Christmas Upside Down

I have to thank my friend, Patricia, for posting this video. It is not very long, and it is really neat! Please take a few minutes to watch. Someone was really clever with this!! Happy Friday!!!

Sangin' At Larry's Grand Ole' Garage!!!

This past Saturday night, our former group known as "The Dinner Bells" (we're still trying to come up with a good name for us) sang our 2nd gig at "Larry's Grand Ole Garage". The people there love us so much, they have asked us, yet again, to return to sing at their Annual Bluegrass Festival in June. We have obliged the opportunity! I never in a million years dreamed that I would be able to sing in a group such as this, but God has a way of making things happen when it is your passion. I am SO blessed!! I have posted a video below for you guys to take a listen, if you would like. Jen Smith is the soloist on this song, Roger Ferguson is the tenor, and I am the alto singing in the trio. Hope you enjoy it, but mostly I hope this song uplifts you. It is one of my favorites! God Bless! Some of you may not be able to view this link...there will be another one coming soon that you all can see. :-)

http://www.facebook.com/inbox/readmessage.php?t=1026067172433&f=1&e=0#/video/video.php?v=52691243207&ref=nf

Another Saint Has Gone Home!

We have all been there, it's that one phone call where the voice on the other end tells you that someone you know and love has passed away. This was me last night. My good friend of 25 plus years, Dayna, lost her father last night. Her dad, Luther, was one of a kind! You just had to know him to understand. Isn't that right, Dayna? :-) He was one of the funniest people on earth, but he would let you know if he was NOT kidding. Dayna and I went to church together, grew up together in the same hometown, and have many memories together from those days. I even went on family trips with her and her folks several times when we were kids. It is hard to believe, Luther is gone. My prayers are with all of his family at this time. The hardest part for me not living in Illinois are the times like this. I'm unable to get off work to come up for the funeral, and it makes my heart sad. The biggest blessing in all of this is knowing that Luther has run his race, and he is now home. I can just hear him rejoicing, and having great conversation with those from our church family who have gone before. I also know he is holding his precious granddaughter, Hope, in his arms, and telling her how special her parents are. I also bet he's already found my grandparents, too. Yes, it is sad to keep hearing of the loss of so many I know, but wow! What an incredible reunion it is going to be with all of those who've gone before one sweet day! They are just waiting for all of us to finish our race. What a sweet day it is going to be, and I cannot wait! Have a blessed day!

Moving...again!!

So I've made the big announcement about my parents move. Well, to save money, I will be moving in with them for awhile, too. Pray for all of us. We haven't lived together in 14 years. HA!! I'm just messing around, I love my parents to pieces, and it will be nice having "someone" there when I come home from work. Don't get me wrong, I enjoy "my" time, and living alone, most of the time, but every now and then it would be nice to come home and have someone to talk to. So it will be really nice to come home from work, and have someone there. I feel like ALL I do is move. Ever since college, it has been "on the move Jewels". I moved from Illinois to Arkansas for college, after that I moved from Arkansas to Florida, stayed there 2 years, then moved from Florida to Tennessee where I have been since 2002. I don't plan to move to another state anymore, but in the time span of living here 6, going on 7, years, I have a moved to different places around town a total of 4 times, and now this will be my 5th move. I have become a pro at packing and unpacking boxes. And of course, I know this move to mom and dad's is not my FINAL one because I'm only staying with them to save money so I can (hopefully) buy my own place, eventually. I never dreamed my life would be so crazy at age 35. Funny how you have plans for your life, but God has different ones. Funny how the world is different today, I think back on my grandparents who married at ages 18 and 19, bought a house and started a family. Now days, some people wait to get married til' they are 40 or older. Which I don't think is a half bad idea when I see how miserable most people are in their marriages in their 20's and 30's. I know to some, they can't understand why I have chosen the "single life" or "why don't you find someone?" And to those of you who have great marriages, God bless you, but please don't condemn those of us who choose not to marry early in life. :-) People are just different, some of us don't want to be "tied down", and if you haven't looked around lately, dating is NOT easy in this day and age. Well, I'm getting on a whole other subject. :-) All this to say is that I will be moving, yet again, in about a month. Please pray for this transition to go smoothly for my parents, it's a HUGE decision, and we are all excited, and nervous at the same time! Thanks so much!! Have a blessed day!

The Big News!!

Well, I guess most of you have probably heard by now, but some may have not, so I have an announcement to make. My parents have bought a condo in the Nashville area and will be moving from Illinois next month. I have mixed emotions about it all. On one hand, I'm THRILLED to death they are coming, and will be near me, but on the other hand, it's sad because they are moving from my hometown. I was born there, attended Kindergarten - 12th grade, made numerous friends, the majority of my family was born and raised there, and are buried there. I also worked at several places around town. It's just HOME, but I also know this decision made by my parents is a good one, and I do believe that God is leading them here. He has just worked everything out each step of the way so far, and it's really kind of scary how fast it is all happening. The only thing we're waiting on now is someone to buy "our" house. So please add this to your prayer list that someone will purchase it, preferably a nice family because we have WONDERFUL neighbors. :-) I will certainly miss coming home to "our house" and "my hometown", but I plan to make visits up there any and every chance I can. Because those of you who live there know that there is NO other pizza on earth like Dimaggios pizza. I will be suffering from withdrawl if I don't make it back up there from time to time to get that! ha! It will just be weird thinking I will have to stay in a motel from now on. I have lots of great memories from that little town, and I will never forget all those good times! To those of you who live there, and are reading this, I love you all, and appreciate you all being supportive and excited for my parents! And please know, if you ever venture down to Tennessee, you ALWAYS have a place to stay!! :-) Have a blessed day!

Got That Right!!

I read this quote today, and it just hit me!! I wanted to share it with you all. All I can say is, "Rick Warren, you got that right!!!"

"We were made by God and for God, and until you figure that out, life isn't going to make sense!!" -Rick Warren, Pastor of Saddleback Church in California.

Proud To Be From Illinois!!!

What can I say?? We are proud of our Governors who do a lovely job on our state license plates!!! :-)