Friday, June 29, 2012

Faithful Fridays ~ Music.

Hi everyone!

Okay...remember when I told you that today would be the day I was going to tell you about my amazingly inspiring friend from the hospital, Brandon?

I'm sorry guys, that'll have to wait...because there's something else on my heart that I need to share.  :)


I started Faithful Fridays so that Christians could have one designated day (although, of course, we shouldn't have to keep it to one day) a week to share something from their Faith--a prayer request, answered prayer, Bible verse, song, poem, or just something God's laid on your heart. Just grab the button above (which unfortunately doesn't link to my blog automatically, you'll have to put the link), make your post, then leave a comment letting me know you participated!  Once I see you've been participating, I will add your name to the participant list below every week.

My mama participates on her blog, Country Girl at Home...

Ms. Patty participates on her blog, Blessings Beyond...

Ms. Retha participates on her blog, Retha's Rambles...

Rachel participates on her blog, Stand Out Don't Fit In...

and Rebekah participates on her blog, Country God Girl.

                                              ~*~
I have fears.  Lots of them.  And lately, I've been coming to terms with them.  No, not overcoming them.  It's not half that good.  I just keep looking at them; turning them over and over in my hands and examining them.  It doesn't make them better.  In fact, it's probably not good for me.  It's like shining a flashlight into the dark to make sure it's still...dark.  It's also known as worrying.  


I know I shouldn't do it.  I need to pray instead (which I do), and read my Bible (which I do).  And usually those things do help!  But sometimes, God uses something else.


Music.


Music has many different faces.  It can be bad, and take over your life with bad words and bad meanings, and become an idol and distraction.


Or, it can encourage you and point you to the Real Reason for living...Jesus.  


You guys have heard me mention K-Love, the nation-wide Christian radio station.  Seriously.  Check them out.  Now.  I can be having a terrible moment, and K-Love will be playing in the background.  A song comes on that just grabs my heart and makes it better.  


I had one of those moments the other day.  I was really upset over something that was going on...in fact, I was in tears.  Then, it came on.  


That song.  


There will be a day with no more tears, no more pain, and no more fears 
There will be a day when the burdens of this place, will be no more, we'll see Jesus face to face 
But until that day, we'll hold on to you always 

I know the journey seems so long 
You feel you're walking on your own 
But there has never been a step 
Where you've walked out all alone



I started crying harder, but for a different reason.  This was the song that had come on the last time I was dealing with this fear; it had made me feel better then, too.  Oh, thank you God.  Thank you.


My point today is: God uses all kinds of things to encourage us and let us know He's with us and He loves us.  Sometimes it's prayer.  Sometimes it's His word.  Sometime's it's through the mouths of other people.  And sometimes it's through music.  And I just want to give God a shout-out today...because He made my day and I thank Him for that.  


God bless you and have a great day!

Thursday, June 28, 2012

Black + White Photo Challenge...

Hi everyone!

Today I'll be entering the Black + White Wednesday photo challenge over at Emma's blog, Rescue the Orphaned.  Yes, I know it's Thursday.  I'm a little late.  :P


Here is my entry...


This is a picture of one of my best friends, Christina, who is, in fact, somewhere either in France or Africa right now!  She has family in both places, and she and her brother were invited to come visit for the summer!  The crazy part?  She's going to be coming home in the wee hours of the morning some time in August (we're talking about 2:00-4:00 AM)...and then she'll be getting up at 5:00 AM for the first day of school that very day!  Really, she's one of the sweetest, most hard-working, most beautiful girl I've ever met.  Love her.  :)

God bless you!
Joy :)

Wednesday, June 27, 2012

Home + Beautiful People {First Link-Up!}

Hi everyone!

First of all, I am home...sweet, sweet home!  So maybe my bed isn't as comfortable as the hospital bed...I still.love.home.

Thanks for all the prayers and sweet comments!  I'm going to post a little more about what the doctors found out (or rather, didn't find out...:P) during my hospital stay on Friday, as part of my Faithful Friday post...and also tell you about my amazing friend from the hospital, Brandon.  Stay tuned!

Today, however, I am excited to say that I am going to try to start linking up to all of the Beautiful People memes that are hosted by Kylie over at Further Up and Further In and her friend, Georgie Penn, at her blog, Before my Penn has Gleaned.



I'm starting off with the first 10 questions, and this is going to be for Helen, the character from the story I've been posting to my blog, Upside Down, which is set in the early 1940's, during WWII.  Just for fun, I'm throwing a picture out there of what Helen might look like...\


Ginger/red-brown hair, chocolate eyes, and freckles.  All dressed up in her Sunday best, wearing her mama's pearls and pin curls in her hair courtesy of her older sister, Eleanor.

  1. What is their full name?
Helen Jo Cooper.
  1. Does his or her name have a special meaning?
Yes.  Her father's name is Joseph, and he is often called Joe.  Helen's older sister, Eleanor, is named after her mother, whose middle name is Ella.  When Helen was born, they wanted her to be named somehow after her father, so they shortened his name and stuck it in the middle of Helen's--Helen Jo Cooper.
  1. Does your character have a methodical or disorganized personality?
I wouldn't say that she is methodical (that's not really the right word)...I would say she is relatively organized.  But not crazily organized.  She has her moments.  She does, however, like to know what's coming--she doesn't like being in the unknown.  She wants to have a plan.
  1. Does he or she think inside themselves more than they talk out loud to their friends? (more importantly, does he or she actually have friends?)
Helen is a sweet girl, but her family isn't rich and therefore she isn't in the "popular" group at school.  She does, however, have friends, although she spends much more time with her family than she does with her few friends.  When she is with her family, she speaks her mind quite a bit, but any other time, she comes across as very quiet.  She's very thoughtful.
  1. Is there something he or she is afraid of?
Losing her family.  Definitely.  She is closer to her family than to anyone else, and couldn't imagine losing them.
  1. Does he or she write, dream, dance, sing, or photograph?
She's definitely a dreamer, and she likes to write, especially in a journal.  She dreams of being published one day, under the pen name Jo Copper.  She's not into photography (she's honestly not artistic in any way), or dancing or singing, really--at least, not in front of anyone--she really doesn't like to be the center of attention.  Don't ge tme wrong, though, she's not the nerdy, keep-to-herself type.  She's a family girl, and when she's with her family, she's herself.  Sometimes, late at night, she and her sisters (and sometimes her mom) turn on the radio and dance and sing along together, which usually ends in giggles.  
  1. What is his or her favorite book? (or genre of books)
Oh, Helen loves to read.  She's not into romance; in fact, she despises it in any form--reality, writing, or dreaming.  She's also not much of a Sci-Fi fan.  She likes almost any kind of other book genre--especially historical fiction, and adventure.  And she likes biographies.
  1. Who is his or her favorite author and/or someone that inspires him or her?
She loves Lousia May Alcott and C.S. Lewis--in fact, the Narnian books are some of her favorites.  She dreams of writing like Mr. Lewis.
  1. Favorite flavor of ice cream?
Definitely vanilla!
  1. Favorite season of the year?
Summer.  Although the summer of 1942 is a dreadful one for her, as you see in her story.  :)

I had a lot of fun with that.  :)  Thoughts?  Can't wait for the next link-up!  

Sunday, June 24, 2012

Upside Down ~ Helen's Story (Part IV)

Back with Part IV!  I've decided to start "illustrating" the parts of the story with pictures/images from the 1940's--all illustrations via Pinterest or Google.  :)

Helen sighed as enormous buildings and city streets began to give way to those green pastures and hills that she was so unaccustomed to.  She had resolved not to say a single word on the car ride to the train station, but to simply cry out her feelings.  She had soon realized that her little sister must have made the same resolve in her mind, because Katherine hadn't said a single word, either.  Neither had Sergeant Milo, curiously enough, though; she had simply stared at the road ahead.

Now, however, they were on the train.  Helen stared out the window on one side, and Katherine watched out of the other, with Sergeant Milo between them on the seat.  Should I speak now?  Helen was unsure.  Her tears were dry.  She could cry no more, she was sure of that, but she still felt so painfully alone.  She glanced over at Katherine, who was engrossed in the scenery, something like a smile on her face as they passed a man on a horse, a collie dog trotting along behind him.  Kids bounce back so quickly, she thought.  Finally, she decided to speak.

"How long will the train ride take?" she asked in a meek voice, still shaky from her good cry.

Sergeant Milo and Katherine looked up, but Katherine soon returned to her window watch.

Sergeant Milo looked around and said, "In all, about a day and a half.  But this train will drop us off at the next station in about five hours."

Helen nodded and tried to manage a smile, then looked down and began fiddling with the handle on her suitcase.  Sergeant Milo said nothing more, and the next few hours passed silently.


Silently, that is, except for one moment.  Helen looked out the window when they were passing through a little city and began to see something in the distance.

A brown, sloping, snake-like line...coming down the middle of the street.  She suddenly realized that the line was a long, long line of people...men...soldiers!  Women were walking beside them, some holding babies, some holding the hands of older children, all of them crying and blowing their noses.  The train was coming closer, closer now.  Helen knew she would soon lose sight altogether of the scene.  She threw a quick glance back at Sergeant Milo and Katherine.  Katherine was fiddling with the hem of her dress and paying no attention to either one of her traveling companions, but Sergeant Milo's eyes were fastened on Helen's window.  Helen quickly turned back and got a last glance of the little scene.  A sturdy, sandy-haired little boy who was no more than five or six years old tugged his hand from out of his mother's, and, with a cry of, "Wait for me, Daddy!" ran toward one of the soldiers, who held out his hands for him.  Soldiers around the two smiled, and the woman who had been holding the boy's hand seemed to sob a little harder.  In a flash, the train moved past the scene, and Helen sat back in her seat, choking up.  She quickly wiped her eyes and glanced over at Sergeant Milo.  She was staring fixedly in front of her, at nothing.




When they were dropped off at the next little station, Sergeant Milo didn't use any more words than were needed and merely led the girls to the next train and got on with them.  Helen noticed that Katherine looked tired, and as dusk came, so came sleep for Helen's eight-year-old little sister.  But not for Helen; she was still too shaken to do any sleeping; all she could do was think.  Sergeant Milo also seemed immune to sleep.

Helen felt awkward sitting there in her company, saying nothing, especially when a group of soldiers boarded the train at a little rural station.  Helen and Sergeant Milo both watched the soldiers like hawks.  Helen watched them because she knew they were connected to the war--the strange, strange war that was crumbling her life into tiny grains of sand.  Sergeant Milo watched the soldiers because--well, why did she watch them?  Helen supposed that Sergeant Milo was searching to see if she knew any of the soldiers--perhaps she had trained them?  Finally, after the soldiers had hopped off the train and almost no one else was in sight, Helen mustered up enough courage to try to start up a conversation with this collected military woman.

"I can't seem to sleep," she said with a fake smile.  How could she truly smile, even now?

Sergeant Milo looked up and nodded.  "Me neither."

Helen waited for more words to follow, but Sergeant Milo was silent, so she ventured on herself.  "What do all those badges on your jacket mean?"

"Just a bunch of official stuff that the army uses to prove I can do things."  Sergeant Milo scoffed a little.  "Deeds themselves don't seem to matter much."

Helen tilted her head curiously.  "How did you get into the army...being a woman and all?"

At this, Sergeant Milo turned to look at Helen.  "It was tough.  Most people didn't believe I could do it, or that any woman could do it, but I proved them wrong.  I want to pave the way for more women to do the same," she said, turning to look out the window, with a faraway look in her dark brown eyes.

"Sergeant Milo--"

"You may call me Audrey."

Helen nodded.


"What were you going to say?"

"Um...where are you from?

"I'm from Tennessee."

"Really?  So you're going home?"

"In a way, yes."

"But then you have to leave again?"

"Well...no.  The army wants me to stay on for a little while on some...military business."

"Are we going close to the town where you lived?"

Audrey nodded, looked down and cleared her throat.

The two talked off and on into the night.  As Helen spent more time with Audrey, she sensed a past that had molded her into a cool army woman, leaving only bits and pieces of the warm, friendly person she must have been in the beginning.  Nonetheless, though, there was something about Audrey that intrigued Helen, and she wanted to spend more time with her.

Saturday, June 23, 2012

Update. :)

Hi everyone! Just wanted to give you a quick update. I had an MRI done yesterday (creepy!) and the doctor called us a little while ago to let us know that everything was normal on it--that's a good thing. I think. :P. You see, if they had found a blocked or narrowed duct near the pancreas, they could've corrected it with surgery and I might not have dealt with it anymore after that...although I would have had to do surgery. Anyway, they came in early this morning and got four big old tubes of blood from me to send off for genetic testing. There's a chance that I might have a mutated gene or something like that. If that's the case, there's nothing they can do to fix it, but we will have figured out the cause of the pancreatitis. Then we would start figuring out how to deal with it long-term. And if the genetic testing comes back normal, well...we may just never know the cause. I'm still not allowed to eat...but the main doctor will be coming in soon, hopefully, and I will be begging her to let me try to eat. I am, however, allowed to drink clear liquids. Thank you for all the prayers! Remember the little brothers who were in the go/kart wreck? We took a walk around the hospital today and stopped by their rooms--and they were gone! I was a little disappointed, I'll adit, because I was hoping to talk to them a little more, but I'm so glad they were able to go home and that they're okay! I'm hoping to be out by Monday. God bless you and have a great day! Joy :)

Friday, June 22, 2012

Faithful Fridays ~ In the Storm

Hi everyone! Today's post is going to be really short...and picture-less. Why? Because I'm in the hospital and typing this on the iPad. I'm going to be headed for an MRI in a little while. We came to the ER last night--the doctor told us to when we called him. The stomach pains started in yesterday morning and were bearable for a while, but started progressing. Anyway, I wanted to ask you guys to pray for me--please pray for the pain to subside and that this will be a quick hospital stay--and that they'll figure it all out this time. Last night, on the way to the ER, our faithful local Christian music radio station was playing in the car. The song Praise You in this Storm was playing...what a wonderful fit for the situation! This morning, I open up my devotional book, and it's all about being thankful in spite of problems and troubles, God is good? All the time. The iPad's about to go dead. One more thing--two boys were in the ER at the same time as us last night. We found out today that one of them is on our floor. Mama saw him, and he is now walking around. He's got some arm troubles. He and the other boy were in some type of wreck...we think it was a go-kart wreck. The other boy was particularly shook up. They could use prayers--for healing and peace. God bless you! Joy :)

Wednesday, June 20, 2012

Fast-Forward.

Hi everyone!

Today, I will be fast-forwarding you and yours truly about 20 years into the future.  Yeah.

And I will be showing you my dream house.  Oh yes, it's all planned out.

So, shall we begin our tour?

As we begin to enter my house, you can see our in-ground trampoline in the big, lucious yard.


And as we enter the screened-in back portion of our wrap-around porch, you see our outdoor hammock bed.

As we enter the foyer area, you can see our book wall.  Um, literally.  It's a wall of books.


You also see our reading nook.


Yo-yo pillows are everywhere.


And here you can see our pantry/kitchen area.  Over to the side is our table, where there sits a vase of yo-yo flowers.


And here are the sliding barn doors leading into the master bedroom, as well as the ones leading into the master bath.


And here is our master bath...


And here is a glimpse of the loft leading into the master bedroom (for some reason, this picture didn't get the barn doors!  Oops.  :P).  All of the bedrooms are upstairs.  Our downstairs is for the living area/kitchen/playroom (which we'll get to later).


And here is our guest room--the bunks, I tell you.


And here are the two other bathrooms, both outfitted with claw-foot tubs.



Our porthole laundry chute.


And now I lead you through all of the kids' rooms.  "We believe that having kids share rooms is a good thing; it teaches cooperation.  Therefore, we have a lot of bunk beds."







"Gosh!" you exclaim.  "How many kids do you have?"  "Thirteen," I reply readily and proudly.  "We're in the paperwork chase for our fourteenth, little Haven from China.  And that brings me to the next room.  When we were designing this house, I knew I wanted to make it as absolutely kid-friendly and kid-centered as possible.  So we built a wardrobe.  A wardrobe that leads into a playroom.  We hang fur coats in here so that the children can go to Narnia..."  I smile.  "And sometimes, when no one's looking, Mommy creeps into the wardrobe and goes to Narnia, too."

Is this not the neatest thing ever?!  I WANT ONE!
Just pretend that's a boy, okay?
As we walk around the playroom area, you can see that toys are scattered everywhere.  A little boy comes sliding down on a fireman's pole.  I smile.  "Hey there, Honor."

I turn and smile.  "Well, that's about it.  That's our house.  Oh, well, except for the pool."


"Oh, and would you like to meet my husband?"


:)

Have a great day and God bless you!
Joy 

Monday, June 18, 2012

Ever Get that Feeling?!

Does anyone else get that feeling sometimes?

Like you just have to create something or do something creative or you're gonna bust?

Well, it happens.  And it's a pretty productive feeling.  :)

The feeling hit me the other day...

So I satisfied it with photography.  :)


Luke got his first bike!  What else could it be but a Cars bike?  He's doing good with it!

LOVE these flowers...they show up every summer in my grandparents' back yard...trumpet flowers, I think they're called.  We have a mini bouquet of them in a jar by our sink...southern summer bliss!

The old windmill...we painted it in John Deere colors.  :)  Over there on the back panel, we've written all the names of the grandchildren.  Well, almost all of them.  We haven't updated it since Luke came home, which means that we need to add his name and the names of the two little girls my aunt and uncle adopted.  :)
I got a new bike.  I love it!  It's so old-fashioned...in color, in style...it has the upright handlebars, a little luggage cart on the back, white-rimmed tires, long fenders, and pedal breaks!  It even has a little cupholder!  :)


Why yes, my brother and I do have matching Captain America/Avengers shirts and wear them quite often, and at the same time.  Unashamed!  :)
Anyway...that's about it for today, folks.  One last thing, though.  I'm thinking of doing a photography contest.  Or a blog party.  Thoughts?  Vote on the sidebar poll!

God bless you and have a great day!

Friday, June 15, 2012

Faithful Fridays ~ If I Don't Have Love

Hi everyone!  Whew...the past few weeks have been crazy...there's been a lot of traveling, unwinding of school schedules, and summer activities all planned in a row.  I promise I haven't forgotten my blog!    I guess I'm just low on inspiration for posts.  :)

Anyway, on with today's post.


I started Faithful Fridays so that Christians could have one designated day (although, of course, we shouldn't have to keep it to one day) a week to share something from their Faith--a prayer request, answered prayer, Bible verse, song, poem, or just something God's laid on your heart. Just grab the button above (which unfortunately doesn't link to my blog automatically, you'll have to put the link), make your post, then leave a comment letting me know you participated!  Once I see you've been participating, I will add your name to the participant list below every week.

My mama participates on her blog, Country Girl at Home...

Ms. Patty participates on her blog, Blessings Beyond...

Ms. Retha participates on her blog, Retha's Rambles...

Rachel participates on her blog, Stand Out Don't Fit In...

and Rebekah participates on her blog, Country God Girl.

                                              ~*~


It's often been said that when words fail, music speaks.  And that's the truth.  Don't get me wrong, I LOVE words, and writing, and reading...but sometimes, music speaks to me a little stronger.


We listen to our local K-Love station a lot (We LOVE K-Love!  Check out their website HERE and find your local station!).  It's a station chock full of wonderful Christian music...it gives you that boost of energy and encouragement that you need...on the go!  There's been this song on the K-Love lately called The Proof of Your Love by For King & Country.  I like it more every time I hear it!  The lyrics are powerful and inspiring, and I love the music.  It's one of those songs that got inside my head, and I can't stop singing it!  

If I sing but don't have love
I waste my breathe with every song
I bring, an empty voice
A hollow noise

If I speak with a silver tongue
Convince a crowd but don't have love
I leave a bitter taste
With every word I say

So let my life be the proof
The proof of Your love
Let my love look like You
And what You're made of
How you lived, how You died
Love is sacrifice
So let my life be the proof
The proof of Your love

If I give to a needy soul
But don't have love then who is poor
It seems all the poverty
Is found in me



....


Only love remains
Only love remains

If I speak with human eloquence and angelic ecstasy but don't love, I'm nothing but the creaking of a rusty gate. If I speak God's Word with power, revealing all his mysteries and making everything plain as day, and if I have faith that says to a mountain, "Jump," and it jumps, but I don't love, I'm nothing. If I give everything I own to the poor and even go to the stake to be burned as a martyr, but I don't love, I've gotten nowhere. So, no matter what I say, what I believe, and what I do, I'm bankrupt without love. (1 Corinthians 13:1-7, The Message)



So let my life be the proof
The proof of Your love
Let my love look like You
And what You're made of
How you lived, how You died
Love is sacrifice
So let my life be the proof
The proof of Your love



These lyrics bring to mind a quote I saw the other day from Francis Chan.  It was a sort of reality check for me, and I wanted to share it because I thought it was powerful.  







I think sometimes we (as girls) get wrapped up in things that are important in this world--that new way of doing your nails, the cutest hairstyle at the moment, the fashionable clothes--and forget to focus on what really matters--loving God and loving the people He has made.  There are SO many distractions in this world...and appearance-related things may not be a distraction for you!  I know I'm guilty of spending lots of time trying to figure out a hairstyle, and then not wanting to spend fifteen minutes reading my Bible.  But maybe we're focusing too much on writing?  Or photography?  That newest camera lense?  Or that book or CD you've been wanting for a while?  Or perfecting your blog design?


“Teacher, which is the greatest commandment in the Law?”

Jesus replied: “‘Love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your mind.’  This is the first and greatest commandment.  And the second is like it: ‘Love your neighbor as yourself.’  All the Law and the Prophets hang on these two commandments.”

-Matthew 22:36-40


We have to keep our eyes on the prize and on our purpose.  


Having a bad day?
Put your hand on your heart.
Feel that?
That's purpose.
You're here for a reason.
Love God and love the people He has made.

I press on toward the goal to win the prize for which God has called me heavenward in Christ Jesus.


-Philippians 3:14


God bless you and have a great day!

Friday, June 1, 2012

Faithful Fridays ~ Prayers

Hi everyone!  It's Friday--you know what that means!  :)  Before I start today's post, though, I wanted to give a shout-out to anyone out there who likes the movie War Horse.  :)  We rented it last night and watched it...and of course, I fell asleep during it, so I'm going to watch it again today, Lord Willin'!  :)  I didn't realize until yesterday that Tom Hiddleston (AKA Loki) played a part in that movie!  Not to be a spoiler, but...I didn't like the way his character ended.  :(  If you guys have seen the movie, you know what I'm talking about.  :)

Anyway, on with today's post!

I started Faithful Fridays so that Christians could have one designated day (although, of course, we shouldn't have to keep it to one day) a week to share something from their Faith--a prayer request, answered prayer, Bible verse, song, poem, or just something God's laid on your heart. Just grab the button above (which unfortunately doesn't link to my blog automatically, you'll have to put the link), make your post, then leave a comment letting me know you participated! I'm trying to figure out how to get a link-up on here. Until then, I will have the links to other blogs that participate in Faithful Fridays here on my posts.

My mama participates on her blog, Country Girl at Home...

Ms. Patty participates on her blog, Blessings Beyond...

Ms. Retha participates on her blog, Retha's Rambles...

and Rachel participates on her blog, Stand Out Don't Fit In.

                                              ~*~

Here I am again, guys, asking for prayers.  Grandma O, my great-grandmother, passed away back in March.  Remember that?  Well, just Wednesday we found out that her son, Junior, and daughter-in-law, Betty, (thus my great uncle and great aunt) were killed in a car accident in Kentucky on their way home to Indiana.  We were shocked.  In fact, my great aunt Brenda (one of the 9 kids Grandma O had) had to be taken to the ER...she had been having some problems with her health recently and I think when she got the news she had a sort of panic attack.  She's okay now, thank the Lord.  The O family is a big family.  One O child died at birth, but that still left 8, and they all had several kids, so that made about 20+ grandchildren.  There are probably over a hundred great-grandchildren (my generation), not to mention a few great-great-grandchildren.  We're a big, close family, and we're all going to take it hard.  We're still kind of in disbelief.  It was so sudden.  It forces you to stop and think about how life can end, literally, in the blink of an eye.

Have a great day, friends!
God bless you!
Joy :)
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