A Christian

Some days, weeks, I have nothing to say or post,, but today I recieved this from my freind too and it is how I feel:

A woman's heart should be so hidden in Christ

that a man should have to seek Him first to find her."

When I say... "I am a Christian" I'm not shouting "I'm clean livin'"

I'm whispering "I was lost, Now I'm found and forgiven."

When I say... "I am a Christian" I don't speak of this with pride.

I'm confessing that I stumble and need Christ to be my guide.

When I say... "I am a Christian" I'm not trying to be strong.

I'm professing that I'm weak and need His strength to carry on.

When I say... "I am a Christian" I'm not bragging of success.

I'm admitting I have failed and need God to clean my mess.

When I say... "I am a Christian" I'm not claiming to be perfect,

My flaws are far too visible but, God believes I am worth it.

When I say... "I am a Christian" I still feel the sting of pain..

I have my share of heartaches, so I call upon His name.

When I say... "I am a Christian" I'm not holier than thou,

I'm just a simple sinner who received God's good grace, somehow!

22 Reasons to be a Democrat

This was sent to me by a freind and it is just too good AND too true not to post here.

22 Ways To Be A Good Democrat

THIS IS NOT SO HARD -- EVEN A CAVEMAN CAN DO IT....

1. You have to be against capital punishment, but support abortion on demand.

2. You have to believe that businesses create oppression and governments create

prosperity.

3. You have to believe that guns in the hands of law -abiding Americans are more of a threat than U.S. Nuclear weapons technology in the hands of Chinese and North Korean communists.

4. You have to believe that there was no art before Federal funding.

5. You have to believe that global temperatures are less affected by cyclical documented changes in the earth's climate and more affected by soccer moms driving SUV's.

6. You have to believe that gender roles are artificial but being homosexual is natural.

7. You have to believe that the AIDS virus is spread by a lack of federal funding.

8. You have to believe that the same teacher who can't teach fourth graders how to read is somehow qualified to teach those same kids about sex.

9. You have to believe that hunters don't care about nature, but loony activists who have never been outside of San Francisco do.

10. You have to believe that self-esteem is more important than actually doing something to earn it.

11. You have to believe that Mel Gibson spent $25 million of his own money to make 'The Passion of the Christ' for financial gain only.

12. You have to believe the NRA is bad because it supports certain parts of the Constitution, while the ACLU is good because it supports >> certain parts of the Constitution.

13. You have to believe that taxes are too low, but ATM fees are too high.

14. You have to believe that Margaret Sanger and Gloria Steinem are more important to American history than Thomas Jefferson, Thomas Edison, and A.G. Bell.

15. You have to believe that standardized tests are racist, but racial quotas and set-asides are not.

16. You have to believe that Hillary Clinton is normal and is a very nice person.

17. You have to believe that the only reason socialism hasn't worked anywhere it's been tried is because the right people haven't been in charge.

18. You have to believe conservatives telling the truth belong in jail, but a liar and a sex offender belongs in the White House.

19. You have to believe that homosexual parades displaying drag, transvestites, and bestiality should be constitutionally protected, and manger scenes at Christmas should be illegal.

20. You have to believe that illegal Democrat Party funding by the Chinese Government is somehow in the best interest to the United States .

21. You have to believe that this message is a part of a vast, right wing conspiracy.

22. You have to believe that it's okay to give Federal workers the day off on Christmas Day .........but it's not okay to say 'Merry Christmas.'

Ready to vote???

In Memory of Gil

In loving memory of Gil who lost his battle with IPF 3/2/2002

1/21/42 - 3/2/02

“The Best”
God saw you getting tired

and a cure was not to be.

So He put His arms around you

and He whispered “Come to Me”

With tearful eyes we watched you.

We watched you fade away.

Although we loved you dearly,

We could not make you stay.

A golden heart stopped beating,

Hard-working hands at rest.

God broke our hearts to prove to us,

He chose to take the best.

It’s lonesome here without you

we miss you more each day.

Life doesn’t seem the same

since you have gone away.

When days are sad and lonely

and everything goes wrong,

we seem to hear you whisper

“Cheer Up and Carry On”

Each time we see your picture

you seem to smile and say,

“Don’t cry, I’m in God’s hands,

we’ll meet again someday!”

---------------------

Given to us from God above.

We didn't know how much you would teach us

About the meaning of true love...

For true love sometimes means letting go

Of someone precious and dear.

That is what we were forced to do...

Although we wanted to keep you here!!!

However, this is quite a selfish wish
One we know we should ignore...

But, dear Gil, we truly must believe

That God must have needed you more...

Perhaps to be an Angel now,

Full of wisdom and love...

Watching over those of us who love you

From the shining stars above.

We miss you more than you can know.

You will never be replaced...

In our hearts and memories forever,

Will be your sweet and kind face.

Cabin Fever

I WAS WONDEIRNG, IS IT SPRING YET?????
I have to admit that the 4 or 5 winters leading up to this one really spoiled me. In just that short of time I got to expect winters to be like that. If you don't know what "that" is, I will tell you. Few days the temp even got down to 0 let alone BELOW zero. Not much snow and well just a really nice mild winter. Well the winter of 2007/2008 is reminding us that we indeed still do live in Minnesota and it gets COLD here in the winter.

As a result of that, we have done very little going out and about. I find myself sitting on my duffer night after night instead of being out and about. I really don't like that. Oh I know with the price of gas and now our dear liberal state has gone and tacked on 8 1/2 cents a gallon tax to our price of gas, we should be staying home more. And will be forced to just out of economics.

But I am eager for some warm weather so the windows can be opened up. It seems like it has been a really rough winter for sickness too. I guess the being cooped up goes hand in hand with that.

Anyway, officially spring begins in a couple of weeks. But with the winter we have been having it is my bet that Old Man Winter in Minnesota isn't going to be to eager to let go this year. I can only hope that I am wrong.

Well that's all that is on my heart today

Blessings
Sandi

Honoring my Son

Today is my baby boy's birthday. I write this from my heart!!

A son!!! Oh my goodness, he is 9 lbs 14 1/2 oz??? And did you say 22 inches long? Whew
A son!!! Wow,, he is gorgeous
A son: He makes our family perfect
A son: He is so hungry all the time
A son: He learns so quickly
A son: He is only 9 months and his first word is "Exit" (oh oh too much time watching Electric Company)
A son: 10 months and walking Wow
A son: Only 3 years old and reading.. Amazing
A son: 3 1/2 years old and flying a kite and is hanging on for dear life and the string is burning his little hands, "But Mommy, I cant let go, I don't want it to fly away"
A son: He's only 5, how can I let him get on that big school bus and take him away from me
A son: Now 7 "Gil and Sandi, we think Eric should be put into our High Potential program "How
did he get so smart
A son: A note from his teacher age 8 (I think) "I think that Eric should try out for the
Land of Lakes Choirboys.. He did... he was accepted
A son: Age 11 "Why are the kids running up my sisters driveway,, whats wrong.. Gil takes the
car and comes and tells me come on we have to take Eric to the hospital. I get to the car
and see a cut on his neck almost from ear to ear. I pray,, Pray, PRay, PRAy, PRAY as we
drive the 50 miles to the nearest hospital. Many stitches later, he is OK.. Thank you Lord
A son: A few days later, Sending my son to Europe? Stitches in his neck? Yes, he goes to sing
with the LOL boys and comes home with many memories.
A son: Junior High... A trombone... where is the time going
A son: Senior High, no,, it cant be this soon, he is just my little baby boy
A son: One of the first Sophomores to make it into the strolling minstrel group at school
A son: A junior and is nominated by the high school to attend the all state music camp
A son: Graduation,,,, Where did the time go?
A son: Community Collage, Oak Hills Bible collage, Uncle Buck,
A son: Many jobs,,, Mom and Dad wondering,, "What will become of this talented young man"
A son: Takes a job with Panasonic,,,, does so well there
A son: Takes a wife and we gain a beautiful daughter in law and granddaughter
A son: Stands by me and helps me as we grieve together over the loss of his father
A son: A grandson......... So much like his Daddy
A son: One of God's greatest gifts to me

Happy Birthday Eric..... I love you and I am so very proud of you
Mom

Darkest Just Before Dawn

If that statement is true, then dawn must be on my horizon. I feel like I have been sitting in a ribbon of blackness for the last few days. I do hope that it dawns soon. I know that we all have those times in our lives that seem so dark and hopeless, but thank God they dont stay.

Maybe it is this horrid cold weather we are having. This minus zero stuff is what we are to have in January and not the end of February. But it seems our weather in the whole world is being turned topsy turvey,,, maybe a sign of the times.

On top of some personal issues, our garage door opener decided to quit working and since Jim and I are both mechanically challenged (that is putting nicely, we cant fix spit) I guess that I will have to call a garage door company to come out and take a look at it and fix it or replace it. Isnt it something how we get so used to those little luxuries. I remember when Gil and I got our first garage door opener. We thought we were living in the big times. Now it is a common thing for all.

Tonja is living near Madison where they are having record snow falls and it isnt even March when the midwest traditionally gets dumped on with the snow. I guess this year that jet stream is stationed so that the snow hits that area. I think they have had something like over 90 inches of snow this season already. I feel bad for them, with no snow blower!!!

Well thats it for today...

Thanks for visiting,,, let me know you were here!!!

Sandi

Is Life Ever Simple?

As I look over my life, I have to wonder if life has ever been easy. Oh yes it has been fun at times, but has it ever been easy? I suppose the easist time of my life was when I was a child and at that time I am sure I thought I had it rough, having to answer to my parents and taking insturction from them, good parents as they were.

But if I want to be truely honest, when I left home at 18 it wasnt easy. I left small town North Dakota and moved to the big city. Finding a job that I enjoyed was not easy, and then finding a roommate that I was compatible with wasnt easy.

Falling in love with Gil was easy and deciding to get married was easy. Oh we had many wonderful days and much much wonderful fun, but I cant say it was always easy. The long time that we waited to get pregnant wasnt easy. Being pregnant and deliverying the babies wasnt easy, although our daughter and son brought us so much love and fun, it wasnt easy. It was hard to be up at night with them when they had colic or they cried and you knew not why. It was hard to watch them grow up and head off to school, and grow independent. It was hard to discipline in love when many times it would have been easier to just give in.

It was fun to watch them get married but it was also hard, knowing that thier heart now was being shared with someone more important to them then you are.

It was fun to have grandchildren come into our lives.

Then sure as life, death came and that was I guess the hardest thing I have expierienced loosing my soul mate, lover and best freind, way before his time.

Then as our children and grandchildren grew, problems crept into thier lives and oh how hard it is to sit on the outside and watch.

So I guess even tho I am looking forward to retirement in the not too distant future, I am wanting for life to be easy. But as I look over my life, I see that even in the really good times, it isnt always easy. So I best not plan on it being easy.

But,, somehow we go on and we take one day at a time living with decisions we make and making the best of them. Right or wrong.

Well thats all I have in me that had to come out....

Sandi

Children

When Gil and I were first married, we tried for 5 years before we were blessed with Tonja and then 2 years later we were blessed with Eric. I know this has been written in many places and in many forms, but today, I want to empty my heart about children. Since those early days, I have had many children added to my life. A son and daughter-in-law, then 6 grandchildren. Then when Gil passed away, and I married Jim, I had 4 step children added to my life along with 2 daughters-in-law, a son-in-law and 5 grandchildren. Surely my quiver is full. They have all touched my life and blessed me.

When I was young I thought that I would raise my children and see them married and that would be the end of my responsibility to them. But I now know that is far from being what it is. In fact, right now, I need to be in prayer over my children and grandchildren and step children and grandchildren more then I ever had to for just my 2 as they were growing up. Of course those 2 are now multiplied by 12!! So I guess it stands to reason, that I will need to pray more. It is a privilege to pray for each of them. And when I know that things are going rough in thier lives to spend extra time in prayer and consideration for them is a way that I feel I am helping. So many times I feel like my hands are tied when I see them struggling. But when I go to prayer for them I KNOW that the creator of the universe is hearing my prayers and working in thier lives.

So as time has passed, I realize that my time of being a Mom hasnt ended, it has just changed how I do that mothering. In a physical way when I can, but every day I can go to thier and my Heavenly Father and place them in His hands and what better place to put them.

Peace and blessings to all who enter and read.
Sandi