Precious Words....Dear Mom: I love and appreciate....you!

Reading is a wonderful way to explore 'other' worlds without leaving the comforts of home.
Books have always been fascinating to me and the magic of the written word holds a delight that is incomparable to all known riches.
Words....profound words....are priceless and therefore.......timeless!
For example, I read all kinds of books. From great works of literature to modern novels, some written by my very own relatives like Ray and Dockie, to modern day devotionals or old scripts written by Puritan Christians.
I am now re-reading one called 'Captured By Mystery' By: Alvin N. Rogness from the 1970's.
It is a signed edition that I treasure.
The author is a past president of Luther Theological Seminary, St. Paul, Minn. and participated in the Protestant Religion Missions sponsored by the U.S. Air Force in Europe many years ago and also conducted chaplains retreats in Japan.
When his Book of Comfort was first published in 1979, it won the Book-of-the-Year Award from the Academy of Parish Clergy.
Dr. Rogness was in great demand as a speaker because of his 'persuasive logic and directness' and he presented deep insight into the source of strength found when the right relationship exists between God and man...
One of his devotionals which I read in the early morning hours today seems archaic in our computer world but struck me anew with its timeless nature of truth.
I write it here in its entirety .......
EVERY WOMAN A MOTHER by: Alvin Rogness

"Even if she has no children of her own, every normal woman is a mother.
For motherhood is more than a biological event.
The role is woven into the very fabric of the race.
It is a position to be won by the exercise of those tender and fierce virtues that preserve the race of men.
Many a woman has walked out of a hospital with a baby in her arms and has never become a true mother.
And many others - teachers, nurses, office workers - with no child to call their own, have won the laurels of great motherhood over and over through the tenderness and wisdom they have poured into the lives of children along their way.
It is not the office that makes a person great...even the office of mother.
A president is not great because he is president, a minister is not holy because he presides over a service. A man elected may find the presidency an occasion for drawing out his possibilities for greatness and a minister may take sober stock of his responsibilities and open his heart to God's teaching and grace for sacredness. And a woman, as a mother, may yield to the disciplines and sacrifices of life daily that will make her a noble mother.
Fortunately, this role often does just that.
Most of us, therefore, have the joy of thanking God for a greatness that was or is our mother!
But let us not forget that such greatness did not come by itself.
It was God's gift to a woman who, as a mother, received God's grace, strength, wisdom and love to achieve great motherhood!
Neither a king nor a general nor an archbishop is cast in such a high role!
Civilizations rest less on parliaments than on mother.
A man is like his mother, not necessarily by the heritage of birth, but by the subtle and stalwart qualities which in the formative years he absorbed in the presence
of .......great motherhood."

Are you FREE to be Y O U?

Reading an article in the St. Pete Times by Sheila Stoll, called My View, is certainly 'food for thought'.
This article talks about our 'self-image' being in 'sync' with our 'reality of who we are today' image.
We all know the 'older adult' stuck in the 'teeny bopper' image of long ago or the grey haired 'hippie flower child' look that never leaves till death we do part!
The article goes on to say,
"I discovered years ago that my most comfortable self-image involves low maintenance.
My hair has its own ideas about how it wants to relate to my head.
Best get a cut that permits it freedom and doesn't require constant electrical or mechanical devices to maintain my 'natural' look.
Why fight it?
Wash and wear is my motto for hair!"
Hairstyles, clothing attire etc. are only an outward reflection of an inner self-image..
Being natural and comfortable in who we really are NOW....TODAY.....requires constant change and flexibility. It is in the healthy attitudes of the heart and mind we become more like ourselves every day.
This 'comfortable self-image' allows us to be who we really are;
we don't have to accommodate to what others think we should be.
It also keeps us from fooling ourselves into thinking we will always be who we once were.
Honesty with oneself triumphs self-deception every time...
It sets us free to be totally YOU and totally ME!

A 'child-like poem that I wrote years ago comes to mind...
TO BE OR NOT TO BE?

Have you ever let your soul....roll?
Have you ever set your spirit...free?
Have you gotten in tune with life
Like a monkey in a tree...?
If you have not my friend,
Why you need a kick in your end,
because life is a frolic when once we see,
That taking ourselves sooooo seriously,
We often miss the joy each day,
of living, fully, in a creative, fun-filled way
But 'tis not too late to have some fun,
Just take your 'troubles' to the Son -
For what He said is full of life,
Which cuts across all this strife
And this releases you and me
To be totally and joyously, 100% FREE!!!

John 8:36 "If the Son makes you free....then YOU WILL BE REALLY FREE."

DYLAN/TUTU

To see all of Dylan's pic's go to

http://picasaweb.google.com/iwgfaith/DylanS2ndBirthday

Is He Surprised?

Suddenly he is shy as we sing, Happy Birthday....

Big Brother, Joshua, shows us his school...he is a great student too!

A Day With 'Lil Chuckie'...

Pops got a work out.....

And so did Dad....MaMa played 'school' with him...
BUT he has more energy than three adults!

Best Wishes to Sandy Ollariu & Bill Marion

Terry...
We Love You and Wish You a
Special Birthday...
from: your family 'down south'....

What's So Funny?

Have you ever tried to …keep from laughing?
It is very, very hard….especially if someone is trying to make you laugh!
I’ve played this ‘game’ often especially with children…..but adults are harder.
Setting the face in a somber position, deliberately, maintaining a strict discipline of mind while silly antics are being performed in ones face….is really quite a task…
It can be done but the cost is great…..inside the seams of reflex are bursting to be released from the stress imposed upon a spontaneous body function.
Continually thinking…’what’s so funny, what’s so funny’? sometimes helps but in the end…..the desire to laugh rules over all…..
Then……it feels so good….even if you ‘lose the game’….it is worth it just to let go and burst out with…….laughter…..
Which means to me…..Laughter makes us….FEEL GOOD!
Being around and with someone that ‘makes us laugh’ naturally is really a good place to be….
Good clean FUN is certainly a much needed exercise for ‘mature adults’ today.
It is good for the mental, emotional, spiritual and physical being….
It revives life.
It refreshes ones soul.
It tickles the senses with delight….
Cheapest medicine on the market today…..in fact, it can even keep one from actually ‘needing medicine’ .
The Proverbs say this (17:22 LB)….A cheerful heart does good like medicine, but a broken spirit makes one sick….
And believe it or not…..Laughter will help you….live longer….
Yep, it says it right here in Proverbs..14:10...A relaxed attitude lengthens a man’s life; jealousy rots it away…..
Therefore I will make a deliberate attempt to……
Laugh more, Love more and Enjoy the Blessings of…..The Good Life!
Let’s Laugh NOW :) :) :)

Last 'Busch Gardens Fun' before school starts...

Nena and Pops & MaMa took Joshua & his friend, Max, to Busch Gardens on Saturday for their last vacation before school starts on Monday. So did thousands of other parents, grandparents and Florida tourists as well.. Staying until closing time, behind two very active and excited boys was quite an adventure....

Pops got initiated into the 'bird lovers' club....

Pops with his two boys....having fun!

Max and Joshua....best friends

Can You Hear Me? Can You Hear Me Now?

Losing our signals on cell phones can be frustrating and often we say or hear these words,
'can you hear me now'?
But communication involves much more than words.
In reading about communicating with others, one authority said that only 7 percent of our communication involves spoken words, another 38 percent is conveyed by body language including gestures and facial expressions, and 55 percent by the tone of our voice.
LISTENING IS ONE OF THE MOST PROFOUND WAYS YOU DEMONSTRATE TO OTHERS THAT YOU LOVE THEM!
I quote Paul Tournier ***when he said,

"It is impossible to overemphasize the immense need humans have to be really listened to, to be taken seriously, to be understood.
No one can develop freely in this world and find their life full, without feeling understood by at least one person."
Hearing....and Listening....is two different responses.
Sometimes I just 'hear' while my mind is whirling along to the things going on in my own head, or in other conversations around me.
This is what my son, Chad calls 'not being present'.
One can tell when another is 'present' to the conversation going on.
There are few people I know who actually have the gift of 'listening' and believe you me....it is a gift. I have several friends who 'listen well' but one comes to mind that everyone around her knows she genuinely has 'the gift'....
Susan listens with her intellect, her body language, physical ear and her heart!
Her profound gift of listening is awesome because this 'woman of excellence' is surrounded by public voices as she works at Walt Disney World.
In addition, her husband Bill aka:Bozo #2, would say that 'she does not listen to me'!
.....But she does for he is certainly 'spoiled rotten' by her listening and hearing; him!
Susan has taught me, by her example, that listening is an art....and a choice.
Can you hear me now?

.....***.(Paul Tournier (May 12, 1898 - October 7, 1986) was a Swiss physician and author who had acquired a worldwide audience for his work in pastoral counseling.)

Celebrating Chuck's birthday...in two places...

From Puerto Rico via camera video.....


Three Rivers , Michigan while on deputation for Africa...

Beautiful face of the future...Favian in Puerto Rico
The child with the 'dazzling eyes'.....

Casa Islena Inn...The Place To Be

Puerto Rico Family Reunion and Vacation....

Go to link below to see album with pictures that really tell
the tale of our week of family fun...
http://picasaweb.google.com/iwgfaith/PuertoRicoFamilyReunionAug2008

Some of the Family at Randy & Suzanne's Sky Top Patio

Spanish style Line Dancin....was fun....

View from our balcony at El Conquistador...awesome!

A water-taxi took us to the hotel's private Palomino Island for beach fun....