Fresh on Friday ~

Happy Friday!

Today I want to encourage you all to be full of Gratitude.

Today I'm so grateful in what I've been given,

in what I have.

Grateful for prayerful friends,

and even the smallest improvements of son's condition.

Grateful for a good nights sleep which provides strength for another day.

Grateful to hear joy in the weary father's voice..

Grateful that I serve an awesome God.

~

"In those times we yearn to have more in our lives,
we should dwell on the things we already have.
In doing so, we will often find that our lives
are already full to overflowing."

- Jim Stovall 

Take a moment to make a list today of just some of what your

Grateful for!

Each time there's a setback, rather than dwell on that,

focus on that grateful list...

I have a running list that started after I read Anne Voskamps 

One Thousand Gifts.....

I'm in the 400's  on my own list.

 I purchased a small purse size tablet and 

each time I become aware of the gifts, people, things around me I jot it down.

You realize,

there is so much more to be grateful about then not....

Grateful Joseph's fever is down,

grateful for continued prayers.

Now go and encourage someone, it's what echos from my heart today.....

Throw Back Thursday ~

Myself , sister Deanna and Donna

in our first...kitchen :-)

Reminds my of all the time down in our basement playing house.

It's why I couldn't wait to get Khloe her own kitchen...

  She is generally in her little kitchen making,

cheesey bugga's, fwies with kethup...

When she's not in Namaws :-)

Thankful for my little side kick and all the time we have spent in the kitchen :-)

Update on Joseph.

Has developed pneumonia, still in induced coma.

Doctor plans to start backing him off the meds again which eventually

will allow another attempt at removing the ventilator, possibly another week of it.

Please continue to keep him in your prayers.. 

Though we have our weary moments we look to Him with trustful hearts...

But God!

Faithful prayer partners echo from my heart today......

Another Hodgepodge Wednesday....

 

1. Do you have an interest in learning about your family's heritage? Why or why not? If you know a little bit about your roots, share an interesting piece of trivia or a fun fact about someone who goes way back on your family tree.
I wish I had more time to really research my family's heritage. I think it's so interesting...but very time consuming.  One of my Grandfathers,Great Great Greats (not sure how many greats) William Herndon was Abraham Lincolns law Partner and the office in Illinois is still standing.

2. Branch Rickey, the baseball exec credited with signing Jackie Robinson, is quoted as saying-

"Luck is the residue of design."

Agree or disagree? Why?
Not a believer in luck....nothing by chance....all God's design :-)


3. In the town where you currently reside, what's your favorite green space?
  That would be in my very own backyard. I love sitting out there surrounded by blue skies and birds everywhere.

4. Who is your favorite comedian? Jeanne Robertson... I love her comedy!

5. March is National Nutrition Month, and almost everyone needs to improve their diet in some way.  What about you? How can you improve your nutrition on a daily basis? Will you try?
 I have recently started eating..lean protein and veggies, no sugar, flour, pasta..... and always trying to move more.

6. Which of these green expressions have you 'experienced' in recent weeks -green with envy, green thumb, green around the gills, or give the green light? Explain.
Green thumb...did some trimming around the yard yesterday and I'm ready to plant some flowers!

7. Where is one place you don't mind waiting?
   I never mind waiting for a baby to enter the world!

8.  Insert your own random thought here.

Are you and your shadow the same.....

  Wouldn't it do more for our faith if we not only claimed it, but lived it? Spoke it? Are we speaking to our family members in love?  Would our language reflect our faith? Are we showing others what our faith looks like when things aren't running smoothly? Do your words to and about others reflect it?  If you scrolled through your Facebook page.....well, you get the idea...

Colossians 3:5-17

5So put to death the sinful, earthly things lurking within you. Have nothing to do with sexual immorality, impurity, lust, and evil desires. Don’t be greedy, for a greedy person is an idolater, worshiping the things of this world. 6Because of these sins, the anger of God is coming.^b 7You used to do these things when your life was still part of this world. 8But now is the time to get rid of anger, rage, malicious behavior, slander, and dirty language. 9Don’t lie to each other, for you have stripped off your old sinful nature and all its wicked deeds. 10Put on your new nature, and be renewed as you learn to know your Creator and become like him. 11In this new life, it doesn’t matter if you are a Jew or a Gentile,^c circumcised or uncircumcised, barbaric, uncivilized,^d slave, or free. Christ is all that matters, and he lives in all of us.

12Since God chose you to be the holy people he loves, you must clothe yourselves with tenderhearted mercy, kindness, humility, gentleness, and patience. 13Make allowance for each others faults, and forgive anyone who offends you. Remember, the Lord forgave you, so you must forgive others. 14Above all, clothe yourselves with love, which binds us all together in perfect harmony. 15And let the peace that comes from Christ rule in your hearts. For as members of one body you are called to live in peace. And always be thankful.

16Let the message about Christ, in all its richness, fill your lives. Teach and counsel each other with all the wisdom he gives. Sing psalms and hymns and spiritual songs to God with thankful hearts. 17And whatever you do or say, do it as a representative of the Lord Jesus, giving thanks through him to God the Father.

    Yes, that about covers it...
 from God's Word ...
 I am in agreement and try to live it in all I do..
My life hasn't always reflected it, I pray it does now..
You ?

Walking the talk is what echos from my heart today....

A Monday Minute ~

Weeks go by like hours....

Evenings, they go by like weeks.
My day became much brighter after my husband put the Skype
app on his phone and made that first call...
I can now see the face of the man I love regardless of
the miles that separate us... :-)

Our son Joseph was taken of the ventilator on Friday,

by end of day he was put back on.

Saturday evening brought a high fever,

Sunday evening  no report of high temp.

resting......

This morning he will go in for his 5th surgery,

this one to close his arm.

It's actually hard to put thoughts together about what this is like.

It's the obvious, fearful, frustrated, worried,  and weary of the unknown.

It's waiting on the west coast for information from the east coast...

Bob and Joseph's Mom keeping us posted...but the waiting,

well it's a test of keeping one's composure.

All the while I've been keenly aware of those that are being changed

by this experience.

Change because they are witness to faith, hope and love....in action.

the greatest of these is the love...

We continue to trust God

I always ask myself when I am walking through a difficult time, 

how to those that don't believe get through times such as this?.

We trust God regardless of the outcomes.

Don't get me wrong,

it's not easy to go through this.

But it's comforting to know it's in bigger hands than our own.

Ever thankful for all who are praying, sending encouraging words, offers of support.

We are loved and blessed by so so many.

Feel free to share the following link :-)

 Joseph, Dominic, Calib and Angel

http://www.gofundme.com/thehortonfamily

"Yet there is a cushion of calm at the center of your life, where you live in union with Me.
Return to this soothing enter as often as you an, for this is where you are energized;
 filled with My Love, Joy, and peace........
Your weakness will become saturated with My Power. "
Sarah Young, Jesus Calling

~

Joseph echos from my heart today....

Fresh On Friday ~

I hope you stopped by for some encouragement today !

With my stepson still in a trauma unit for now eight days I can tell you I have been

encouraged more than I can possibly describe. 

It has fueled me!

I can tell you that from this experience I want even more to encourage all of you.

I'm more certain than ever that

it's not by chance that my word for this year is encourage,

God new that I was going to learn just exactly what this word meant 

when put into action.

Nor is it by chance that my verse for the year was 

Psalm 120:1

I call on the Lord in my distress,
    and he answers me.

I have certainly called out to him these last 8 days,

and He has heard me.

If you follow my blog you know,

I am not a believer of chance, coincidence or luck.

I pay attention to the timing of things, 

I pay attention and look for God to work in every situation.

and

He does.

Specifically today I want to encourage a friend from High School who just recently

lost his Mother, and this week given the news his brother is dying of lung cancer.

I also want to encourage a fellow blogger who has brought a smile to my face many

times throughout the years.  She just lost her sweet Momma in January and now 

her sister is battling breast cancer.

I want to encourage a special couple who is trying to figure out how to

fix their marriage, when at times it doesn't seem possible.

There are others out there I don't know your issues,

but I know we all need to be encouraged and I hope I can do that for you.

We, in or own strength do not feel equipped to get through times such as this.

A time such as this with my Father in a hospital was when I learned that I haven't the strength,

and gave a problem bigger than myself, totally to God.

Eventually we benefit from admitting we can't fix something in particular, 

we can't make something be just because we want it to be.
We can't change a diagnosis!

Eventually, if your lucky you surrender and give it to God....

completely is the key here.....

He got me through it with my Dad and I was better after it.
Just as He is getting us through this time of our lives
 and, we will be better because of it this time as well.

"Jesus is our running companion. He runs in front of us to show the way,

 by our side to pick us up, and behind us to encourage us."

Charles Stanley

Each day continue to give it to God,

he will ease your burden.

He will give you comfort and the peace to endure.

No matter what you think you can't do, 

no matter how grim the future may look....

_____________ but God!

I hope you left feeling some level of encouraged...endurance involves encouragement from others.

If you know someone who needs some encouragement I hope you will share 

this blog with them if you feel it would do so.

~

Please be praying for Joseph's lungs...seems to be an issue this morning and 

he needs strong lungs to come off the vent.  Thank you!!!

I hope you will be an encourager to someone, it's what echos from my heart today.

Throwback Thursday ~

 This is our little family three years back.

We've grown in number since.

Time to plan for a new family photo.

This was one of my happiest days when all our kids and grands were 

together.....

Together as we are now, 

prayerful and hopeful in a God bigger than this season we're in.

Hope, echos from my heart today....

Hodgepodge Wednesday

1. The expression 'mad as a March hare' originated with a fictional character who is distracted and frantic. When were you last 'mad as a March hare' and what was it that made you that way?
I have been very distracted this entire last week as my step son is fighting for his life...

2. Mardi Gras this year falls on Tuesday, March 4th. Have you ever been to Mardi Gras, and if so what did you think? If not, do you have any interest in going?  Purple, green, and gold are the colors of Mardi Gras. Which one is most prevalent in your wardrobe? How about in your home?
I would love to sample the food, purple is most prevalent in my closet and no desire to actually be there while Mardi Gras is happening.

3. Are you old fashioned? . I love old family traditions and values..??

4. Do you carefully plan your vacations, or do you prefer the days to be more spontaneous?
We plan where we are going and what dates will be covered on each stop.  Once at each stop it is really spontaneous...

5.  March is National Sauce Month...what's your favorite sauce, and what do you most often top with this sauce? I'm going with hot fudge....

6.  What's something that easily brings a tear to your eye? Someone I love hurting on any level. Often when I'm missing my Mom and Dad a tear "memory" may escape....

7. If you could own any sports team, which one would it be and why? I wouldn't want that responsibility...but wouldn't mind good seats to Laker or Dodger Games!!

8.  Insert your own random thought here. First let me say I do not believe this to be random
I believe it was not by chance
If your reading this, our son Joseph is in the operating room 10ish Florida time.  I'm full of praise to our Mighty Awesome God.  Yesterday Bob prayed that God would give him a sign that might give Bob a rise on the hope meter :-)  He spent the day with Joseph, and at the end of the day this took place. Joe made some movement so Bob put his finger in Joseph's grasp.

Bob: Joe, Smom (me) told me I should read scripture to you today.  I'm haven't....but she also told me to tell you she loves you.
Joseph: Squeezed the finger
Bob: Joe, if you can hear and understand me squeeze my finger again.
Joseph:squeezed the finger
Joseph eyes opened ever so slightly in the direction of Bob.
Bob: Joseph, if you can see me squeeze my finger twice and firm.
Joseph: Squeezed the finger twice and firm.
Bob:  Looks up and said, why did we have to wait all day for this?
Joseph: His crooked off to one side smirk appeared.

May all glory and praise go to God!!