Thursday, November 27, 2008

THANKFUL


What am I thankful for?
Jesus, my Salvation, my family, sunsets and my being able to see them, fresh air, good food, waking up in the morning, my health, the health of my family, my job, FREEDOM, good music, roses and the ability to smell them, the smell of rain, snow on the trees, birds that sing, mistakes- yes I am THANKFUL for them, they have made me what and who I am today- without them I would never have been able to really be thankful for the things I have. I know where I came from and know how NOT to go back there again and mess up the same way. So YES, you can be thankful for mistakes.
There are so many things I'm thankful for and the fact that I had not only one huge meal but I was fortunate enough to have had 2 BIG meals. One here at home and one today at mom's.

I work in our local grocery store as a cashier. Something ocurred to me yesterday... something I've known all along, but yesterday seemed to be different. I've never been one to take a holiday and my blessings for granted. But you know, there are SO MANY PEOPLE out there that have nothing. Not 2 big meals, not even one. There was one man who came through my line yesterday and we were SO BUSY!! But this one man came through and he bought (YES, FOR SOME REASON OUT OF ALL THOSE PEOPLE... I REMEMBER WHAT HE BOUGHT) He bought a jalepeno pepper, some green onions, some toilet paper, 2 Roma tomatoes, and a couple other things... he said "I know it isn't much, but these few things can go along way in making a meal". Then he said, "ma'am, can I leave my truck here? I've got to walk up the road to my daughter's house and take these things to her. I'm out of gas and it was either buy these few things for her or buy gas for my truck. She doesn't get any money until the first of the month and then she can get the other things she needs". It didn't hit me until after he'd left that this was the most pityful thing. There, in the middle of the crazy shoppers filling their baskets FULL with food, was this man. The one who was there for HIS DAUGTER, not anyone else. This man was not clean, nor did he look to have much money. Oh, yeah that is something else he said. He told me that he didn't have much money and he'd spent all that he had at the store for the little bit she needed. We live in a VERY poor town and it is also full of drugs. I don't know if it is as bad as it used to be, but it is still bad. You never know if someone is just that poor, or if they spent all the money they had to get high or drunk. So, we can't just GIVE people money. I wish I'd have paid for the things he bought. Then he could have got gas. I was just so busy I didn't think about it until AFTER he was gone. So, this got me to thinking... we don't serve meals on Thanksgiving in town here. SO next year I'm hoping we can. Maybe we can serve a few families a hot meal that might not otherwise get one. I know we have so many people here that need it and regardless of their situation... they may make poor decisions but most have children and THEY need the hot food. So I'm hoping and going to pray about this... but I told mom today I may not be at her house for Thanksgiving next year... I'm hoping to be serving others. I feel so strongly about this that one of my friends came through my line and I was telling her what I wanted to do and how badly my heart aches for people that have nothing and just about cried in front of everyone!! I know the man behind her seen it and I wondered what he thought? But, sometimes I think God puts things in our hearts for a reason. I want to make sure this is HIM and not ME!! Mom said, now you KNOW you can't do that!!! You can't take those kids away and make them miss their dinner with us (talking about my kids!!) I plainly told her they'd probably be with me and helping with those not as fortunate as they are. They need to see that there is more to life than their needs... I want to give them a heart that will ache for people and want to help others, not keep them sheltered. We need to pull our community together and start planning this for next year. We have a church here in town that could hold a lot of people and I know we can raise enough money to do it and there are enough people to help... so why not?? We should all be willing to put someone else before us... Jesus did it, aren't we supposed to do the same? I know it is time I START DOING IT!!!!!!!!

OK... off the soapbox now, but I feel so strong about this...

I HOPE THAT EACH AND EVERYONE OF YOU THAT STOPS BY MY BLOG HAS A WONDERFUL THANKSGIVING FILLED WITH GOOD FOOD AND HAPPINESS, GOOD HEALTH, SAFETY AND BLESSINGS!!!!!!!!

Have fun if you are going shopping tomorrow! WISH ME LUCK!! I'm going to WalMart in the morning and it is my first time EVER to go like this!!! I kind of dread it but want to get some of those things!!

Happy Scrappin' everybody!
Lisa

Monday, November 17, 2008

A lot to share! LONG POST LOTS OF PICTURES!

I went to the Hot Springs Scrapbook Extravaganza weekend before last and I'm just now getting back to normal. It was sooo fun, but I was sooo tired when we were done! It is check in and crop on Friday, then classes all day on Sat. and I mean all day. We started at 8 am and finished up sometime after 6 pm. We had tons of stuff in our classes and they were all great. I shopped, spent WAY too much money and made some new friends... this gal in particular. She is so sweet! I saw her in line and she reminded me of a very well known scrapbook gal... so me being the me I am, went to talk to her and told her who she reminded me of. What do you think??? BUT I ALWAYS think somebody looks like someone else... all the time!
This is Jennifer...

I think she looks like Donna Downey!
THANKS JENNIFER FOR GIVING PERMISSION TO DO THIS :) You're a sweetie!

I stayed on the 10th floor and was amazed at how nice the room was! It was the first time away ALONE for me! Well, completely alone! And it was sooooo nice! I ordered pizza in both nights and ate till I couldn't move!
On Friday night I heard a siren somewhere around 10. I looked out wondering what was going on... then I saw the fire truck, then the second one pulled up!


I called down to the front desk to see what was going on and she said someone had smelled gas. I called my friend who was just checking in and she said I needed to go ahead and come on down they were getting everyone down stairs just in case we had to leave the building. So I got ready in a panic and opened the door and whew! the smell was horrible! I was afraid of getting on the elevator, so down the stairs I headed!! I was on the phone with Kathy and was running down the stairs! It looked just like it does in the scary movies too! I could just see a bad guy waiting for me in there... so I get dizzy I was running so fast going down, down, down, then I get to the ground floor and try to go out and there was a utility room looking
place when I opened the door! and the next floor down was dark and even more scary looking.. so I told Kathy... NO WAY.. so I ran back up 3 flights of stairs to the elevator. I figured getting stuck in the elevator 3 stories up was not too bad, so I chanced it! I got in and down I went.. to a room full of people!
One of my friends said the news station was there, so I being the scrapbooker I am, went out (with everyone else doing it!) and took this picture...

Came back in and took this one!


The hotel management said it was nothing but a false alarm and told us we were good to go back to our rooms somewhere around 11pm ( I THINK) it was late I know that!
I asked that guy if it was just a false alarm what was the gas smell that was so strong on the 10th floor??? He said, well, we have it taken care of. Come to find out it was the smell of 4 pilot lights going out in the kitchen and the fumes were sucked up in to and out on the floors!

Our theme this year was SCRAPPIN' IN THE 50's... I think there were 600 ladies there! Pretty sure they sold out of tickets. If anyone out there is reading this that travels to scrapbooking conventions... this is one you will want to come to next year! The website is Scrapus.com


These are some of my scrappin' friends...


This is the view from my room! It was so pretty! I can't wait to go back!!!!!!!!!


Oh, and this is just my luck! I waited until a little after 9pm to leave and not long after I left, they called MY NAME for a DOOR PRIZE!! I knew that would happen, but I was SO tired and SO hungry that I had to go up to my room... but it was still good. Not getting that door prize or being evacuated from my room didn't keep me from having a good weekend! I am ready for next year - already!

Have a good day everybody!!!!!!!
Happy Scrappin'!!
Lisa

Saturday, November 1, 2008

Hope you had a Happy Halloween!!!!!!

We did the Trick or Treat thing last night, only to a few places. But they got LOADED down with enough candy to last well in to the new year :)
Here are my "little monsters". This was taken at mom's where they got their first bag of LOOT!!


Dakota, the smallest one was a ninja. Hunter, the middle one was Elvis, and Cody, well he was just himself! He didn't go trick or treating with us, he went on a hayride with church.

This is a card that I made for Dakota's teacher. I scraplifted this idea from another blog. I wish so bad I could remeber where I was when I found it. I do try to give credit where I need to, but I'm bad about remembering things... ((sorry if this was your creation and I didn't give you the proper credit))


Next weekend is my scrappin' weekend!! Only 6 more days to go and then I can escape!! I CAN'T WAIT TO GO!! CAN'T WAIT!! CAN'T WAIT!! DID I MENTION THAT... I CAN'T WAIT!!????????? I'm starting to get giddy about it!!!! 9 classes, a goodie bag full and SHOPPING!!! NEW STUFF!! OH BOY OH BOY OH BOY!!!

Um, I'm OK. Sorry for that crazy outburst!! Just can't help myself when it comes to this time of year!!! I live for this thing!! Yes, I'm totally, 100% addicted to scrapbooking!!! AREN'T YOU???????????????

Have a good Scrappy day!!
Lisa