As seen on a man's hat on a cruise....good reminder!

.............'tis himself............

Best Definition of Success I've Ever Seen

Giving~Thanks Family Times and Cruising in Costa Rica & Panama

Our Britt did it ALL!

She provided the Family Home and 'Heart' for the Traditional

time that has always been in our home.

Since we were away on a cruise, Britt provided for our family

the Blessings of herself, her two boys, Joshua & Dylan and her

Family Home!

This was a thrill to know that 'The Family' is in good hands....when such love, sacrifice,

and work continues on in those like our 'Britt' & 'Carla' who did the same for her family!

God Bless you both, dear ones!

The Family, Britt, Joshua, Dylan and Carter

Dylan with cousins, Eli & Jude

Dylan reads to Jude & Eli

This was the Majesty of my morning over the Sea.....arising early to do my devotion, have my coffee and Praise God for my wonderful, and crazy, Family.....

Charlie & I and Pat and Walker in Costa Rica viewing the beach, jungle cruise and buying their wonderful coffee was a different kind of Thanksgiving.
We are all BLESSED~what a joy to Give Thanks, daily, for the Good Life!

Merry Christmas from Costa Rica!

Giving~ Thanks

The Dawn gives way to morning  splendor....(Proverbs 4:18)

It's A Fact.......Go Gators!

O.K. it is the Truth....anyone that knows our family knows that we are real, genuine life~time Florida
Gator fans.  Since Charlie and I met at the U of F a life~time ago, had two of our three children while there, we qualify as 'natives of The Swamp'....
Now, many years down the road, the 'Go Gators DNA' is still alive in our offspring.
Joshua &  Pops are two 'peas in a pod' who can talk all night about game after game and 'how about that Tebow' Gator years. Even now they call each other during and after the Tebow Denver games.
So it is no surprise that Joshua, JJ to us, has made for himself a reminder of this  'love of his life' tradition.  Pops, of course, is thrilled! See JJ's room below that is still a work in progress.

Joshua could not have a more wholesome 'role model' as his Hero!
Tim Tebow's admitedly secret weapon is of course, his faith!
The publicity that takes something that is 'ordinary' in 'people who love the Lord and live that love daily' and make it seem to be supeflulous
(something inessential: something beyond what is necessary)
is a sad commentary of our values in the USA today.

Our faith IS necessary in order to survive  today's crazy society!
The children in our family have grown up with this 'supernatural life' being made.....'natural' in their family and world.
Just as Tebow shows publicly his own families 'DNA of faith' , so do we.
And "yes, Joshua, DREAMS DO COME TRUE!"
Just ask Tebow~

FILE - In this Nov. 28, 2009, file photo, Florida quarterback Tim Tebow embraces his mother, Pam, during a pre-game ceremony for graduating seniors on the Florida football team prior to an NCAA college football game against Florida State in Gainesville, Fla.

  No one except a few insiders has seen it.

 Yet a "Celebrate Life" ad featuring football star Tim Tebow and paid for by a conservative Christian group is already perhaps the most controversial Super Bowl commercial ever. 

 (AP Photo/Phil Sandlin, Pool, File)

Chuck & Terry Return from Kenya Missionary work, briefly, for son, Vinny's Wedding

Yesterday was exciting as our son, Chuck & Terry arrived from Kenya after traveling for two days and night.
Their children, Chuck III Pipo, Carla & Vinny and their families all came to our house from their days work to prepare for this exciting family event. 
The circle of life.....goes on.
Kason & Chuck IV aka: Turkey, and Kason and MaMa play 'Angry Birds' while waiting...

Chuck III with Chuck IV and Kason in elevator...

Pops with 'his boys'

  

Pops & Vinny....clowning around, as usual.

Carla & Arlene watch the 'circus' while waiting...

Chuck arrives with backpack...packed!

Terry loaded with 'surprises' for 'her boys'....

Bride & Groom to be shortly, Arlene & Vinny

Pops, Chuck Jr., Chuck III, Kevin ......

 Father & Son....two of the four 'Chuck's'

Chuck & Terry explain to Kevin the 'cow hide rug' adventure through customs...

Proud Grandma, GiGi, gives treats to 'her boys'...
This is why she is sooooo good with the children in Kenya!

Tired Mom with her children and Grands....God Bless You Dear One!

Yep, our Family is 'Home'.....and we are Giving Thanks to God!!!!

Thank You....

Our Nation owes a debt more costly and vast than the countries now enormous deficit.
This is the 'debt of Honor' due our military members, past and present, who have been
committed with their very lives....to the cause of Freedom here at home and around the world.
In addition, the families of these military members, stand in this long line of 'unsung heroes' which our country often takes for granted.
It is in this, 'things which money can not buy' that we can be proud of the 'character' of the men and women who so nobly 'walk the talk' of service to their fellow man.
'No greater love hath man than this...' to lay down his own life...for another.
Military persons do this all the time...that's how they 'roll'!
We salute you one and all for being the BEST of the BEST!
May God show His favor to you all for being His 'invisible' Hands of service here in the good ole USA and around the globe as well....
YOU MAKE US PROUD!

~Pay to all what is due them, .....

respect to whom respect is due,

honor to whom honor is due. 

~Romans 13:7

A Child Shall Lead Them.....

The devotion below is one that I have carried in my Bible for years and read and re~read.

It is my personal philosophy of life and is the reason that I chose to name

my blog~~~ It IS A Good Life....

Our 5 yr. old Dylan, or TuTu, as we call him, (see pic below)

shows the embodiment of this, sassily, in everything that he does.

He is walking and living with this 'wonderful life' inside him as a child ......

Anyone who knows this glorious, exasperating, child is amazed

at the laser beams of energy, bursting at the seams in a life of delight and wonder.....  

                          

Wonderful Life

"Living a spiritual life, I am filled with the joy and wonder of God!"

Depending on my childhood experiences, I may have grown up feeling that in order to live a holy life, I would have to live a life of rules and restrictions.
I am grateful to be learning that a spiritual life is one of freedom and discovery.
As I continue on my path of spiritual unfoldment,
I find NO limit to the joy and wonder of God's ways.
My path is strewn with delightful surprises, as well as challenges that expand my comfort zone and give me more room to grow.
Living a life of spiritual awareness, I find greater meaning in both the monumental events and the smallest details.
Fulfillment, joy, wonder, and a deeper understanding are the hallmarks of
My WONDERFUL LIFE!

Acts 2:28 confirms for me....
"You, God, have made known to me the ways of life;
You will make me FULL of gladness
WITH YOUR PRESENCE!"

It is no wonder that I can in absolute truth shout from the rooftops,
It IS A Good Life!!!!!!

 

Congratulations to Arlene & Vinny on their 'upcoming' Dec. 10th Marriage Celebration

On Saturday Lynn, Britt and I traveled to Brooksville to join in the Wedding Shower for Arlene.

First there was a family meeting in the parking lot of International Mall so that

Pops could see the 'boys'

 as Chad met us there to pick them up.

                 A few footballs were tossed before leaving....

Family meeting at International Mall Parking Area

Chad was their 'chosen' sitter for the day.

Uncle Doo Doo and Dylan & Joshua....ready to have FUN!

Chad did a wonderful job even texting us pictures

of their visit to the 'Navy Ship' at Channelside.....

Joshua  enjoyed the ship's history....

Cousins, Britt & Carla, greet each other with Love.....always!

They are truly 'sisters-of-the-heart'....

This was a very appropriate statement for the 'groom' ....

A picture tells a thousand words

Fun Game.....Toilet Paper Brides :)

Britt as a 'toilet paper' bride...

See this huge truck?  

I asked Carla how she drove this thing as her means of transportation.

Sassily she said, "Drove it like I stole it!"  

Arlene in center, with some of the family members

who so graciously presented this first-class, fun

'get to know you' shower. 

Arlene's Mom, Chrissy, with Faith, Britt, Lynn & Carla

Our Prayer,