Our good friends, Sally & Sam, came for a couple of days visit and I think they just came so Sally could see 'the babies'!  Our Sally has 'weathered the storm' of health issues, heart by-pass, mini-stroke, etc. and is now turning the corner on her return but she had it in her heart to see and kiss 'the babies' and bring a gift that she had purchased even when she was still 'puny'....

Friday night Matt & Ash brought Jude & Eli, Lynn , Britt, Joshua and Dylan came and we all had a

'Family Party' catered by Popeyes Chicken!

                       Sally & Faith....in 'Baby Heaven'....

Sally & Sam....

The Gifts....Jude & Eli...Jude on left...Eli (growing fatter every day) on right

 

The Work Crew.....Day & Night....

Mama Ash, Perfectionist Dad, Matt

and Wonderful 'night shift' worker, Nena, Lynn....

You are doing an awesome job.  

 These babies are so peaceful, contented, healthy and blessed.

                     Mission Accomplished First~Class

Why I Love!

"God Is Love!" it says in 1 John 4:8b.

LOVE IS NOT SOMETHING THAT GOD DOES***

***It is WHO HE IS!

Why in the world can't people understand this 'fact of life'?
Why can't God's own people, His Family, US....understand and accept this simple truth?
God says,
"Live because of My Love!  Respond to Me.
Love Me with your whole being, give yourself to Me in thanks, NOT payment!
Live Life Fully, in the freedom of knowing YOU ARE LOVED!"
Love is accepted, NOT EARNED! 

I LOVE Jude and Eli! 

 They didn't 'earn' it....but they accept it and  'feel' it!

     We are to be 'as little children' in accepting God's love to us....

as a result, we can't help but 'pass it on'....              

           

Dolphin researcher observes, protects a growing family near John's Pass

By Emily Nipps, Times Staff Writer
In Print: Monday, January 24, 2011
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------

A 2-year-old bottlenose dolphin, named Juno by animal behaviorist Ann Weaver, leaps into the air, inviting another dolphin to play. The dolphins near John’s Pass Bridge appear to recognize Weaver, who has studied dolphins around the world.

(Carrie Pratt/Times Photo)

Ann Weaver records data during a dolphin study Saturday morning as her husband, John Heidemann, captains the boat. Her study will be filed with the U.S. government.

[Photo by ANN WEAVER]

Slash, left, and her calf, Scarface, swim together. Slash’s name refers to the notch in her dorsal fin, and Scarface is named for a scar on his head that resulted from a run-in with a shark.

She never touches them or helps them.
"A good scientist would never do that," she said.
Even when Juno got tangled up in fishing line, which dug into a fin, Weaver would only take notes. She was both fascinated and relieved when he showed up one day, free of the wire.
Weaver says she has identified 255 dolphins near John’s Pass Bridge. She’s learned their personalities and calls them her kids.

Weaver was devastated when Split had a baby and then watched the baby die the next day. Split pushed the dead baby around for a week, keeping other dolphins away. Then Split went into a depression and got dolphin pox before snapping out of it a year later.

Remember my 'moaning and groaning' post on Jan. 17 where I am 'lamenting' about the fast, hectic, stressful pace of my life?  Rx was given of the 23rd  Psalm as a timely reminder that..."I shall NOT want."
Well, my today's devotion from one of my favorite books, Keep On Dancin', exposed truth to my heart in a point of clarity which is one of those 'ah~ha' moments for me....
Here is that devotion....I pray that it speaks to you as well.

"So don't be anxious about tomorrow.  God will take care of your tomorrow too.
Live one day at a time." Matthew 6:34 (TLB)

One of the rarest species on the face of the earth may soon become extinct~those few human beings who truly know how to enjoy life!

These ones know how to 'glorify' God not only with their words but even more with their lives.
They enjoy God for who He is, not just for what He can do for them.
To them, each day holds its own reward.
They know that each twenty-four hours is a once~in~a~lifetime privilege and that happiness is a by~product of quality living.
Their lives are lived according to their priorities, in spite of the consequences.
They have cracked through the thin crust we call civilization to find the super~natural substance upon which life rests....

Simply put....the super~natural has become......natural!!!    

Friends Celebrate...being....FRIENDS!!!

My prayer sister, Abby, had a special birthday (which I missed by being away on a cruise) so we had our own two person celebration...
Happy & Blessed Birthday Dear Abby!

January half gone!
2011 is a 'back~to~the~future' thought process.
Time is fleeting by on wings of  memorable moments that are priceless and then....gone.
Is life....'out of control'?
It sure seems that way at times!
Where are the lazy days of 'non~doing' like Walt Whitman wrote about?
Times of reflecting, meditating, savoring precious memories, and loving deeply in thought are becoming very rare more than 'normal'.
Why?
I ask myself that again and again...
We all have the same 24 hours in a day.
My hectic, fast~paced style of life is self-imposed.
Everything and every one's 'wants' seem very important to me.
Why are my 'wants' or needs placed as 'low priority' in own my life?
Simply because I allow this....I make the decision or choice to place everything above my own needs.
Then I ask myself, what are my needs?????
I really need  peace, times of reflection, prayer, Bible reading, staring into the fire with a good book laying idle in my hands, sitting in nature and watching the reflections of light at different times of the day and evening, hearing sea waves rolling into the sand and actually 'feeling' into my soul the heartbeat of life....
WITHOUT INTERRUPTION!

Do I really have 'too much to do' to NOT do this?
Shame, Shame!
I am determined to take my life back, so help me God!!!
In order to do that I must say 'NO' to myself and others that I love.
That does not come easy for me for I certainly am a 'hands~on~can~do' kind of person.
Let's 'Get~r~Done' is a mentality that is good but 'out~of~control' can become a way of life that is.....bad!
I know this by personal experience as does many members of my family who share my same DNA.....
I am reminded of a scripture that can now be my Rx...
"Be STILL and KNOW that I am God!" Psalm 46:10

My Prayer:

Dear Lord, help me daily, I pray.

Please bring into my life those times that  

"maketh me lie down in green pasture that restoreth my soul,

He leadeth me beside the still waters."

This results in the 

first words of Your 23rd Psalm which say,

"The Lord is my Shepherd,

I shall NOT want..." 

"Be STILL and KNOW.....that I AM GOD!"

JOY from the Daily Word

The spirit of joy sets me free.
Laughter is contagious.
When I hear others laughing freely and wholeheartedly, I am pulled into the fun. Even in tender moments, I can find precious release in the joy of laughter and in the joy of the Holy Spirit in me.
God's Spirit within is my constant source of joy. At any moment I can tap into the joy of simply being alive and experience true happiness in my oneness with God. Whatever I am doing, the certainty of God's joyful presence is always with me.


I share joy by expressing it in all I do. Joyful experiences are created in my life and in the lives of others because I live from the joy in my heart.

"For the kingdom of God is not food and drink but righteousness and peace and joy in the Holy Spirit.-- "
Romans 14:17

Celebrating a New Year 2011 with Pat & Walker...

     Caribbean Cruising....on New Year's Day....

Today is my dear and precious friend and prayer partner, Abby's, Special Birthday...May this be only the beginning of 'Serendipity' and God's 'favor' for you, our one and only 'Good Cheer' Abby....

Happy and 'You ARE Blessed' Birthday to our Lynn....

Darling Daughter, we wish you a wonderful celebration this day. Sorry we are not with you but we had our special time in advance and we celebrate your birth EVERY DAY!
Hey, is this Jude...or is this Eli???

God Says, "By the way, I'm easy to find, I am wherever there is love. "