Five Blessings Friday

"Because I have a happy heart, so I have continual JOY in Your presence, Lord.
Proverbs 15:15 KJV, "...he that is of a merry heart has a continual feast."


Here are Five Merry Making Moments I've experienced lately.


56. Eavesdropping on my dear sons-in-law, Craig and John, discussing the merits of a kids' PBS show, "Martha Speaks" and how the letters of the alphabet soup Martha ate wound up in her doggy brain instead of elsewhere. (Craig, John, a Martha fan and a future Martha fan.)


57. A very special God moment came last week when my 5-year-old grandson Ethan was visiting us. As we were chatting, I asked him, "Ethan who do you love MOST in the whole world?" I expected him to say his mother, but he emphatically said, "JESUS!"
I found myself taken aback, both thrilled, surprised and a little embarrassed at my shortsightedness. He further told me that we were all supposed to love Jesus the most and I gave him a BIG hug and agreed.
How blessed am I that my dear daughter(in-love) and son are teaching their children to love Jesus most of all and to remind their dear Grammy when she forgets!
To God be the glory for the blessings from the mouths of babes!

58. Re-connecting with old friends, Mike and Jan, Diane, Mary & Steve. Thank You Lord, for forever friends.

59. Reading 2 Chronicles this week I was caught up in the awe of Solomon building a magnificent Temple for God. Even so, Solomon was well aware that it was not good enough to contain our awesome God and His glory.
How incredibly humbling to realize that today, God chooses to make His home in us, simple, dusty, fragile, often unlovely jars of clay. Blessing beyond my comprehension.

60. My pastor's shirt tail. That man will do anything to reach unbelievers. He wears his shirt tail out b/c he cares more about relating to the lost, looking like a real person leading a real life than about pleasing the eyes of men. Whenever I see that shirt tail, I am challenged anew "...to meet people wherever they are on their spiritual journey and lead them into a growing relationship with Jesus Christ in order to change the world."

Five Blessings Friday PLUS Five More

Psalm 103:2: Let all that I am praise the Lord: may I never forget the good things he does for me. (NLT)

41. For a wonderful Dad who let me know how much I was loved. He choose my name which means "father's joy." I am so thankful for such an incredible blessing from God.

42. Spending time with family, creating precious summer memories to warm us all year long.

43. Listen, dancing and playing to Mozart, Beethoven and Carmen.

44. Vallarie asking "Is this Beethoven?"

45. Playing Legos with Ethan

46. Antibiotics

47. Nicolas "making coffee" by shaking marbles in a metal tin ala "grinding coffee beans". Black marbles only.

49. My "porch of praise," a little retreat every morning where I enjoy the blessings of the Lord's creation as I read His word, pray and praise Him.

50. For the wonderful guy who is father to my children. "Today and every day, I have a million things to be thankful for, but my thoughts always circle back to you, our family and our very special love."

Happy Father's Day, Honey.

Five Things Friday

Ooops. I got so busy with my job working on the Quad-Cities Christian Writers Conference last week that I forgot all about Five Things Friday. The first time I remembered it was sitting in the morning session listen to the great Mike Brewer speak.

To make up for forgetting, this week I think we need at least two lists this week. And as I'm writing I'm also learning more about how the things we love are truly gifts from God given to reveal to each of us how very much He loves us. I'm just finishing up Ann Voskamp's One Thousand Gifts, and going deeper and deeper into the idea of thanks for the gifts God so freely bestows.

What blessings come from counting our blessings!
I challenge you to join me and Ann and so many others. Open your eyes, begin counting the gifts that God is giving to you.

Five Gifts

• 26. Serving the QCCWC, amazingly talented, giving people, getting to spend time and serve God's Scribes, Apostles of Ink, and other servants of The Most High. I’m overwhelmed that God would use me to be a part of this wonderful blessing. ( I think I just had the spirit of my new friend, Gail, overtake me!)


• 27. A new sister and friend in Dr. Gail Hayes, Lioness for the Lord & Daughter of the King.


• 28. The delicious smell of Amaretto coffee wafting through the house—yum.


• 29. The tree budding outside my bedroom window. We moved it last fall and didn’t kill it! Hooray!


• 30. The power of written words to move the heart and change lives.

And Five More Gifts


31. Bright orange tulips in my yard 32. Papa Goose fasting while guarding Mama Goose noshing.

33. Mama Goose sitting on her nest.

34. Glowing green buds bring life to dead red sticks.

35. Promises of strawberry sweetness

Five Things Friday

Five Things I Love

21. Green fingers of Life springing up through the winter's dead brown.

22. That my father chose my name. Gail, from Abigail, meaning “Father’s joy”

23. Having a father who loved me no matter what.

24. Growing up in a family where laughter was more common than tears.

25. Knowing I’ll see my dad again.

Seven years ago today my father, Samuel L. Poag, Jr died of esophageal cancer. He was diagnosed in the fall of 2003 and passed away five months later. Considering he was only given three months to live, we were glad to have the extra sixty days with him. In honor of Dad and in the hopes of raising awareness of this killer I’d like to share the following information with you.

April is Esophageal Cancer Awareness Month

Esophageal Cancer: What You Should Know

Esophageal cancer is a very difficult disease to cure, and early detection is essential. The Saint Barnabas Health Care System in Livingston, NJ, provides the following information about esophageal cancer for better recognition and understanding of this condition. Some facts about this condition:

• Men are about three times more likely than women to develop esophageal cancer.


• The chance of developing esophageal cancer increases with age.


• Squamous cell carcinoma of the esophagus is more common in African-Americans.


• In the United States, the rates of adenocarcinoma of the esophagus have increased in the last 20 years.


• Risk factors include tobacco and alcohol use, gastric reflux and Barrett esophagus, a disorder in which the lining of the esophagus (the tube that carries food from the throat to the stomach) is damaged by stomach acid.


• The most common signs of esophageal cancer are painful or difficult swallowing and weight loss. Other signs include: regurgitation of food, chest pain unrelated to eating, discomfort when swallowing solids or liquids, indigestion or heartburn, hoarseness and cough; and vomiting blood.


• A physician should be consulted if any of the symptoms listed above occur.


• BALTIMORE, March 10, 2011 /PRNewswire/ -- Esophageal Cancer is the fastest increasing cancer diagnosis in the U.S. – up more than 400 percent in the past 20 years – and it usually a death sentence. Perhaps most shocking, for Americans, it is usually caused by persistent heartburn or acid reflux disease.


• In the U.S., someone dies of this disease every 36 minutes.

Until two years ago, there was no national advocacy organization fighting Esophageal Cancer. But the Esophageal Cancer Action Network (ECAN, ) led by top physicians, business leaders and families the cancer has touched, is tackling this devastating disease head on. ECAN is working to make sure those with persistent heartburn become aware of their risk of developing a disease that kills more than 80 percent of those who develop it.

Esophageal Cancer has such a poor survival rate largely because it is usually discovered at late stages. That's why ECAN's early detection message is so important. With early detection, new medical procedures have produced cure rates of 98 percent.

ECAN's Executive Director Mindy Mintz Mordecai is emphatic about the importance of screening for Esophageal Cancer. "These new developments in treating the precancerous and early stages of the disease make early detection of this cancer so important because, if we find it early, people can now be cured – they don't just get a better chance of survival – they can be cured!"

Information from http://www.endonurse.com/news/2011/03/april-is-esophageal-cancer-awareness-month.aspx and http://www.saintbarnabas.com/news/esophagealcancer.html

Five Things Friday

Five Things I Love ( and five ways God loves me)

One of the best things about my random blog is that I can change what I want, when I want. As of today, I'm going to start a new numbering system. I've been reading "One Thousand Gifts" by Ann Voskamp and she has inspired me to continuously keep track of the number of things I've "loved" on this blog. One more thing I'll mention that I love is that I'd already started my Five Things Friday with things I love BEFORE reading Ann's book.

Since this is my fourth list of "Five Things I Love," I'm starting with numbering with "16."

16. Knowing I'm not the only one making lists of things loved, blessings continuously bestowed.

17. Grand-grandson Nicolas Craig Fendley, born March 27, 2007. Happy birthday on Sunday, Nickerbocker!

18. Unexpected generosity inspired by unexpected patience.

19. The many, many lessons learned from the life and ministry of Ron Dunn, a great man of God and preacher. He first opened the first door to learning "...in everything give thanks..."

20. Grand-granddaughter Naomi Jean Smith, born March 28, 2008.
Happy Birthday on Monday, dearest Naomi!

I love to invite you to start your list today. It's easy.
Just determine to open your eyes to the wonders of love that surround you each moment of every day. Find the meaning in the mundane, the beauty of the present and the joy in the common.

Five Things Friday

Five Things I Love:

1. Silliness


2. Quad-Cites Christian Writers Conference


3. Shoes that fit


4. Watching the sunset on the beach


5. My husband cooking dinner on the grill

Five Things I Do NOT Love

1. Foolishness


2. Waking up at 3:30 AM for no reason


3. Shoes that squeak (hate 'em)


4. Car repairs


5. Cold food--gotta go, MH (My Hero) has dinner ready--YUM!

Five Things Friday

Five Things I Love

1. Going barefoot
   
2. Mint flavored lip gloss
   
3. Prairie Home Companion
   
4. Sunshine!
   
5. Knock-knock.
   Who’s there?
   Little old lady.
   Little old lady who?
   I didn’t know you could yodel.
   

Five Things I Do NOT Love

1. Two and A Half Men
   
2. Birds and/or squirrels in my chimney
   
3. Being cranky
   
4. Temperatures below 65 degrees
   
5. Sticky fingers