The gratitude dance

This is the video that got us started with the attitude of gratitude. You can't help but smile after doing it! It's not bad exercise either! Give it a try - you might get hooked!

I have made a conscious effort this week to find things to be grateful for. They are everywhere! When I concentrate on all I am grateful for, I don't think about the negative stuff. Life is so much more enjoyable with an attitude of gratitude!

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=R9

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Birthday Dinner at Red Lobster

Matthew wanted to have dinner at Red Lobster for his birthday. I was all for it since I didn't have to cook. Matthew & Hayley always get crab legs. I had scallopes & Mike had stuffed talapia. It was a fun time. We took about 20 pictures and laughed a lot. A friend from work baked him a German Chocolate cake so dessert was taken care of too. What an easy birthday for me!

Happy Birthday Matthew!

Today Matthew turned 22. His friends met over here to carpool and go downtown to celebrate. He doesn't shave as often as I'd like so I had to grab a picture to remember the face I love to see clean shaven.

I took one tequilla shot with them - now I'm ready for bed. (I don't think I have done that since I was 22.)

Stephen - such a nice boy.

Why don't these boys smile? Is it not cool?

They are gone now. More friends are meeting them downtown. They have a designated driver but said they will call me if someone needs a ride. I'm off to bed.

Dear God, Keep both of my children safe tonight and bring them home to me. Amen

This is what we do at work when the servers are down

I taught Darlene & Miriam the gratitude dance! Admit it, it makes you smile!

Miriam trying to act like she knows how to play that "thing" (I don't even know what it's called - baby guitar?)

Mimi & I raided Kristi's desk and had an impromptu concert. I think we were singing Jingle Bells. Oh my, what a day! (Look at her face!)

Very unimpressive post but lots of fun!!!

This is why I brought a stack of work home with me tonight.

Facebook is good for finding old friends

Saturday evening Mike & I met our old neighbors, Terry and Lauren from Maplewood at Sea Island. It was so great to see her and catch up on life. They moved to Austin in 1991 and we lost touch with them. I always thought of her and wanted to find her. When I got a Facebook account, she was one of the first people I looked up. I found her daughter Lauren and she got Terry & I hooked up. We used to sit out front and watch the kids play or they would come over and play in our back yard. Good neighbors are a blessing and Terry was an excellent one. We have been talking back and forth for awhile and she and Lauren were coming to town for the Billy Joel / Elton John concert so we met for dinner. I'm so glad we got to do that! Lauren is such a sweet girl - you did an excellent job, Terry! Remember, we are going to get together when you are on summer break. If you can't come here we will meet half way OK?

Girl's Night

I was online a while back and I came across a catalog for a stamp and paper company called Close To My Heart. I think I am developing a serious addiction to paper and I fell in love with theirs. I found a really sweet girl named Julie that sells it and called her up to set up a home demo. Last time I did this just 2 people showed up so I didn't expect much knowing scrapbooking and stamping isn't everyone's thing. Well quite a crowd of friends showed up and we had a fun time. You can see below everyone is hard at work making a cute gift bag out of an envelope of all things.



If we tied Sandy's hands behind her back, she wouldn't be able to talk!


Irma being a brave girl, trying her hand at card making. She did an excellent job!


Shirley learning something important, I'm sure.


Pebbles was feeling a little neglected and was waiting patiently for someone to love on her.

Thank you

Our daughter Hayley, came home to us on Sunday night. I am so thankful to God for protecting her and bringing her home safely. We are working on re-establishing boundaries. We enrolled her in another high school today for students who are at risk of dropping out. She may be able to graduate as early as August. The school also has a lot of resources available to students regarding college or other post graduation training that I hope she takes advantage of.

I know no one ever said being a parent would be easy. I will say I am simply exhausted. I am reading a book called "Moments for Families with Prodigals". (Thank you for the recommendation, Nan) It is a devotional that is filled with so much encouragement and hope. One of the first things I read that hit me right in the heart said "Stop mourning the child you thought you had (or thought they should be) and start loving the child you have." I don't have the book in front of me so I may not have the quote exactly correct. I immediately felt convicted. I am committing myself to loving Hayley right where she is at and continuing to pray specifically for her heart to soften and that she renews her relationship with Jesus.

I told her that she had an amazing group of prayer warriors praying for her safe return home. I know she doesn't appreciate that now, but hopefully someday she will realize just how mighty our God truly is and acknowledge the power of prayer. You have my deepest thanks for your prayers and encouraging words.

God bless you!

My thoughts on forgiveness

As special as the gift of forgiveness is to me as a follower of Jesus Christ, it took me several years to really "get it" and learn to forgive others as well as myself. At some point in my faith walk I began waking up each morning and sincerely thank God for loving and forgiving me for my sinful behavior the day before. I am sorry to say it was a long while after that when I had my "eureka! moment" and realized if God can give me this awesome gift over and over every day of my sinful life, I must give the same to people I had been hurt by many years ago or just yesterday.

WOW! What a cleansing thing it turned out to be for me to be able to let go of resentments I had carried around like ugly baggage for so many years. Was it an easy journey to learn to forgive? No, it wasn't. It takes lots of prayer and work to learn to forgive and place that load of baggage at the foot of the cross where Jesus shed His blood for me. A question I started asking myself over and over was, "Can I still call myself a Christian and not forgive ________ for ________?" No matter what name or offense I filled the blanks in with, my answer always came up "NO". I eventually got to the point that the question was no longer necessary and forgiveness is becoming a much more natural practice for me. Do I always wake up eager to forgive someone who hurt me the day before? No, I don't. But after I deal with my stubbornness and let go, I feel peace and can go on with my day and not worry about unloading my hurt on an innocent bystander in my life. (I can so relate to the saying "Hurt people, hurt people.") A funny thing about the loving act of forgiveness is that the people we forgive sometimes don't even know they have done something to be forgiven for let alone that they have been forgiven! I have said things like "_____ doesn't deserve my forgiveness." or "I can never forgive _____ for what they did." The truth is that none of us deserve the forgiveness from our Heavenly Father but we are given it anyway. The truth is so simple yet so hard at the same time.

I know I have rambled - I don't have the gift of putting my thoughts into words real well but my heart is as genuine as can be. I am writing this because you may be holding on to a hurt that is eating way at you and coming between you and our loving God. Maybe you have something rattling around in your heart that you haven't forgiven yourself for. My prayer for you is that these words plant a seed in your heart and forgiveness begins growing in you and that you nurture it with prayer and reflection on God's loving act of sending His son to the cross to die for you and me.

Next, I ask for your sincere prayers please:

Tonight, our 17 year old daughter left the house and told Mike & I she has no idea when or if she will be returning. Some of you know what has been going on in our home for the past 3 years or so. It has been a challenge to say the least. Boundaries have been an issue with us. Today she left because of a series of events that had piled up and exploded with a lot of angry and hurtful words being said by all 3 parties involved. I have apologized for my part in the recent incident but she is not ready to forgive. I have to be OK with that and know God has her best interest in mind and is working on softening her heart as I write this. His timing is perfect. I'm praying she remains safe and I have hope that she will return and we will be able to work out our differences and she will come to respect the boundaries we have set.

Know therefore that the LORD your God is God; he is the faithful God, keeping his covenant of love to a thousand generations of those who love him and keep his commands.”- Deuteronomy 7:9

God bless you brothers and sisters!

Robyn