants marked their wares sine cera -

“without wax.” That’s a picture of genuine sincerity. No sham, no hypocrisy, no

hidden cracks to be covered over.

You say,”How can I live this way?” By keeping your eyes on Christ, not Christians!

Paul writes, “As a prisoner for the Lord then, I urge you to live a life worthy of the

calling you have received” (Ephesians 4:1 NIV). When Paul wrote this, he was

under house arrest in Rome, yet he didn’t regard himself as a prisoner of the

Romans. No, he was a prisoner of Jesus, a voluntary slave, totally in subjection

to the Lord. There’s a metaphorical meaning to this word “prisoner.” It can mean

“binding, as with a spell.” Paul was literally captivated by Jesus Christ! He thought

and talked about nothing else. He got up every morning determined to please Him.

Some days he didn’t do too well. We all have those days. But the next morning he

was up and at it again, more determined and more committed than ever.

Paul’s sincerity wasn’t based on keeping certain religious rules or trying to look

good. It was based on a deep love relationship with Christ: “Whatever we do,

it is… because Christ’s love controls us” (2 Corinthians 5:14 TLB).

- Bob Gass Ministries

Visit Sheryl for more faith lifts!

What do you want for Valentine’s Day? How about some valentine roses? 1800flowers has the best selection of beautiful flowers for your sweetheart. Amanda’s boyfriend Lorenzo brought her a rose the other day and it really made her day. I think flowers do that, they just make you smile. It shows that someone cares and thought of you while they were out and picked up flowers for you. Aren’t these tulips pretty? I love tulips and it’s no secret I love Valentine’s day!!! I wonder if I’ll get roses this year? Hmmm… maybe Matt’s reading this and looking for a hint. Flowers are always a hit and always say, “I love you,” like nothing else!

Thanks Shawna for the cool mom award!

I pass it on to Nancy who is such a cool mom she made lauren pj’s and turkey today!

To Janeen who is so cool her kid knows the singers of songs already!

and to Tori, we all know how cool she is! to Haley who is a new mom … and to Karen! who is totally cool!

There’s Jenny who is always cool and Amanda who is cool X 2 (almost) now!

Then Zenaida & Nancy gave me this award!

Thanks guys! Right back atcha!

Also Lauren, Jenny, Irene, Sheryl, Kahri, Susan, Kat, Kari, Yvonne, Sandra, Jodi, and Julie.

If you are searching for nursing homes for your loved one, it is important to feel like you have found a place that will care for your loved one like you do. That the people will be kind to them and they will not be neglected. Bettercaring is a dedicated service for anyone who needs answers to important questions about care for themselves or for their loved ones. At bettercaring you can look at the care options that are available to you in your area, as well as search for care homes that fit special needs you might have. With bettercaring you can arrange the right care for you, as well as read daily care news and get tips from care experts. When we were involved in finding our grandmother a home to live in it took many tries to finally place her in a home that took care of her the right way. It would be helpful to save the pain of moving around by having people who know all about the care homes.  Finding that special place might be difficult, but you’ll know when you have found it.

Do you have any student loans? TuitionWise student loans put you in control. With a TuitionWise student loan you can decide how much to borrow³, when to apply, and the check is sent directly to you!

There are many benefits to a TuitionWise Student Loan that high interest rate credit-cards and home equity loans do not offer:

TuitionWise Student Loans are Practical:
- No payments until you graduate! While enrolled as an undergraduate, you can choose to defer all payments on TuitionWise Student Loans until after graduation ¹
- Automatic 6 month grace period for graduates and undergraduates after graduation
- Student loan interest rate reduction by enrolling in the TuitionWise automatic payment program (interest rate will be reduced by 0.25%, and you can have your rate reduced by another 0.25% after you make your first 36 payments on-time).²

TuitionWise Student Loans are Easy:
- TuitionWise student loan paperwork is simple and straightforward.
- Application is quick; apply online or by phone and receive preliminary approval in as little as 15 minutes!
- A TuitionWise loan is unsecured, so no collateral is required!

TuitionWise Student Loans are Flexible:
- No application deadlines or upfront, out-of-pocket fees! You can apply anytime of the year for a TuitionWise loan and receive your check in about a week.
- You can borrow up to $40,000³ or the estimated cost of your school program
- The check is sent directly to you, not the school.
- A TuitionWise student loan can be used for all education-related expenses, including college tuition, books, travel expenses to and from school, room and board, lab fees and you can even use a TutionWise student loan to pay for past due expenses!

So if you need money for school, apply online or over the phone for a TuitionWise Student Loan. No matter how you apply, you can receive preliminary approval in as little as 15 minutes and get your check in about a week.

Be Wise. TuitionWise Student Loans.

Have you ever heard of Mesothelioma?  It is an asbestos-caused cancer of the serous membranes that surround many of the body’s vital organs. These membranes, known as mesothelium, secrete a lubricating fluid that provide an easy movement of the organs within the body. The most common form of the disease is pleural mesothelioma, which affects the membranes that surround the lungs. The next most-common form of the disease is peritoneal mesothelioma, which affects the lining of the abdomen. Other forms of the disease do exist, but they are rare occurrences.

Here’s Bailey leaving Mardels… he got lots of good stuff there!

It sure was a windy cold day!

Bailey showing off his new ring from Mardels.

We took pictures with the camera on the table.

I would recommend not doing this!

GAG!

You either look like a pig freak (above) or

you have your head cut off (below)!

Next we stopped for cheesecake to go at the cheesecake factory…

We got Tuxedo & Godiva Chocolate flavored cheesecake! YUM!

Here we are outside leaving …

They put birthday sprinkles on Bailey’s tuxedo cheesecake!

He said it was the best he’d ever had!

So good, in fact, he couldn’t wait to eat it!!!

Tonight we’re going to mom’s house for dinner and birthday cake (more cheesecake!)

I’ve officially used all my points for today… and some of my bonus points too (I think :o)

This just goes to show the lengths a mom will go for her child. I will sacrifice my diet for the love of Bailey and his birthday being the best birthday it can possibly be! I’m real thoughtful like that!

Do you know the secrets of being happy? I think I do, I believe that we are taught in the scriptures to count all things joy in the Lord. Some people find it hard to live a happy life and there are different methods out there to help in that process. Some things like your beingness presence awarenes are factors of happiness. The Sedona Method has a plan for happiness. There is also a book titled, “Happy for No Reason.” by Marci Shimoff. Here is an excerpt from her book.

I first learned about the Sedona Method from my dear friend, Hale Dwoskin, who was one of Lester’s students and today carries on Lester’s work all over the world. Hale is amazing! He’s like a laughing Buddha and it’s contagious. I can’t be around him without wanting to giggle. He’s definitely one of my Happy for No Reason mentors.

When I met Hale, letting go was not my strong suit. Sometimes I fought my negative thoughts and feelings, but mostly I was the queen of holding on to them—doggedly determined to figure them out, to understand where they came from and what they meant. Hale kept telling me, “Marci, just do the process.” But I didn’t think I could just let my thoughts and feelings go. It seemed too ridiculously simple.

What helped me finally get it was a little demonstration Hale showed me of how letting go works. Try it for yourself. First, get a pen. Now hold the pen tightly in your hand—the pen represents your thoughts and feelings and your hand is your awareness. Notice that although gripping the pen is uncomfortable, after a little time it begins to feel familiar or “normal.” Are you feeling that yet? In this same way, your awareness holds on tightly to your thoughts and feelings, and eventually you get used to holding on and don’t even realize you’re doing it.

Now open your hand and roll the pen around on your palm. Notice that your pen and your hand are not attached to each other. The same is true for your thoughts and feelings. Your thoughts and feelings are no more attached to you than the pen is attached to your hand. You are not your thoughts or feelings.

Now turn your hand over and let the pen go. What happened? The pen dropped to the floor. Was that hard? No—you simply stopped holding on! That’s what it means to let go.

Mariel Hemingway, the famous actress and grand-daughter of writer Ernest Hemingway, has found the Sedona Method very helpful too. A week before our interview, I arranged to meet Mariel at a local bookstore where she was doing a book signing for her most recent book, Healthy Living from the Inside Out. Mariel is lovely, funny and authentic on all levels, a member in good standing of the Happy 100. In our interview Mariel told me the following story, which describes the freedom and happiness she’s experienced as a result of going beyond her mind and letting go.

The Sedona Method is based on two main premises:

• Thoughts and feelings aren’t facts and they’re not you.
• You can let them go.

At your core you already have the happiness you are seeking and all you need to do is uncover this natural happiness by letting go of the unhappiness or limitation that appears to be covering or obstructing it.

The tendency to hold on and attach ourselves to our unhappy thoughts and feelings is so strong it appears even in the way we use language. When we feel sad, we usually say, “I’m sad.” When we feel unhappy, we usually say, “I’m unhappy.” We are constantly reinforcing the belief of our being attached to our thoughts and feelings. The Sedona Method helps break that attachment.

I personally feel that I have happiness through Christ Jesus, but there are other methods to finding happiness like this one out there for you to look into.