Dear Donna

Today has been about memories. I've known you for so long - since our children were preschool age. Since your funeral today, I've been thinking about what an amazing woman of God you were and the example you set for me. You never lived a moment without basking in the glory of the Father. You've battled the health issues and the disease tirelessly and with hope that glorifying God. No matter what, you praised Jehovah.

I remember all the hours you volunteered at the school. I can still see you setting up the Christmas Shop in the Fireside room so all the elementary kids could shop for presents for their parents and family. You made it fun for everybody and you never complained about all the hours involved.

I loved the Spaghetti dinners you set up as a fund raiser for the school. It was wonderful that you used the opportunity to invite the public to honor the fire department and police department after 9/11. It certainly brought a tear to the eyes of those big guys. By the way, it was the first time I'd had baked spaghetti. I've made it several times since then

You were there tirelessly ministering to and praying for the families of the school who experienced unimaginable loss - Kristie's family, Gail's family, Matt's family. You never let them give up hope and you always reminded them (and me) that God was in control.

It was such a privilege for my family to drive your daughter to school every morning. I only hope it helped you out by relieving you of some responsibility in the mornings. It was such a joy to get to spend time with her and get to know her as she was growing up. And now she is such a beautiful woman with a baby of her own. You did a great job as a mother and as a wife.

I can just see you now, running around the throne of God praising the name of Jesus and shouting hallelujah with the angels. I'll catch up with you later, my friend. Good bye - just for now.

Outlive Your Life by Max Lucado

You and I were created to make a difference. Although no one can do everything, every one can do something. As common everyday Christians, we are called to volunteer and share in order to help a hurting neighbor or community.

The world is full of  hunger and suffering. Many have no access to clean drinking water. The question this book poses is whether or not you and I will live our lives in a clam shell and hide from the pain of mankind or will we do something - anything?

Pastor Max Lucado walks the reader through the teachings of the book of Acts and the examples set by the early followers of Christ regarding compassion and action. Each scripture passage is woven with a retelling of the story in current day terms and then highlighted with real life examples of people who are making a difference.

This is a book that will surely stir your heart to action, as it did mine. As a bonus, a study and action guide is included in the back that can be used for small group discussions.

. .

The Butterfly Effect by Andy Andrews

Have you ever felt as if your life did not matter? Have you ever felt as if you are just one grain of sand on a vast beach? What about feeling like you are just one drop of water in the ocean? Well, actually you are. The good news is that even though you are just one person, your life and your actions affect the entire world in ways that you may never know. God has woven each of our lives into an eternal tapestry.

Andy Andrews has illustrated this point through a magnificent telling of how one action of one person affected another, who affected another, and so on. Just like the fluttering of butterfly wings moves the molecules of air which moves more air and continues across the planet, our lives and decisions begin a wave of consequences - both good and bad - that impact the world. The reader of this small book will feel empowered and recognize that his own life has meaning and purpose.

I personally believe this book should be required reading of all teenagers and adults. As parents, we need to read this book to our children in order to teach them that their lives are valuable. I am sure you will treasure this book as much as I do!

Jesus Manifesto by Leonard Sweet and Frank Viola

The Christian church has a problem. It has been diagnosed by authors Leonard Sweet and Frank Viola with "Jesus Deficit Disorder." It seems that the world likes Jesus but not necessarily the church. Further, it seems that the church may not even like Jesus - at least the Jesus Christ who is supreme and sovereign. Each individual, each generation and each culture must answer a question that was posed by Jesus Christ to the disciples over 2000 years ago.

"Who do you say that I am?"

Reading this book has allowed me to focus on the fact that Christ is the Alpha and the Omega, the beginning and the end. He is the center of all things and occupies all things. He is the Creator of heaven and earth and the Healer of our brokenness. He is the second person of the Trinity and is the theme of both the Old and New Testament.

Unfortunately, many who call themselves Christians hold a higher regard for good works, social justice and church activities than they do for Jesus Christ himself. God calls us to be living epistles, a city on a hill and even walking, breathing "Jesus Manifestos."

I pray that I will be a "Jesus Manifesto."

Personally, I find this book to be challenging as well as encouraging. When reading it, I sometimes felt as if I were in a worship service because of the love for Jesus that jumped from each page.

Note: Thomas Nelson provided me with a complimentary copy of this book for review purposes.

The Teacup Story

Joyce Meyer is one of my favorite Bible teachers. Her teachings are like a hammer hitting the nail on the head. Today, I was watching "Enjoying Everyday Life" and she shared this story. It's too good not to post and share.

TEACUP STORY – BY JOYCE MEYER.

A couple went into an antique shop and saw this BEAUTIFUL BEAUTIFUL MAGNIFICENT little tea cup sitting high up on a shelf. And they just fell in love with that tea cup. They said,” We have got to have that teacup!” They were admiring the teacup – all of a sudden the teacup began to talk to them.

It said, " You know, I have not been always like this! There was a time when nobody would have wanted me. There was a time when I was not attractive at all. You see there was a time in my life when I was just an old, hard, gray lump of clay. And the master potter came along and he picked me up one day and he began to pat me and reshape me; and I said,” STOP IT! What are you doing? That HURTS! Ahhh, LEAVE ME ALONE!’ and he simply looked at me and said,”Not yet!”

And then he put me on this wheel and he began to spin me around, and around and around! And I got so dizzy and could hardly see where I was going anymore! I was losing it! Everything was spinning around and around and I felt sick to my stomach. And I said; “LET ME OFF HERE!” and he said: “ Not yet!”.

Finally, the day came when I had taken on another shape. All of that spinning around finally gave me another shape. All of that patting and molding and squeezing and pinching gave me another shape. And all of a sudden – he put me into this FURNACE! It is called the first firing. And ‘twas SO HOT in there! Oh, I could not believe how hot it was. I thought, " I can’t stand this! I’m going to DIE in here! ‘GET ME OUT OF HERE!!! Don’t you love me??(Crying.) Why are you leaving me in here?’ You see, the oven door had glass in it and the master would just look in his eyes AND HE WOULDN’T LET ME OUT!! But he would just smile at me and say, ‘ Not yet!!

FINALLY, the oven door opened and he took me out – set me on a shelf and I thought, ‘Whew! Thank God that is over!’. Then he began to paint me all over with this stinky paint! Changing my color from gray to this pretty blue that I am now! And I said: ‘This stuff STINKS! It is choking me!(coughing) I don’t like this smell! STOP IT! STOP IT! STOP IT! STOP IT!’ He would just say: ‘Not yet!’.

Then he put me back in a SECOND oven. It is called the second firing, and ‘twas TWICE as hot as the first oven! And I thought, ‘Now, I will DIE in here for sure! This is the end of me. This will finish me off! GET MW OUT OF HERE! I CAN’T STAND IT! I CAN’T STAND IT! Really – I am telling you – I can’t stand it! This is going to kill me ! GET ME OUT OF HERE!’ And he would just look through that glass and say: ‘Not yet!’

Then one day the door finally opened – he took me out and he put me up here on this shelf to let me cool off. After I cooled off, one day he came by and he handed me this mirror and I looked at myself and I could not believe how BEAUTIFUL I was! I could not BELIEVE how I have CHANGED! Why, I did not look anything at all like that old gray clay that I started out to be!

Now, I am this beautiful, little, delicate teacup! And EVERYBODY wants me now! But there was a time in my life when NOBODY wanted; NOBODY liked me; NOBODY paid any attention to me! They just kicked me around; walked on me.

But now – I AM SPECIAL! But I WASN’T ALWAYS this way!”