Austin turns 20 today - June 23, 2011

Today is Austin's 20 Birthday !  He is a young man with a bright future!   He is our first born grandchild !  He is awesome !  Austin has lived in San Diego CA most of his life !  He is an avid sports fan !  He is a natural born athlete !  Austin loves to play basketball, his sport of choice !  He loves Jesus, his parents, his grandparents, his uncles and aunts, cousins, and a certain young lady !  Austin brings great joy to his grandparents in Texas !

Last spring he came to Texas and enrolled in McLennan Community College !  He had a 4.0 GPA at the end of the semester !  He worked part time for Target while attending college.  He loves Baylor University Lady Bear Basketball.  He went to the home games !  He and his Grandad went to the Quarter Finals,  Big 12, BU Women's Basketball to watch Baylor lady bears play and WIN !   In San Antonio, Texas !

I miss having Austin around this past year but have treasured memories !  He taught me to like 'American Idol !'  He taught me that 19 year olds like their privacy and time alone !

He taught me things about my computer that are invaluable !   He taught me how important it was for him to text and receive texts from his friends at home !  He taught me how to slow down and watch a fave TV show with him.

Lots of intangible things Austin taught me !  Intangibles can't be explained...they are special and many times spiritual !  God gave me a great gift when Austin came to live in our home for four months !

Written by Sheri DeLoach
copyright 06.23.2011

Zondervan Daily Inspiration June 6, 2011

                                                 This is my hubby, Harold !  He and I will celebrate our 50th Wedding Anniversary this Fall !  Through the good times, the bad times, the sad times, the joyful times, we've weathered the storms that have assailed us ! Only by God's grace and learning how to forgive each other, to love unconditionally, and to center our lives in Jesus Christ !   To God goes the glory !

Zondervan Daily Inspiration

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Lighten Up if You Want to Live What makes people act in unloving ways toward those they once loved the most? Does a marriage license also provide a legal right to mistreat those closest to us, to treat each other and our children worse than any other person we know, or to micromanage changes only God is qualified to make? Marriage, to survive the satisfying yet challenging thing it is, must be playful and kind, or it cannot be healthy. It cannot remain sacred if it is not healthy, and it will surely not be full of the life you want and need if it does not remain playful. The lighthearted side of life, the part that gives us balance and makes us happy, like the children we are meant to become [if we are to enter the kingdom of heaven; this lighthearted side] must infuse our attitudes, our emotions, and our deepest life struggles. We have the power to destroy those we love. The trick is not to. In other words, quit acting like everything you say is a revelation from God. Learn to appreciate the positive power of opposites and how beautiful your differences can be. This power, first and foremost, is love. By it we can create a life worth celebrating, and when we do, the joy of our hearts will provide for others a glimpse now and then of what heaven must be. Marriage is also mystery, and it is part of a larger mystery. Union emotionally, spiritually, physically, and intellectually with a soul who is a polar opposite is a reflection of the mysterious differences and unity we experience with God. In our failings, the differences between us are a wide chasm, yet with love these same differences become the source of great celebration and fulfillment in life. To betray the joyful fountain that sustains you is to destroy part of yourself... You and those you love are the main characters in the story of your life. Whether yours is a story worth telling depends on how you live it, on how well you love each other. -Bond of Brothers: Connecting with Other Men Beyond Work, Weather, and Sports by Wes Yoder Q: What can "becoming like a child" look like when Jesus says, "Unless you change and become like little children, you will never enter the kingdom of heaven" (Matt. 18:3). Join the discussion on Facebook Read an Excerpt | Learn More | Share This Like this? Subscribe to the Daily Inspiration email, sent to you Monday-Friday from Zondervan.

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Neither do I condemn thee: go, and sin no more

May 26, 2011 

Welcoming Peggy Slocum, devotional writer and guest blogger.  Be sure and check our her blogspot for more uplifting devotionals.  She also has published a new book, "Web of Deceit" that is available through Amazon.   Sorry that the photo that goes with this blog is not here.  It would not import as did the devotional. 



Neither            do I condemn thee: go, and sin no more

I love these verses! It doesn't matter what you've              done as long as you repent, and then...Go and Sin No                More.

John8:1-12               Jesus went unto the mount of Olives. vs2  And early in              the morning he came again into the temple, and all the              people came unto him; and he sat down, and taught them.              vs3  And the scribes and Pharisees brought unto him a              woman taken in adultery; and when they had set her in the              midst, vs4  They say unto him, Master, this woman was              taken in adultery, in the very act. vs5  Now Moses in the              law commanded us, that such should be stoned: but what              sayest thou? vs6  This they said, tempting him, that they              might have to accuse him. But Jesus stooped down, and with              his finger wrote on the ground, as though he heard them              not. vs7  So when they continued              asking him, he lifted up himself, and said unto them, He that is                without sin among you, let him first cast a stone at                her. vs8               And again he stooped down, and wrote on the ground. vs9               And they which heard it, being convicted by their own              conscience, went out one by one, beginning at the eldest,              even unto the last: and Jesus was left alone, and the              woman standing in the midst. vs10  When Jesus had lifted              up himself, and saw none but the woman, he said unto her,Woman,                where are those thine accusers? hath no man condemned                thee? vs11               She said, No man, Lord. And Jesus said unto her, Neither do I                condemn thee: go, and sin no more. vs12  Then              spake Jesus again unto them, saying, I am the light                of the world: he that followeth me shall not walk in                darkness, but shall have the light of life.
Posted by Peggy                Slocum May 5, 2011 at http://peggyslocum.blogspot.com/            author of Web of Deceit




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Luci turns two

                                                 






                           Lucille 'Luci' Ball 's 2nd Birthday
                                             May 24, 2011

                         

Lucille 'Luci' Ball had a birthday yesterday !  We can officially say that she is two now, rather than, almost two, one and half years, will be two in May, on and on ! 

I had been researching the Internet and talking to a dear friend who first mentioned that I should have a therapy dog !   WHAT !  I've never owned a dog in my life, EVER !  In fact, I tolerated the various breeds over the years that belonged to our sons.   I was taught from early on that dogs were to live outdoors and do their work with/for man and boy.

 My brother had coon hunting dogs, whatever that breed was.  He obeyed the house rules and kept them outdoors in big chicken wire fenced runs.  My brother was 'in love with his dogs' and cooked special foods, in our kitchen for them.  It consisted of bacon grease, cornmeal, and other 'thingy's that I wondered about.  The worst part was the odor it produced while it was cooking on the gas stove...horrific in my mind and I would try to stay outdoors until he finished.  He called it, 'Cornmeal Mush' and his dogs loved it and loved him more for it !

The first dog was given to the boys by their grandmother, my mother !  He was a tiny terrier dog !  Thrilled and excited with this  little creature, the boys took care of him while at home...but when at school and ballgames... it was mom, designated caretaker for 'Peppy.'  Challenged to the core was I with this pup !  He liked to run out the door and down the street with dutiful mom on his trail until he was caught...wow...could that little creature run ! This was not the only challenge, just one of many.  After a few months of his non-changing behaviours, we found a new home and promised the boys they could choose their next dog !  That happened. Another breed, a poodle that could climb chain link fences, then a border collie that was adorable but we didn't have enough room in our yard for a large run. We found her an appropriate home.  Another border collie, named Grizzly, that our boys adored !  We had moved to the country and Griz had plenty of cows to chase and ran loose, no fences then.  The farmers around didn't like dogs on the loose and his short life came to an abrupt halt !  He went missing...never found by the boys.  It was pity city for them, their grief was profound.

There were a few more dogs after Griz met his demise, but by then, our youngest son showed more interest in his own dog and wanted a Spitz !  This was his Chrismas present that year.  By then, we  had had fences and a dog run built for him.  Still...outside was his home !

Some thirty years later when dogs and boys were gone,  did the idea of a pet therapy dog for my work became apparent.  It was through seeing people in nursing facilities with therapy dogs and how it changed their persona's...from sadness to happiness in a split second ! 

My husband bought Luci for me two years ago on my birthday in July 2009.   I knew by now that I wanted a Corgi for their remarkable history of therapy dogs. !   When we drove out to the country to pick her up, she was in a large outdoor pen with four siblings.  She was the first to go and was chosen by her breeder as the 'one he would choose!'  He was an expert breeder and had shown this breed in the past.  He showed us how to examine a corgi for the qualities they must have !  She was tiny, about 2 1/2 pounds, soft furry coat, and loved to snuggle and we became snugglers that night !  I knew that God had 'choosen Luci,' to do His work, and I, the facilitator.  I felt such peace, a sense of spiritual awakening that Luci was a gift from God.   I knew she would be a friend to many as a therapy dog.  God made these wonderful little creatures for many reasons and I believe His reason for this newly chosen pup was predistined !

Most of you have read much about  her through her blogs, 'Adventures with Luci' and SheriLuci@wordpress.com ! 

My life has changed dramatically since becoming her caregiver.  She is indeed an indoor/outdoor pup, and at her command !  She has learned commands and is a joy to go visit patients in nursing  homes.  We started when she was only eight months.  It was revealed to me and to my friend who was now a hospice patient in the nursing home that Luci was born to be a pet therapy dog !  We visited our friend every week for nearly a year.  She knows when someone is in the dying process and knows how to comfort them...in her own ways...a spiritual connection between human and dog is a well know fact.  I know it's true because I've witnessed this phenomena many times. 

"A righteous man regards the life of his animal,
  But the tender mercies of the wicked are cruel"
  Proverbs 12:10
 Author - Sheri DeLoach 

The God of Love

9/18/2007

The God Who Loves

Scripture: Psalm 36 O continue Your loving kindness to those who know You, And your righteousness to the upright in heart. Psalm 36:10 (RSV) When I think of the many facets of God's love the most precious gift is His Love for mankind, that He sent his only son, Jesus Christ, to live on this earth, minister, die, and be resurrected, now living on high with the Father. So, that one day we will be with Him in heavenly places, along with our loved ones that have gone on before us. This is the ultimate love that God has for us as human beings. In this truth, knowledge, and acceptance, I seek God's Love so that it transcends other things in my life, through these devotionals and personal interactions with people. In reading Psalm 36, we begin to understand about God's unconditional love that helps us in our challenges, burdens, hurts and hardtimes. It also gives us guidelines for understanding praising, pleading, wondering, rejoicing, complaining, and contemplating! He continues to weave His golden thread throughout the Psalms for every human emotion that we have experienced or will experience. Prayer: Father, God, Please continue Your lovingkindness to those who need it, and to those who are seeking it. Thought for the Day How precious is Your loving kindness, O God! Prayer Focus: Those who need to put their trust and love under the shadow of Your wings. Written by: Sheri DeLoach, Central TX http://www.dailybreadoflife.net/

This little female hummingbird raised two babies in a tree located at the patio door entry of my son's home !  He was able to get photos throughout the entire nesting cycle...to seeing the fledglings leave the nest !  Our God is indeed a God of love to have created this magnificent tiny bird that we are awed with it's abilities and beauty ! 

Golden Friendships by Marcia Piepgrass, guest blogger, May 9, 2011

Marcia Piepgrass's blog, "Gracious Interiors" has graciously accepted my invitation to be a guest on Daily Bread of Life - Devotional. 
This story of friendship touched my heart and I would like to share it with my readers/followers.
God bless you as your read this well written and inspiring true life story !

Monday, May 9, 2011

Golden Friendships

When you were in girl scouts, did you say the motto: "Make new friends, but keep the old. One is silver, the other gold"? Well, we spent our last few days panning gold.

On Friday, we flew to the windy city, Chicago. It was breezy, of course, but a beautiful spring day. After checking into the hotel, we hopped the east bound Metra train for center city. Disembarking at the last stop, we caught a cab which took us to some long-time friends' penthouse condo on North Lake Shore Drive.

From the top floor of the prewar building, the views of Lake Michigan are postcard perfect.

You might think a large penthouse in a doorman-building would be intimidating, but our down-to-earth friends immediately put us at ease. Their tasteful and comfortable interiors humanize the grand coffered ceilings and old wood paneling. Toys for grandchildren, family pictures, and religious art reflect their values. Besides, their gracious hospitality spilled over us making us feel welcome.

After hors d'oeuvres, we drove to Chicago's Symphony Hall where we dined before attending the concert. Before we ate, my husband's best man and our long time friend thanked the Lord for his grace in all of our lives.

Then we were treated to a performance conducted by the world renowned Riccardo Muti. He directed the orchestra in a premiere performance of Pulitzer-prize-winning-composer Bertrand Rands' Danza petrificada, followed by Strauss' Death and Transfiguration and Prokofiev's Suite from Romeo and Juliet.

After the concert, we caught a west-bound Metra train back to our hotel.

Saturday morning we drove over to Wheaton College, my husband's alma mater. Wheaton is a family tradition. His father and three of his aunts attended, and one of our daughter's followed their footsteps. (If you aren't familiar with Wheaton, Google to read its rich history. The Reverend Billy Graham and Jim and Elizabeth Elliot are among alumni who have lived the college motto, "For Christ and His Kingdom.")

At the Saturday morning class-of-'71-breakfast, we chatted with some of Bill's nearly sixty classmates in attendance and listened as each shared snippets of God's grace in their life. Afterward, we went to the luncheon for the entire alumni contingent. Impressively, there must have been over 500 former students present. The oldest two alumni were from the class of 1936!

From there, we drove to another suburb to attend the wedding of our friends' son.

What a joy to see Peter Connelly marry Krissy Peters. The bride's infectious enthusiasm seems to match Peter's sterling qualities. The reception was in a warehouse-turned-gallery, the perfect place to celebrate young Christian love.

Mother's Day morning dawned bright and clear. After brunch hosted by the groom's parents, we drove east to O'Hare and caught a flight back to Pennsylvania.

This morning as I was reviewing the delightful weekend I was reminded of the last lines of the hymn "Glorious Things of Thee Are Spoken":

"Fading is the worldling's pleasure, all his boasted pomp and show;

solid joys and lasting treasure none but Zion's children know."

Lasting friendships grounded in Christ glittered this weekend. Such treasure is priceless.

You might also like:

The Promise of Springtime

Christmas Past, Winter Now, Spring to Come

Living is Giving

CHAMP

Champ captured my attention in a recent encounter at a friend's home.  Champ is a mixed breed dog, about five years old.  My friend and her husband have had him since he and his brother wandered up to their country home.  They were about a month old and barely surviving.  They needed nourishment, a safe place to live, and someone to care and adopt them. 

My friends felt the need to take these pups inside their home and bring them back to life.  They are thought to be pups from the wild dogs that run in the woods near them.  Probably the mother had been killed or poisoned as other people in the community don't want these dogs roaming wildly and in-breeding continually. This is a huge threat to people and animals that own their country farms/ranches. 

From the beginning of taking these pups to nurture and raise as their own, Champ was the most shy and appeared to be confused. He couldn't bark from birth and still can't at five years.  Chase, name of the his brother appeared in better health and not so painfully shy. 

The new parents of these pups took them to the vet and got their shots and what was needed to keep them soon after they adopted them.  They grew quickly and Chase would run off at the slightest chance, but not Champ!  These pups, because they came from wild dogs, didn't like domestication and resisted human touch and affection.

My wonderful friends decided at the beginning to keep them, give them a good home and love them as any new dog owner would.  Somehow,  Champ was not normal and continued to hide from people, even his owners at times.  But, despite all the extra attention and nurturing Champ got, he never became comfortable with human touch and affection.

About a year ago, our friends sold their ranch and moved into the city.  They knew it would be a challenge bringing the Champ and Chase into a totally different environment.  Yet, the owners persisted and moved both the dogs with them.  Chase was unable to adjust or adapt at all and was taken back to the ranch and left with the person who supposedly owned the dogs.  The lady was elderly and had neglected the dogs and let them over populate until they found their own way by running wild in packs.  She had been reported to the county authorities many times but action was never taken.  She agreed to take Chase back since he was somewhat domesticated.

As of May 1, 2011 when I learned about the story of Champ and Chase, I became interested in why our friends continued to nurture and to win over these little wild pups.  My friend explained that it seemed to her as if Champ could be compared to a human baby with disabilities, mentally and physically. Loving Christian parents would want to keep this baby and make the best life possible for their child.  She and her husband wouldn't think of having Champ 'put-down' because of the way he was and continues to be. 

This story touched my heart as I think about compassion, mercy, grace, unconditional love...all characteristics of God.  Our friends are to be commended and recognized in the eyes of people as they already are in the eyes of God. 

I Corinthians 13:13  is what I've come to recognize more of the meaning of  LOVE, God's love shown and played out in this couple's adoption, caring, nurturing, and loving these pups, Champ and Chase !

Author, Sheri DeLoach
copyright pending
05.04.2011