I Choose JOY

I am so excited 
about this beautiful bracelet cuff that 

I purchased from Becky's 

Etsy Shop called Farmgirl Paints.


She even customized it to exactly what I wanted.
Isn't it the cutest thing!!!

I asked her to make my cuff with the words 
 CHOOSE JOY
for a very special reason.

This is Becky's photo of the cuff from her etsy shop. 

If you click on the photo it will take you directly there.

Those two words have gotten me through
 so many sad times in my life.
I liked the thought of having these words
stamped onto a bracelet
to remind me to dance in the rain
when I'm tempted to wallow in the puddle.


We usually have two choices in most things, 
the high road or the low road.


It doesn't mean that I am just bubbly and
a jar of happiness all of the time.
Thank goodness our  
Joy doesn't depend on that!


"Happiness
 isn't the absence of problems; rather, it 
is trusting in the midst of problems."
Elizabeth B. Brown


For I do believe one must take time to grieve
 appropriately over losses etc.


But....during those times of grieving,
 I think the joy part
comes in the form of a peace that only
God can give us.




"Inside peace grows from a security
 that emanates from
 trusting the limb that holds your
nest in the middle of life's waterfalls."
Elizabeth B. Brown- book The Joy Choice


♥~♥~♥~♥


Joy comes when you trust that God
 made YOU
who YOU are for a unique why."
Elizabeth B. Brown


I'm not sure my friend 
what you might be going 
through today. 
But I can't help but feel this
 post was meant for someone else besides me.
Sometimes we need a real live friend to take our hand
and grab us up out of that puddle
and then ask us to dance in the rain with them.


Nothing makes me happier than to have a
friend over to dance in the rain with me. So please
remember the invite if you need some help.


Actually, wouldn't it be fun to have a
string of friends
dancing in the rain together and
 not caring the least 
about how crazy some people might 
think we look with all of that JOY on our faces?
I LOVE THAT IDEA!!!
(and no umbrellas allowed!)


Big Joy-filled HUGS,

Make It Worth Remembering

"Hello friends. 
I'm back from my special 
time away.
You have been missed.


Even though time with family
 was short together,
 we had magnitudes of fun
 and new memories were made. 

Thought I would show you some photos from 
my trip.  Here are a few.


~♥~♥~♥~♥~♥~♥~♥~

Aunt Jaymie (our youngest)
 and our granddaughter Ella showing 
off their shiny lip gloss!

Mommy Jessica (our oldest) and our grandson Ezra

this photo taken by daddy-Stevan Sheets

Ella and grandma.
This is becoming grandma's tradition to take these 
cheek to cheek photos.

Ezra was loosing patience with this photo shoot,
as you can tell on his face here.

Thank Y♥U
for letting me share  my family with you.
They are so dear to my heart.


Next week I cannot wait to get back to
creating again. 


God knew it would help balance me 
when He put the desire to create into my design.


I'm not sure that choosing the word
PRIORITIZE
as my 2011 word for the year was
such a good idea.
Ever since I chose that word I have felt tired, been ill,
not able to blog much,
and trying to catch up on everything. 


I think I'm doing too much thinking about it,
so this quote is my new creed. 

"One day at a time--this is enough. Do not look back and grieve over the past for it is gone; and do not be troubled about the future, for it has not yet come. Live in the present, and make it so beautiful it will be worth remembering."                                                                                                                      Author Unknown 

Let's make each day beautiful together!

Are you with me friend?

♥

Oh So Excited for this ROAD TRIP

I have been laying low

 and away from the computer for the

past few weeks, due to having the yucky

upper respiratory flu virus.

I'm finally feeling better!

I really have missed you all.  

But in a couple of days,

 my youngest daughter and  I 

are going on a road trip out to visit

my oldest daughter and her family, which

includes these two precious, sweet

and very lovable grandchildren of mine!!!!!

It's going to be a quick (9 hour drive one way)

 and short little stay,

but 3 days are better than none at all.

I've been told

 that my granddaughter already has a list

of things for us to do together.

  Her mommy said it is a very long list!

 So pray me in

some extra energy, will you please?

I don't care if all of my energy gets drained,

as long as it is replaced with

hugs and kisses from my sweetie pies!

 When I return, I will  

I will get back to doing some blog

posting again and will be visiting you, to find

out what you've been up to.

~Big HUGS~