and the winner is….wait, what?

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Blake Shelton
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Reba McEntire

Tomorrow night is the 49th Annual CMA Awards held in the United States and I hope Cuppycake and I will be able to  spend a little time watching some of our favorite artists take home a few well-deserved awards! (Not to mention listen to some really great performances and oogle’ over the fabulous fashion styling!)  And whether MY favorites are honored or not, it is always nice to watch people  recognized for their hard-work!  Admittedly, I’m one of those individuals who would rather have ‘participation awards’ for everyone, but I do appreciate & admire the talents of others and am excited for their achievements.

And since the CMA Awards are so huge and will be followed by millions of viewers I have decided to hide among their many accomplishments by taking the opportunity to say thank you to some very special followers who have recognized me with a few blogging awards.  (Imagine my surprise when I was notified!)  I now know what the performers mean when they stand there on stage, award in hand, and cannot come up with the “right words” to thank their voting audience.  I admire so very much the fellow-bloggers who have nominated me that I am giddy-with-excitement to humbly say, “Thank you!”   I fear I’ve been holding on to accepting them out of ‘cyber-stage-fright’ but I truly do want to thank them properly.  There are a few important steps to walk through in accepting these honors in an appropriate way; however, I have condensed the process in fear of ‘running off the cyber-stage’ before I become tippity-tap-typeset-tied & fumble the words!!

Two particular Awards I actually received when I first began blogging:

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I was Awarded The Versatile Blogger Award through Cherry at Cherita Story!  I have enjoyed her youthful, spunky, writing voice and have missed her postings.  She has not written since early 2015 but I do so very much hope-ity-hope she will return! Perhaps my ‘ping-back’ will inspire her to do so!

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Another blogger who has not updated her site for quite a period of time, but was kind enough to award me The Liebster Award was, noplainjanie!   I love, love, love the images, color, and cheerful personality she writes with & I do hope she too returns to her blog-space very soon!!

Last but not least one of my kindest followers, Anand from blabberwockying!  Anand awarded me two separate honors!  The Liebstser Award, the same Award as noplainjanie listed above, and also The Sunshine Blogger Award!  I have loved discovering Anand’s bloggity-blog site as he has exposed my heart & my thoughts to many interesting aspects of living.  He has a courageous spirit and cannot be outdone in his generosity!  He is very affirming to fellow blog-writers and I look forward to reading his perspective on many topics.

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When receiving an Award in cyber-world you are asked to do several things:

*Once you are nominated, make a post thanking and linking the person(s) who nominated you!
*Include the Award sticker in the post too and be sure to answer the questions from your nominator(s)!
*Nominate 5 -10 other bloggers who you feel are worthy of this award! 
*Lastly, COPY these rules in the post.

Because I have just now collected the courage to accept these Awards there is a plethora of questions to answer which have piled up from the three wonderful bloggers who nominated me! How I have chosen to handle my dilemma is to take an itty-bitty sampling of questions, (from each of the three,) to answer; so that I do not over-whelm anyone with data, yet hopefully keep it interesting  for you while honoring my nominators! (Fingers-crossed!)

Why exactly do you write?

I have always journaled.  I actually still have old Diaries from my youth and have journaled using various mediums throughout my lifetime.  My blog is an opportunity for me to journal in cyber-space! It is a personal attempt to catalog my thoughts as I tippity-tap-type them off into the cyber-world! 

Do you believe in miracles? If yes, have you ever seen one?

Yes! And yes! First and foremost I do believe the gift of life is not merely scientific…I believe life itself is a miracle.  And that my life has been saved, sinner though I am, by a redeeming God is a miracle. Having said that…there have been two miracles thus far I have been witness to.  While praying a Rosary on a silver-beaded Rosary my husband had custom made for me by a local woman as a Christmas gift…the beads turned from silver to gold in the course of prayer.  This all took place after a pilgrimage to Medjugorje where this has been reported to have happened on multiple occasions.  The prayer intention I had been praying for during this transformation to my Rosary indeed was eventually fulfilled.  (The woman who made the Rosary for me verified in writing she used silver beads, while a local jewelry store verified their now gold composite. This evidence was turned in to the study of miracles at Medjugorje.)  Lastly, I acquired a ‘healing cloth’ during our pilgrimage to Medjugorje, which I took to the hospital with me upon hearing our god-child was gravely ill.  The dr’s at our local hospital gave permission for the cloth to be placed with her, amongst her wrappings, prior to her being air-flighted to a nearby Major Medical Hospital.  Her survival has been said to be ‘miraculous.’ 

Which is your best memory?

Besides the marriage to my husband and birth of my children…reading my favorite childhood book, Island of the Blue Dolphin, while sitting in my favorite Chestnut tree in the side-yard of my childhood home.

Do you feel you are at peace with yourself?

Yes, profoundly…

Who is your guide, guru or counselor?

My Lord, my God, my Saviour!

What makes you feel very good?

When someone asks me to pray for them.  Or values my opinion.

Which quality or habit in your life do you like the most about yourself?

My ability to listen.

What is your best quality?

My loyalty.

Which is more important, Heart or Brain?

Heart.

What are your two greatest quotes of all times?

“The truth is like a lion.  It does not need defending.  Set it free.  It will defend itself.” St. Augustine

It is good to have an end to journey toward, but it is the journey that matters in the end.”  Ursula K. LeGuin

The Versatile Blogger Award I pass on to:

oliveole!, Maria at Silence Speaks,  & Phoodie and The Beast!

The Liebster Award I pass on to:

Catherine at Atypical60, Roses Near Running Waters, and Nan at Nan Tubre Writes!

The Sunshine Blog Award I pass on to:

Oneta at Sweet Aroma, Patrick at Red Dog Garage, and darlydarly!

For each of my Award Winners…Please just use the same compilation of 10 questions I used above!

i love that others have enjoyed my cyber-journaling and i love that God has used each of you to bring me such joy!

hugs n’ blessings for all the ways you each have given to me!

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Love one another with mutual affection; anticipate one another in showing honor. Romans 12:10

SHUT THE FRONT DOOR!

“SHUT THE FRONT DOOR!”

No seriously, would SOMEONE please “SHUT the front door?!?!?!!”

I remember shouting this, as if it were just yesterday, exactly one year ago.  It was moving day into our New Home, North Star, and I needed to dash off IMG_3540(once again) to go get yet another car load of items from the home we were about to let go of.

Our beautiful House Placard!
Our beautiful House Placard!

My hands were full, the warm autumn sun had brought the bees outside to try to collect the last of the pollen they could find, and I could not manage to close the door behind me as I was exiting.  I knew if it remained open a few bees would welcome the idea to take up residence in our new abode along with us!

I summoned twice, to no avail, so my third & final plea turned into a shout and although I meant it to sound URGENT it probably did end up sounding ANGRY, (which tends to mistakenly happen when the soft tone of my voice tries to be taken seriously!)  I am so glad God understands my heart! And then it happened…

Yes, the door was finally closed (by a nearby helper who obviously didn’t hear me either because his final words before he shut the door were “Who left the door open??“)  But it was what I saw next as I walked toward my car parked at the edge of the curb that made me drop everything I was holding,

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Mrs. B!  AP English 11 & 12

IT WAS MY FAVORITE TEACHER IN THE WHOLE WIDE WORLD!!

There she was waving at me while shouting, “Hello, Neighbor!”

SHUT THE FRONT DOOR!  I now lived by Mrs. B!!

(And who knew we both enjoyed shouting???) 

Words cannot explain how much I adore her!  She was, and continues to be, one of the women I have looked up to and admired as a “Strong-Thinking-Woman.”  Besides my god-mother, I had not met another like her!  And she took such a kind, personal, interest in me back then, that it helped me to find courage & belief in myself I never may have found without her.

And she was to be one of my new neighbors!

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Home Sweet North Star!

So many wonderful surprises like this have continued throughout this first year at North Star.

North Star delivery!
North Star delivery!

We love our new home (and have heard those who purchased our former home feel the same about True North!)

God has a wonderful way of surprising us in life.  When we trust in His guidance great grace is given.  We are grateful for all the many ways we have experienced this in our relocation.

Today Cuppycake & I will be taking a drive together and I am sure it will feel reminiscent of a drive we took just a year ago.  It feels good to be looking out the front window as we drive…and yet I’m grateful for the rear-view one too; as we take stock & appreciate what has led us to this new road we are now on, still led by Christ.  And I’m sure before we walk toward the car & pull away we will be certain to…

“Shut the front door!”

hugs n’ blessings to everyone enjoying surprises in their life!

29 years of Cuppycakes!

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Of all the gifts Jesus gave us, love is the greatest!

Loving someone completely and forever is recognizing how precious that gift truly is. Couples who commit to one another, and honor that commitment as one ordained by God, should be celebrated!

The following verses were chosen as those best suited for use in an anniversary card. AND since today my Cuppycake and I will exchange Anniversary cards with one another, it seems perfect to reflect on them!  Feel free to include them as congratulations to the people in your life who have honored their commitments, for better, for worse, and for God!

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1 John 4:8 Whoever does not love does not know God, because God is love. 

The more we learn about God, the more we are able to extend the love He shows us to one another. If we are not growing in our relationship with Him, our personal relationships can quickly fall victim to our own selfish whims and desires.

Colossians 3:14 And over all these virtues put on love, which binds them all together in perfect unity. 

God’s love is sacrificial. In marriage, choosing to selflessly love your spouse, and serve their needs above your own, is most representative of that love. Feeling loved and honored by your partner leads to greater trust and a stronger, more unified bond.

Ruth 1:16-17 But Ruth replied, “Don’t urge me to leave you or to turn back from you. Where you go I will go, and where you stay I will stay. Your people will be my people and your God my God.”

Ruth’s display of loyalty gives a beautiful example of the importance of solidarity in marriage. When couples choose to commit to living the same way-for God, and for one another-all relationship decisions can be held to those standards for living.

Song of Solomon 8:6 Place me like a seal over your heart, like a seal on your arm; for love is as strong as death, its jealousy unyielding as the grave. It burns like blazing fire, like a mighty flame.

God’s love for us is a possessive one. He asks for complete loyalty and love, and in return, offers us the gift of a personal relationship. When we apply these same commitments to our marriage, taking care to love our spouse second only to God, we are rewarded with a relationship that is a reflection of the one we have with Christ.

1 John 4:19 We love because he first loved us.

When we need a reminder to honor our mate, we can look to this verse. Our spouse is not perfect, nor are we, and there will be days when we would rather do things our way, or even walk away all together. This is what we remember: We are not loved by God because we deserve it. We are loved simply because we are His. The same applies to our husband or wife. Even when they do not “deserve it”, we love because “he first loved us.”

Mark 10: 6-9 But at the beginning of creation God made them male and female. For this reason a man will leave his father and mother and be united to his wife, and the two will become one flesh. So they are no longer two, but one flesh. Therefore what God has joined together, let no one separate.

Realizing that God himself was behind your relationship, creates a sense of dedication to honor His plan. Uniting with the person whom He chose for you, means leaving behind your past, and stepping into the future he planned. From that moment forth, you are one flesh. The best marriages recognize and protect that unity, forsaking all others.

1 Corinthians 13:4–8 Love is patient, love is kind. It does not envy, it does not boast, it is not proud. It is not rude, it is not self-seeking, it is not easily angered, it keeps no record of wrongs. Love does not delight in evil but rejoices with the truth. It always protects, always trusts, always hopes, always perseveres. Love never fails.

This passage of scripture is a blueprint for building a marriage on the most solid foundation. Within this verse lie guidelines for loving the way Christ taught us. When we apply this passage to our marriage, we are assured that we are loving according to His plan. The most successful relationships live out this verse, and through doing so, find themselves a love that can only be described as heaven sent!  Both parties must commit to this application of love in their sacramental union or they risk the lesson of The Wise and The Foolish Builders  Matthew 7: 24-27. ( It is my fervent prayer, in a culture where marriages are under attack, that couples embarking on making that Sacramental Commitment to one another, honestly analyze their beloved’s commitment & understanding of God’s most holy word before making that vow.)

Final Thoughts…

 Choosing to honor God with your life means

choosing to honor the way he has asked us to love.

Because, like our Savior, this love will stand the test of time!

Today I am eternally grateful for a man as committed to God’s Holy Word, as I!

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forever humbled by these 29 years of hugs n’ blessings with you!

(Pieces of this article are taken from an inspirational piece I have no record of the author.  I give them anonymous credit for the inclusions of their inspiration.)