So where am I????

Where am I??..   In the land of going crazy...LOL   I am getting ready to open my new business, I am excited, a bit scared and over the moon.

I will be posting more soon.....but I wanted to give you a link to my new business blog for you to check out:
Graceworks Therapeutic Massage and Bodyworks

So go by...check it out....leave me a message about how you like it or any suggestions....would love to hear from you!!!  As I set up this weekend, I will have some pictures to share.

Have a wonderful evening!!!!
Hugs,
Debbie

At Last....

I know I have been so inconsistent with my posts.....life has just been crazy for the last two years.... but FINALLY.....it has arrived...

 Graduation!!!  I finally finished my Massage  Therapy courses and will graduate on Sunday!!!  Then on Monday I will be taking my licensing test.  I have already had a call to work at a local salon when I get my license, soo I am really excited to be moving forward.  I am still in school as I want to complete the courses for my esthetics license and being able to teach....but having this course work finished is such an accomplishment for me and I look forward to all that lies ahead.

Thanks to those of you that have been cheering me on and offering such encouragement....Love you all more than you know!!!

Hugs to you all!!!!
Debbie.....the graduate!!!!

Two New Favorites......

Hello All and Happy Monday....
I love new beginnings and starting a new week is a chance to get a fresh start.  And I am working on getting back in the posting groove.

Today's Post is just a couple of my new favorite things and a recipe I tried yesterday and it is a KEEPER!!
Ok, for the favorite things:
Have you discovered www.Pinterest.com ????  This is quickly becoming my new addiction.  There is just so much wonderful stuff on that site and it changes hourly!!!  Now I am going to give a disclaimer.  This is a broad community and is like being in the middle of the mall.....sometimes there is just stuff you don't like, approve of, or want to see....just so you know.  But I have found wonderful quotes, great calligraphy with scripture that I want to use in projects, craft ideas, wonderful-wonderful-wonderful recipes, decorating ideas, clothing to drool over and so much more.  It is just a collection of what people love in all forms... and as I said, there are things that I see and think "what in the world were they thinking"...but being an adult I can move pass that.  So if you are so inclined, check it out!  You can follow me if you like...and that is a good way to go, find people you already know on there and follow them.....then you can just read through the people that you follow.  There is also a tab for "everything"....which is just as it says , you see everything that is posted.  So check it out and let me know what you think.  I will be the one setting up the 12-step program for Pinterest addiction...LOL

My next new favorite actually came from a post on Pinterest....www.thinkgarnish.com

 

I don't know about you...but I have seen Martha Stewart, Ina Gartner and others package their food items and other things in these wonderful packaging things that I didn't know where to get.  Well head over to garnish...not only do they sell some of the packaging, they have awesome ideas.

And since I am on a "Pinterest" ramble...I want to share a recipe I picked up there yesterday to try and it is a keeper:

 I am not a big biscuit maker.  I can remember my grandmother making them every morning and they were wonderful.  So I sort of put them in the "to hard to make them right" category.  But these changed my mind!

7-Up Biscuits
2 cups Bisquick

1/2 cup sour cream

1/2 cup 7-up

1/4 cup melted butter

Cut sour cream into biscuit mix, add 7-up.  Makes a very soft dough.
Sprinkle additional biscuit mix on board or table and pat dough out.  Melt 1/4 cup butter in a 9 inch square pan.  Place cut biscuits in pan and bake at 450 degrees until golden brown.
(From...  www.plainchicken.blogspot.com)

Hope you all have a great day!!!!
Hugs to you all.....

   Debbie

Technical Difficulties.....

Ok...I confess, I have been having technical difficulties with my computer "stuff".  First the dog we are fostering decided to eat my laptop cord, then the desktop computer keyboard took a vacation.....and during this my car has been in the shop (and STILL is) so I couldn't just run out and get them fixed.  But as of now, at least the desktop is back to functioning.  So I am BACK!!!!   :)

In the last couple of weeks there has been a parade of beginnings and endings....and fresh starts.  I finished my classes in Massage Therapy and I earned my degree....let's all shout Hallelujah together now...LOL.  I still have to study to take my boards to get my license, but I have already had a shop call and ask me to work in their salon, so I am thrilled that I have that coming in the near future.  I have had a couple of weeks off, of course it is never enough time to squeeze in all the stuff that I have wanted to do....but at least I have had a break.  On Tuesday, I head back to school for a 9 month course in Esthetics, followed by a 3 month course in teacher training so that I will actually be  licensed to teach at that time.  So I will be working and going to school full time....which  will be a juggling act for me as you add in home and my work with our church's women's ministry.

Also, I have had to have one of those sit down, come to Jesus meetings with my son about life...future....and how some hard decisions have to be made and carried out.  He starts school at the same time I do (at the same school) to be a surgical tech.  He is a great kid, but frankly has been really lost since his dad passed away...and he has needed to get some focus....and stop driving his mom crazy....but that is another story!!! LOL

For those of you that have hung in there with me here....thank you!!!
I will be back soooooon....
Hugs,
Debbie

Encouragement

And the Winner Is!!!!!!

Thank you to all of you that helped me kick off this first giveaway!!!  I wish I had a book for each of you....

The winners are: 

Teresa and Robin

Please contact me with you mailing information and I will get the books right out to you.  Send your info to:

dailygrace@bellsouth.net

Thanks again to everyone that signed up for this and for all the new visitors to the site.  I will be having another drawing for a new book in a few days, so check back.  AND I actually have some new post ideas running around my head that I want to get written up in the next day or so.

Hugs to all of you, have a wonderful day!!!

Debbie

For the drawing, I used Random.org......  just so you know.....  :)

Book Review!!!

I am so excited,  I have been selected to be a book reviewer for Zondervan.  You're shocked to aren't you???  LOL  On a serious note, I have always been jealous of my friend, Jen, who reviews lots of great books and is always in the know about what is coming out.  Being in school, I haven't had the opportunity to read as much as I have wanted....so this is a great way to jump back in.

Sooooooo......drumroll please, the first book is:

This is a book that I was talking about in an earlier post.  I have am really excited to have the opportunity to share this first book with you as it has made such an impact on me. 
From this book, I have learned about the word, Eucharisteo.  This word and this book are about the wonder of Grace, Thanksgiving and Joy. 

"That Thanks-giving might literaly become thanks-living."

-Ann Voskamp

In the past I have kept gratitude journals.  I can tell you from my experience that daily listing the things you are  grateful for will change your perspective on your life.  It is so easy to get caught up in all the negative that can surround you with work, family, church, the cranky neighbors......and you begin to act like a gerbil on a treadmill running the negative over and over in your mind.  Taking a deep breath and writing down those breezes that God sends our way each day stops all that noise.

Ann shares with you in this warm and heartfelt book her story.  She shares the hurts of her family.  The lifechanging moment of seeing her baby sister die before her.  So many reasons to mistrust, to hold God at arms length.  But through a dare from a friend, she starts a list of 1000 gifts from God.  Scribbled on pieces of paper and notebooks, the list grew and grew.  A change began....a life lived with thanksgiving for all that she had and hadn't even noticed.

I know you will love this book.....I know that if you allow yourself to be drawn in and begin your own list of 1000 gifts it will change you too.  SOOOO.....  let me help with that.

The wonderful people of Zondervan have gifted me with two copies of "One Thousand Gifts" to give away.

I LOVE having the opportunity to share this with you and I want to make it easy.  So here is how to win a free copy of your own....

There are three ways you can enter:
1.  On the left side of the blog, you can scroll down and to the box that says "Sweet Friends" and follow me. If you are already a follower, that is ok....just leave a comment that you follow me.

2.  Post about this giveaway on your Facebook.  (leave a seperate comment)

3.  Post abot this giveaway on your Blog.  (leave a seperate comment)

See, told you it was simple!!!  We will make this short too as I have another book to add in a few days.  You will have till midnight Tuesday, April 12 and I will post the winners on Wednesday, April 13.  Be sure to add your email address so that I can contact you.

Thanks so much for participating in my first book giveaway!!!!!!
Love you all......  count your blessings tonight!!!

Disclaimer:  Zondervan has provided books for this giveaway and for my review.  I am not required to write a positive review....I am only asked to review the book as I see it.

They are watching......

We all have a "happy place"...that store or place you go that just makes you happy.  For me, it is Hobby Lobby.  I know it seems silly, but I grew up with a mom that made our clothes, curtains, knit, crochet and tried her hand at all the other crafts that came our way.  I inherited that love of the "hand made", but with school and just life lately, I haven't had the opportunity to play with all the craft supplies that are stored around our house.  But Saturday I decided to make it a play day and go find some fun things to work with when I am on break.
Strolling down the aisles, I was finding lots of fun stuff to work with and was very happy. That was until the yelling started.  There were two women a couple of aisles over having a progressively louder, very heated discussion.  Apparently one woman had a young daughter with her that was getting into everything.  The mother in exasperation said she was going to beat her behind (insert another less appropriate word) if she didn't stop.  Woman #2 decided it was her job to correct this woman and show her the error of her ways.  Sadly, Woman #1 didn't see it that way......so the war of words began.  To be very honest, if it was just the two women, it would have been humerous because the comments that they were throwing back and forth were getting more and more absurd.  And then there was Woman #2's parting shot that she hoped... "God Bless You too"....yes, you need to add dripping sarcasm here.  I don't really know how God got dragged into this mess, but there you go.
While two women behaving like the village idiots...well, that is one thing.....but what got me as I rounded the corner looking to head the other way, away from these two, I caught the look in the eyes of the young girl that was in the middle of all this mess.  The sadness in her eyes watching these two go at it made me stop in my tracks.  It was so sad to see her.  You know, it was a huge reminder that we never know who is watching us.  We may think it is no big deal....but it is.  We need to step up and be the heros in situations around us and not those that just simply are content to make a mess wherever we go, just so that we can "speak our minds".
As I was thinking about this I found myself headed down another aisle....and who would be coming my way....Woman #2 with HER mother.....  her mom was telling her that she should never have started that mess and there were just times to be quiet.
I guess we never get to old to learn something from our moms.

Hugs,
Debbie

A Simple Post It Note!

I have lots to catch up with on here, and I will work on that for the next week.....  But I ran across this and love it...  A simple post it note with an encouraging message....  How easy is that?  And who knows what kind of difference it could make to someone at a crossroads....  watch the video, grab a post it pad and a pen....  make a difference in how someone sees themself.....

One Thousand Gifts....

I love this book....and I am so excited to find that "incourage" will be having an online book group to go through the book a chapter a week, and each week there will be a video from Ann.  I am so looking forward to this!!!  Hope you all will join me in this....

Theme for Coming Year.......

We Are Here....

Sunday Morning......

Good Morning All!

Sadly for me, I am not feeling well.  We had to miss services this morning at our church...which I hate to do!  We are attending a mission church, and we love the people, the services, just the presence of God during these gatherings! 

Seeing that I hadn't written for awhile, I wanted to post a few things to let you know that I was still around!!! LOL  Just a few more days in this quarter of school...and a light schedule for my last quarter in Massage Therapy.  So if I can just pull everything together for my finals on Wednesday, things should go a little easier with my schedule.

For those of you that can use apps on your phone, check out YouVersion.  It is a free app I found for my phone this morning that I think I am really going to like....and guess what?  It's actually free!!!!  It has several versions of the bible, devotionals and reading plans.  So if it is something you can use with your phone, check it out.

I am on such a reading jag lately.  Haven't had much time for it, but I have been so "hungry" for some reading time and this book is wonderful. I had heard about it from some gals that had gone to Relevant 10...rave reviews of this writer/speaker...and when I read about the book I knew it would be a must read for me.  It was finally released a few days ago and I quickly downloaded it!  This is one that will speak to your heart and her wonderful writing will cause you to want to slow down to savor each word.  I am just about a quarter of the way through the book....so I will share more as I finish up.

Need to go for now....may each of you have a blessed Christmas season.  SLOW DOWN and enjoy what this time is truly about...the birth of the Savior who came to save the world.  Awesome heart stuff...... 

One more thing....I have been interested in Advent Conspiracy for about a year now.  I am working to set up a page to help with digging wells for clean water in underdeveloped areas.  When we have this put together I will share about it.  As a family, we have just felt impressed to not put gifts under the tree this year.....but to send what we can out to help those that truly need it.  There is something about giving a child water for a year that trumps a tie for Uncle Bob every time.  smile. 

Hugs and Blessings to all of you!!!!

Christmas....

Found this, Loved it, Wanted to share it with you!! You know how sometimes you are looking to put into words what you feel...and then you find someone or something that pulls it all together in a way you wish you had done. Well, this is it.....smile!

The heart of it all.....

When I posted about struggling the other day, I know it may have seemed really "down".  But sadly, many times when God needs to get my attention, He has to get me to a place where I am ready to listen, and act.  Sometimes I can get what He shows me.....but putting  it into action---that can be a different story.

In this last week, I have read Francis Chan's book, Crazy Love and I am about half way

 through David Platt's book, Radical.  It has been a lot to think about, pray about, be convicted of.  Part of what I am getting from this is that we have twisted the gospel to make it "comfortable" for us.  We have settled into lazy christianity that we would be hard pressed to recognize from the example set by Christ.

When did it become ok to just give to others our scraps, our leftovers.....if we even think or give to them at all?  Looking at the percentages of children that are dying every day because of starvation and the lack of clean water is jaw dropping.  And I just think if these were our children, we would be desperate to find someone to help....to watch our children dying would break our hearts....and to know that our children could be saved just on what is thrown away on a daily basis by the average American family....

that is truly obscene.

Do I have the answers for this yet....no.  But I am no longer comfortable with life as I have been living it.  I have said before that it has always bugged me when I have seen stars like Jay Leno with all those cars in his collection.  Knowing that they are worth tons of money....and knowing what that money could do to feed a village, drill wells for clean water, build homes it just seems ridiculous.  BUT with that said, it is so easy to take shots at someone in the limelight.....sadly, if we would turn the magnifying glass on our own lives and habits we would see that we are just as responsible for the waste and not helping the problem.  And please know that when I say "we", I mean "me".

I am looking into some things that I can do to change they way I live and to be able to give.  We are so blessed to live where we do......but in becoming complacent with what we have and always expecting more....the blessing is being squandered.  And WE are going to be held responsible for what we do or don't do.  As someone just shared with me, "God doesn't grade on a curve".

As I research some things in my area and worldwide.....I will be glad to share with you.  And I would love to learn of ways you have found to give.

And for those of you that are nervy enough to say..."We need to just start at home first."....well, take some time and search the scriptures for the answer to that one....you might be very surprised.

Hugs to you all....

Your Hands.....

When it is out of our hands.......it is never out of His....




Hugs,

Struggle...

I have wanted to be uplifting on this blog....not fall into being whiny even when there were things that "bugged" me.  And I have tried.

I haven't written much recently as I was trying to find the words to express what is going on.

I have been here before....

And I really hate this part...those seasons and times of upheaval and change...

but I feel it coming on....

and I struggle.

Even places of comfort are uncomfortable....

Attending a church I love this morning, with people I love and care about....for the first time in a long time I felt totally alone.....

It is not a fun place to be....it makes me want to pull the covers over my head and try to wait it out.

But I know that this is just part of the birthing of something new in my life....

its never easy or pain free....

it just is.

I didn't want to write this, to admit to feeling this way....

but I recalled that one of my favorite blogs is about her journey,

the mountain tops and the valleys...

because we all go through it in one way or another....

and sometimes it just helps to know that someone else has been there...

and survived....

and found joy again.....

and found their road home again....

Love to you all.......prayers for each of you on your journeys......  He is with you and me....

So What About Halloween???

Several years ago ( boy, I hate to really think how long ago it was!!! LOL), my son was small and I was trying to decide how we were going to handle Halloween.  As a Christian, you got the whole array of advice from "it's no big deal" to "how can you be a Christian and participate in it?"....yeah, lots of help there!

But during that time, I went to assist at a women's retreat for pastor's wives.  I was working at a salon that went there to pamper those women on one of their evenings there.  As I was giving a hand/arm massage to one of the women who was very pregnant and shared that she had 3 other children at home....I asked her the question, "What do you do with Halloween?"  And she gave me the best advice that I have ever heard on this subject.

She shared with me that she and her husband had prayed about this and wanted to do something that would reflect something positive on this holiday.  She asked me, "What other holiday do people line up to come to your home to visit?"  This was so different than when you hand out tracts or go on visitation....people actually wanted to come to you.  So why not do something positive with that.

Each year they decide on a theme and the family dresses up in something fun and uplifting (no scary/horror stuff).  That year I remember that her daughters wanted to be princesses....and that she would dress as the queen and her husband as King.  Her husband was taking refrigerator boxes to make a castle for the front yard.  They purchased candy.....the best they could afford.....because as you do unto others, you do as unto Christ.....and what would they buy for His visit???  They made hot cocoa and apple cider to serve.  They made this something special and would have the opportunity to visit with friends, neighbors and strangers that would come to their door.  They found simple children's tracts to include in the children's treat bags. 

Who wouldn't want to visit them?  And what a positive message......and how open would people be to them sharing at some point about their faith.....or an invitation to church.......

So who would you be open to the darken cold house or the one that welcomed with warmth, friendship and joy?

Just some food for thought...... 

Can I Stand For You?

I was wanting to get something up on the blog.....and after a beautiful southern weekend, I was planning on posting pictures and info on our weekend.  But things change......

Sitting down this afternoon to do homework, I started flipping through some television shows that I had recorded and wanted to sift through to see if there were any I wanted to watch. There was a program about women vets.....I was astonished at how many of our women veterans are homeless, have had their children taken from them, and return to.....silence from us.

One of the vets shared how people will show up from miles around to attend the funeral of a returning soldier...but not show up for the ones that return to months in the hospital or needing other care.  As a woman and as a widow of a veteran, I hurt for these women.

There was a woman on the show that had lost both legs in an explosion.....she was in the hospital in excruciating pain and felt she was going to die.  She watched the clock, willing herself to make it through 60 seconds at a time.....even though she had been transfered back to the US, her hair was matted with blood, she was still covered  with dirt and sand from the combat area.  A soldier entered the room, took off her arm, and looked at her.  She told her she knew she was hurting and understood that, but she was going to make it....and could she "stand for her"?  This soldier washed the woman's hair...and for 5 days --through all her pain--when she looked around, this woman was there..."standing for her". 

The veteran situation needs our prayers and our voices....and action.

But it also made me think.....how many women do we come across in our lives that need someone just to "stand for her"......  There are women who are harshly judged and we don't know their stories....there are women who are angry and spew such ugliness, but we don't know their story.....how would their lives have been different if someone was willing to "stand for her"?  We have women who have lost....homes, husbands, children...health....and after the intial shock when people begin to drift away.....they just need to know that someone will "stand for them".

Such a simple, yet powerful thing......knowing someone is standing for you!!!  As Christians....what a powerful, amazing thing to be able to not only stand for someone, but to be able to place their hands into the hands of one that Stood For Them 2000 years ago.  Knowing Christ stood for us on the cross and took our place.....we as Christians are called to "stand"  for those around us.....

"For God so loved the world,
that He gave His only begotten Son...."

Understand that "standing for" someone doesn't mean that we fix them, offer our opinions on what they could have done differently, how they failed.....it is about loving them, praying for them, reaching out with compassion, and more than that not just lip service but putting feet to our concerns....finding ways to let them know that we truly do care.  For that soldier, the simple act of having someone care to just wash her hair.....it sparked a change in how life looked around her. 

Do you have something that I can "stand with you" for?  Just email me or post your prayer request....  or just your thoughts on this.....

Hugs,