It IS A Good Life!

Jan 29, 2009

Showing Our Arizona friends....Nautical Florida

Makinson Island...Shingle Creek, Kissimmee Lakefront.

We did it all with our friends Bea & Jimmy...

They got a real taste of the genuine 'old south ' of Florida...

Bea, Faith, Annie P. & Sally

loved the trees on the Island...

We also, enjoyed a picnic on the Island...

Cuban Sandwiches & Crab Rolls from Tampa...

Bea is not afraid of this Gator....

Entering nature's wonder at Shingle Creek

Shingle Creek was a feast for the eyes....

Nature's Best....it was 'spell binding'....

Doing a scenic water pass through the 'Nook'

provided beautiful homes...some with seaplanes at ready....

The Girls, Bea, Faith & Pat say to the Guys....

It Is a Good Life, don't you agree?

Jan 28, 2009

E-Mail From Chuck in Nairobi...

To All:

We have arrived in Nairobi, Kenya safely.

All three flights were on schedule with no problems and all of our luggage made it intact. Bro.Eddie Williams picked us up at the airport.

Once we get a cell phone and addresses we will forward the information for all.

We will be here in the capital of Kenya to take care of our immigration, cellphones, banking, etc... Then we will move up to the desert of Turkana for several weeks to

help with a medical campaign.

Thank you for your love and prayers.

Will email again when we have use of our own cell and internet connection.

Will be a couple of days.

God Bless!

Chuck & Terry

Jan 27, 2009

Africa Bound....Today...NOW!

Banjo on top...Chuck watches this carefully...

This is it....heading for Kenya as Missionaries

Terry, Mom & Chuck.....I say a prayer, shed a tear or two
and say...."I Love You....Go With God!"

Jan 26, 2009

Family Blessing on Chuck & Terry's Missionary Journey

...... On Sat. our family gathered in Brooksville for a final tribute
to Chuck & Terry.... As usual it was chaotic....and serious...
See all pics at....
http://picasaweb.google.com/iwgfaith/FamilyGoodByeToTerryChuck#

Dylan, Britt, Lil Turkey and Joshua are...Tree Huggers!

Trying to get order from the children...of all ages!
Note***Vinny & Britt 'clowning' as usual...

NOW they are serious for my camera...at last!

Jan 23, 2009

Turning Points

Chapters of our lives have.....Turning Points!

There are many situations in life when decisions need to be made.

Every decision we make, marks a turning point in our lives.

It is something that cannot be avoided.

To some, it marks a change, while to some it marks maturity.
Everyone faces different turning points at different times and that turn can be the biggest move you or I have ever made.

Looking back they are often fairly obvious...

"If I had not moved to such-n-such a city, I would not have met my future spouse."

"If I had not gone into a certain store, I would not have met this person who became my life-long mentor."

"If I had not spoken to 'this' person about a project I was involved in....the project would have just become a 'dream on the shelf'."....and on and on....

But how can we KNOW that even NOW we may be at a monumental TURNING POINT that will change the future of our 'now' life?

I can only speak from my personal experience.....

and you can only speak from yours.....

For myself as a 'woman of faith' I depend on my past 'faith experiences with God'

to guide me when I, again, feel God's Spirit urging my heart

saying, 'This IS the way, walk ye in it!"

This is the 'easy' way.

Then there are other times that my human brain does the equation

of the moment and I 'have the peace'.....and move on.

Lastly, I walk out on limb, spontaneously make a decision after a quick 'Help!' prayer

then walk on water so to speak......

using only faith to either sink or swim.

This is the hard one because the 'outcome' is never known up-front.

It must be lived out in order to prove its value in my life....

Turning Points offer 'Breakthroughs' in our lives that are essential

for our personal growth

and relationship with God.....and each other....

Are you at a 'Turning Point' today?

I Am...so help me God!!! Again!

Jan 22, 2009

Winter in Florida........frost on our Poinsettias and 37%F.
This is surely unusual...
We are long overdue but it will change quickly.

Remember we are the...Sunshine State!

Jan 21, 2009

Is This South of 'up North'?

Ty Perry plays in snow in Charlotte, N.C.

School is out and it is a good thing

because the snow is problematic for this area....

BUT these guys don't think so!

Kyle Perry, is dressed for fun...so is their dog, Mia....

Ty & Kyle rarely see their neighborhood 'dressed'

in this white splendor...

Jan 20, 2009

Hope & Danny Pulido

Jan 19, 2009

Last night the Ft. Cooper Baptist Church gave a
send-off to Chuck and Terry who leave on the
27th for Kenya, Africa as missionaries.
Charlie & I attended the service and Vinny,
Chuckie & Lil Chuck was there as well.
Carla and her family will get together with them
next week-end for their private family good-byes.

Jan 17, 2009

Tisha & Chris Fore (Yvonne, my cousin's, son) paid us a visit yesterday
and it was a great surprise.

They live and own business's in Douglas, Georgia

but were here in Clearwater for a convention
for their Total Mobile Recon business which offers mobile
professional automative repair services.
It was a joy to catch up on their family news, hear the personal
economic woes from their point of view and what their life
is all about. They are still the

'hard, hard work American Dream Come True' couple

and their attitude is.....we will do what we
have always done.....work hard and dream big....and diversify...
God Bless you two and your wonderful family....

Jan 15, 2009

Happy Birthday Abby....

“One of the very nicest things about life is the way we must regularly stop whatever it is we are doing and devote our attention to eating.”

Prayer Girls Celebrate, joyfully, with Abby...food, food and more food....

Joy..(from Daily Word)

My 'girlfriends'.....from our subtle giggles to silly laughs,

we unite in expressions of happiness.

We exchange the jubilance of special times together

with our abilities to inspire one another in order to thrive individually,

and to expand joyfully during life's daily happenings.

The JOY of the Spirit is the greatest joy,

because it is pure, deep and powerful.

Allowing ourselves to live fully in God's spirit it enfolds us

and we know and express joy, unlimited and

FULL OF GRATITUDE...

Dear Abby: Nancy and I are grateful and thank God for YOU!

Philemon 1:7...."I have indeed received much joy and encouragement from your love, because our hearts have been refreshed through you...."

This is what my Sisters-In-The-Faith, do for me...

Jan 14, 2009

Joshua's Reward

Joshua always gets a reward from his Pops, for making not good but exceptional grades.
This time he wanted a new pair of athletic shoes as his reward.
We went to about 10 stores in West Shore Mall before he
finally made up his mind....

Pops buys shoes and shows Joshua his Gator Alumni card
telling him that he will be a Gator man too one day with the
kind of grades he is making...

Dylan, TuTu, had to have a new pair of Buzz Lightyear
slippers too....he did get these for 'being good' and not
yelling loud....he has the best set of lungs for any 2 yr. old
I've even seen...I tried to teach him how to 'whisper' but
.....I failed!

Pops and his boys at Sports Authority...Pops is....Happy!

Drs. Rx for Health and Happiness

Drs. Kay Judge and Maxine Barish-Wreden wrote an article in the McClatchy-Tribune Newspapers called......

Be Thankful!

Studies show having gratitude can improve your well-being in many ways.
The practice of gratitude may increase the levels of immunoglobulin A in your throat and nose, increasing your ability to resist viral infections.
Gratitude practices seem to reduce stress hormone levels in the body.
People who cultivate gratitude, optimism and happiness live longer than grumpy pessimists.
Research has shown that only about 50% of our mood is determined by our genetics.
The rest is largely determined by what we choose to focus on and cultivate.
This focus takes commitment and practice.
Focusing on the good things that others have done for you is a top priority.
This makes us realize how inter-dependent we are and makes us realize that...
WE ARE LOVED!
Be glad you are loved!
Be thankful for your health!
Be happy you are YOU!
Be thankful for small things...the smile of a child, the door opened for you by a stranger, the sun shining in your window, the smell of coffee brewing in the morning, flowers that delight the eyes, and on and on....
Be grateful to be alive....

Ecclesiastes 11: 7 ..."It is a wonderful thing to be alive!
If a person lives to be very old, let him rejoice in EVERY day of life yet knowing that Eternity is far longer...."

Jan 13, 2009

It Is Time....to be...Timeless!

Welcome to the New Year 2009!

Reflecting on the past year....years....and facing a new one can be....scary!

Or perhaps it can be.....exciting!

Maybe both.

In any event, it is upon us come what may.

Looking and listening to some of the little children in the family, they are not aware that we have slipped from 08 to 09. Their world flows on without such numbers to complicate the wonders of a life of innocence. When , then, do we begin to morph into a person who lives and is obsessed by numbers?

....Time clock numbers

....Birthday numbers

....Dollar numbers

....Years numbers

....Weighing on scales numbers

Our friend, Walker, when he retired quit wearing a watch.

That is going 'cold turkey' and throwing caution to the wind.

Our American culture is a 'numbers' culture...

Do you suppose in Turkana, Africa (where our son, Chuck & Terry, have a missionary call ) that the people of their village look at numbers on a clock and say "Ah, ha, it's 12 noon, time to eat."

I don't think so!

Wouldn't it be wonderful to have such freedom!

I challenge you to join me in being liberated from the 'numbers game'....in 2009.

As I read the 139th Psalm (another number again) it is my personal Psalm and one that I want to rely on instead of....numbers...it reads...

"God You made my whole being;

you formed me in my Mother's body.

I praise You because you made me in an amazing and wonderful way.

What You have done is wonderful.

I know this very well.

You saw my bones being formed as I took shape in my Mother's body.

When I was put together there, you saw my body as it was formed.

All the days planned for me were written in Your book before I was one day old.

God, Your thoughts are precious to me.

They are so many!

If I could count them, they would be more than all the grains of sand.

When I wake up,

......I am still with YOU"

....The only thing that really counts accurately in life.....

is our relationship with God....

through His Son, Jesus Christ.

Remember John 3:16....

(on Tebow's face )

Through Jesus we enter this priceless 'no counting zone' called....

Eternal Life!

Jan 11, 2009

Presenting.....The NEW Marina......Braces Free....

Our families young teen-ager, Marina, is beginning the New Year with an entirely NEW look!

Before...Nov. 28th, 2008(see blog on that date)

AFTER.....
Just look at her smile!
The braces are off.....
Marina has a new chic haircut and
her clothing style is even new....for her!

The real beauty of Marina is inside...the outward look is

a reflection of the inward beauty of

this unique and creative SMART young lady...

Marina, we, your family, salute you and

love you....

Happy New 'YOU' Year!