Friday, July 30, 2010

More About Jonathan

Wow!
You guys are interested in Jonathan.
Your comments on the last post came
in very quickly.
So...I'll share more.


I know, he usually flies under the radar
here on the blog...however
he is very interesting young man.
Sweet, caring and an artist/author.

He has been conflicted about what
he wants to do with his life.
Write?  Become a Psychologist?
Focus on his art?

But for now Jonathan is
in the process of writing a fiction story.
 It is sci-fi but not of the scary or 
gross kind.  It is smart and interesting.
At least I think so...
Warren and Pastor Mike agree.

I asked Jonathan for permission to share 
some of the first chapter.

Chapter One
The Child is Born

The rain is silver.  It hasn't been silver
in two milleniums.
Rom was standing by the window 
in the one room log cabin.
The cabin built with his own hands
 for himself and his wife Reena to share.
 
He looked down at his hands.
So strong... and yet so helpless now.
Reena was in labor behind him and he 
didn't know how to help.
So, he stood looking out the window
randomly commenting about the weather.


Sabriella, the midwife, had come.
At least he had ridden out to get her.
That had to count for something, he thought.


"Reena, dear, I wish you could see this.
It won't happen again in our lifetime."
His wife moaned with a contraction.
Sabriella stood up and said indignantly,
"Would you shut up and go hold your 
wife's hand?  
She's going to need something
to squeeze."


Rom went over to the bedside and 
asked, "How are you doing, Hon?"
Reena grabbed his hand and squeezed
as she let out a cry.


As if from a distance Rom heard 
Sabriella say, 
"It's a girl...
but such an odd baby."


After wiping the baby clean she handed
her to her mother.


"It's amazing!" Rom said, "Her hair is as 
silver as the rain!"


Reena whispered,
"Her name is Silveea."



So, now you know what Jonathan and I are
up to.  I think it is pretty cool that he has
taken the initiative to begin writing.
He is currently working on the sixth chapter.
They are getting longer and I think that
it will be fun to go back and work together on
smoothing the story and filling in, dressing up and
finishing the process over the next several months.
He will illustrate it, as well.

If you know anything about publishing or
getting a publisher's attention we would be
interested in hearing from you.
Jonathan would be delighted if he could
make a career of writing.
His dream is to live in a cabin in the
mountains where we vacation.
Writing, fishing and creating his art.
Hey, a person can dream.
One just never knows!
I wouldn't be surprised at all
if he pulls it off.
Even though he has above average intelligence,
Jonathan has fought huge battles in his
lifetime....born with a life threatening
birth defect, struggling through
school years with
dyslexia, poor eye tracking
and learning challenges.  
Yet, he loves books and
great stories.
So...this means the world to us.
Our son, the writer!

Making Jonathan Look Small

Remember, he is 6'7" tall!


Check out the height on that corn!
It has loved the heat and humidity 
we have suffered in this Summer.

When the corn is big
and you stand across the street...
he just doesn't look that tall.
Oh, that was fun!
I recently found out that Jonathan reads here.

I guess he does that when he is taking
a break from his writing.
Yep!  That's what he is up to these
days.  Jonathan writes, I edit.
We are loving it!

Have a fabulous weekend!


Fun Serving Dishes

I have a weakness.
It is for anything for the kitchen.
This means our small kitchen is
FULL.


A nearby store has
tempted me for a while.
I have purchased items there for my
Mom....
that helped for a bit.


A little while ago I visited
the QVC Outlet Store once again.
I found this entire set for $23.91.
It was love at first sight.


The best part?
It is so pretty all stacked
up together that it can sit
out on the jelly cupboard.

Its a good thing,
because it wasn't fitting
into the cabinet.

Sometimes it doesn't hurt
to treat yourself.
As long as it doesn't
break the bank.

How do you treat yourself?
Items for Bath, Kitchen, maybe books
or Chocolate?
Come on, let us in on your weakness.

Thursday, July 29, 2010

So You Have an Idea...

You are thinking about starting a 
home based business.

Congratulations!
You are thinking in a way that many
people never will.

You are also considering one of the most
challenging things you may ever tackle.

However, this could be among your most
rewarding ventures as well.

I got started in the candle business nearly by
accident.  It was never my dream to make candles.
I'm really not that crafty.
In fact it was just a thought spoken out loud
to my next door neighbor who had retired
from work in a retirement community kitchen.

She loved to make candles just for fun.
Beverly would melt down ends of candles that 
she had burned as far as they would go.
I used to get a kick out of watching her do this.
So one day when she was talking about getting a 
part time job for something to do I just opened my 
big mouth and asked her if she would be interested in 
a candle business.  After all, I am a financially minded
person with the skills and abilities to keep her books 
and take care of the paperwork.  She could make the
candles.  We would be partners.

Well, this started a whole series of events.
First, we needed a name.
We played with this for a few days.
What stuck was The Good Neighbors Candle Co.
Not very creative if you stop to think about it.
We were neighbors and we were good neighbors
who wanted to make candles.
That was that.
But then came the paperwork.
Registering with the State of PA.
We got our tax id number right away.
As for the name,
You have to make sure that the name
you want is available.
You don't want to print up business
cards, get name recognition and then find out
that someone else already had that name registered.
Now, in our case, I verified that the name was
available but did not register it right away.
I don't recommend that you do what I did.
I would not have had a leg to stand on if someone
else had wanted this name before I got it done.

As for getting a tax identification number, I highly recommend it!
You do not want to be sitting at a craft show
worrying that agents might show up and confiscate
all of your inventory.  
It happens!


The second part of this caution is a reminder:
 keep a copy of your license 
with you 
at all
selling opportunities.

It is not enough to have
one...you must be able to show it.
This is true in our state...you'll have to check 
your state regulations to see what is required.
The paperwork is not fun.
But it is much more cost effective to have 
everything in order than it is to pay fines.

That is about all I will say now about legalities.
My main focus with this short series of posts
is to help you realize how  

important it is to 
have a plan, do something you love and 
be financially responsible.

When Beverly and I decided to make candles
that was just the tip of the iceberg.
Do you have any idea how many
candle types there are?

Also, we discovered how many thousands
of people are out there making candles.

We wanted ours to stand out in the mix.
Beverly showed me a teacup candle that she had
purchased several years before.
It was adorable.
We were convinced that we could do that.
We were also convinced that they would sell
like crazy.

Not so much.

We had a lot to learn.

For example:
Did you know that many people
are afraid of gel candles?
In some cases they have very good reason.
We found out in our research that not all
fragrance oils are gel safe.
There had been some candlemakers who did not
do research and had made unsafe candles.
They had been distributed widely causing
fires and what were referred to as explosions.

Please, if you are starting a business....
do the research!

Don't make it harder for those doing things properly.
It is hard enough to build a name for yourself
without having to deal with someone else's
sloppy work.

We also decided to explore the newest
trend in candlemaking...soy wax.
That had many upsides.
The only downside was that
we were so cutting edge that we had to
do a lot of customer education.
This is where the craft shows came
in handy.
Beverly as we set up at a Willow Valley Craft Show
Face to face with curious customers
we were given the opportunity to
explain all of the positive differences
between paraffin wax and soy wax.

By now, most people are aware of,
and love soy.
But, remember this was several
 years ago.

My next post on the subject should be
a bit more specific, however,
This gives you a little background into
how I came to own a
small business.

What do I want you to take away
from this post?
Starting out legally is very important
 and taking time to do research 
is not a waste of time.  It is potentially one of 
the most important things to being successful!
It may even make sense for you to 
seek out advice from a small business advisor 
in your area.  There are volunteer organizations 
who are more than happy to meet with you
and go over your business plan.
They can offer advice from their own 
experiences that can save you a boatload 
of time and money!

I'm thinking of making these posts a Thursday Feature
until I run out of material on the subject.
Feel free to leave your questions in the comments.
  I will answer those that I can.
Remember, I am not a lawyer and so 
will not address specific legal questions.

Thanks, Diane, for suggesting this.
It is challenging and fun to look back
at our successes and failures.
We've had both!
Anyone in business does.
Diane has just begun her own business making
head coverings.  
It is called Lovely Coverings and can be found at Etsy.
She has found so many creative
ways to construct her coverings.  
The feedback is very positive already.
Awesome!
Now this is truly a "niche" business.
One that just might be very successful.
Go for it, Diane!!!!
Becky K.

Wednesday, July 28, 2010

Your Opinion Please...

'Tis the season to make decisions.
Which of my many, many fragrance 
options do I want to offer for the Fall
and Christmas Fundraisers.

I have a friend, a very sweet friend,
who makes up my flyers.  It is such 
a gift that she has.  I appreciate Bee
She loves the cappuccino candles and 
I love to keep her supplied.
Bartering....it can be a very good thing.


I loved the design of last year's flyer
so much that I plan to keep it and just
add different photos and maybe an extra fragrance or two.

So, here is where you come in.
I am going to list the Top 12 Contenders
for this year.
I can only use 10 at the most.

So, which ones would you use?
If you only like one or two, that is ok.
I can compile the most popular.

Last year I offered these:

Apple Cinnamon
Candy Cane
Cappuccino
Cinnamon Bun
French Vanilla
Orange Clove
Potpourri Spice
Pumpkin Pie Spice

The ones I would love to 
add are:

Mulberry Spice
Balsam 
Cranberry Orange
Country Apple

That means I have at least two too many.
Which one or two to remove?
Yikes!
This is so hard.
I live with these choices 
for months.

However, it is the most fun!
I am so excited for this candle season!
My family just laughs at me.

Diane, at Tomato Soup Cake
has asked me to write a bit about 
starting and maintaining a small
business.
I hardly feel qualified but I am 
willing to write a few posts about 
my own experiences.
Those who know me are aware that 
I have a very entrepreneurial brain.
Always thinking up new ideas.
Scary!!!!

I worked, many years ago, at a 
Small Business Incubator.
Did you know there was such a thing?
Fun!  
It is so neat to talk to folks who are 
interested in beginning businesses and 
creating jobs.
Maybe that is a clue as to my strong 
belief in the American small business.
The challenges are great, 
but the spirit is stronger.
I have met them.
These entrepreneurs.
Great people!!!!

So...back to my soap box
to say...
Please give your business to your
local shop owners 
and farmers first!
They are working so hard
and will appreciate it immensely.

Have a great day!!!

Becky K.


Tuesday, July 27, 2010

Is It Time to Dance?

A happy dance?

The dishwasher with which I have a hate/hate
relationship broke last night.

This is the dishwasher that 
"made a fool of me".
You know my temper tantrum 
while windows were open and 
neighbors waited for the school bus
right out there.

Warren must evaluate whether it is 
cost effective to fix it.

He is so good like that.
Never understanding the emotions
of hating a kitchen appliance
he will give it his best shot.

Of course, this was the week that he 
ordered parts so that the top rack could
stop falling down every time it gets the whim.
After at least a year of wrestling with this stupid
machine....now he has more incentive 
to bring it back to life or we will 
have the parts for a broken
appliance.  
Ugghhhh.

But, then, there is the possibility that it is not
cost effective to fix it....
Oh, I hear the music.
I am beginning to sway......
Here's hoping!

I would just love to meet a newer,
quieter, friendlier kitchen helper!
I'd be so happy to make and sell a billion 
candles to pay for one.
Really!

I'll let you know.

In the meantime
Chelsea and I will work
side by side washing the 
dishes.

That is not all bad, either.

Hugs!

Becky K.

Sunday, July 25, 2010

Blues From Church


It is fun.
Thanks, Sally, for being 
such a fabulous hostess.

I find the color blue to be soothing.
Perhaps that is why I chose the 
soft blue color for the front wall
in the sanctuary.


The other walls are a tan color.
I love having the "pulpit wall" stand alone.

This particular blue had a very 
appropriate name for a sanctuary.
It is called Kindred Spirit.
It was meant to be, I think!
Sunday School is special
at Sonrise.
Everyone participates from the 
children to the Seniors.


But the wall is not the only blue to be 
found at church.
Very often Nick, whose Mom
writes Cozy Comforts, wears blue
as he plays the drums. 




















He is a relatively new drummer but honestly is already very, very good.  
I so enjoy the energy 
he brings to the music!

We have a grouping of pictures as a sort
of welcome just inside the door.  There are
a few blues to be seen here, as well.


We wanted the church to reflect our sense
of family and community.  We enjoy spending
time together and love meeting new people.
It is our hope that those who visit feel at home
with us.

Our Pastor is such a dear friend.
We have known Mike for more than ten years
 and have such respect
for him.
His sermon today was amazing.
But, any Pastor worth his salt can 
preach a good message.
Pastor Mike, while very human,
is also a very Godly man.
Always seeking the Lord's will and 
directing his congregation
to do the 
same.

Here you see him helping me fold
the bulletins.
Yes, Mike is very good about things 
like this.
Mrs. Rabe and I remember the day, very well,
that we were working ever so hard to set up
for a Christmas Tea.  
After setting up tables and decorating out in the 
sanctuary we each headed to our  homes
for a bit and returned
shortly before the ladies began to gather
to find a note from Mike telling us
how nice everything looked and that 
he had mopped the floors....
just to be helpful and make things
as nice as they could be.
We actually laughed really hard because
we thought we were being sneaky in setting
up the tables in the sanctuary, 
not sure how he might feel about having 
food served over that carpet.
That certainly allowed us to breathe
easier that evening...
After we finished laughing!

So...aren't you glad I am not singing the blues 
about things at church?
It can happen.
No church is perfect, because they all have
imperfect humans that make them up.
However, I am so very thankful for our 
church body.
Such wonderful family and friends.
The love and support that flowed from
them over this past week as I was 
in the hospital and then recuperating at 
home was 
genuine.


This morning, my friend, our Associate Pastor Jack...
that is him on the left...
came to the piano earlier than usual.
You may recall he loves to do that while
I am playing the prelude.
Messes me up every time.
Today, however, he came straight to me
even before Sunday School.
With misty eyes he gave me a hug
and told me how glad he was that 
I am ok.
That sweet former Marine.
Contented sigh....

Have a fabulous week.
I'm still taking it easy. 
Naps are very good things.....

Hugs,

Becky K.



Saturday, July 24, 2010

Risk vs. Reward


Risks:
Broken Bones... or worse.

Rewards:
Precious time with siblings.
Exercise
Skills that will last a lifetime....
....and more!


This evening Warren, Mikey, Chelsea and I spent time with 
teen friends from Creekside Cottage. 
It brings Warren and I such joy
to hear their happy chatter. 
The teasing and the love
that abounds between them. 


It is not uncommon for our kids to
head out to a park together.
They like to skate, take pictures,
play frisbee
and just have good clean fun.
They took these pictures on one such day a
few months ago.



Are there risks to having
great relationships with our children?
Of course!
We open ourselves up to the
possibility of broken hearts
and potential grief.

But the rewards are so much greater.
Sometimes the struggles seem
almost more than we can bear.

There are times when I wish I had protected
my heart more.  
You know, like if there was just some way
that I could not care
quite so much!

Ever been there as a parent?

My suspicion is that most parents have.
Then the hard times might not hurt so much
and the real world stuff that threatens 
wouldn't seem so scary.
But, if we were somehow to protect ourselves
we would be cutting off those 
rewards as well.
The love and the relationships that 
are priceless.

I must not ever let myself give in to the 
temptation at self preservation at the 
sacrifice of the rewards of the relationship.

Here's hoping you are taking that risk
in your own relationships
as well......
Husbands, Wives, Brothers, Sisters....
Relationships all come with risk.
The rewards are amazing!

Becky K.

Good Morning World!

Have a great day!!!!

Thursday, July 22, 2010

Brownie Biscotti with Raspberry Icing

Chelsea loves to bake.
It is a passion.
So...at least she has
found something to make
that is easy on the calories.


You'll read Chelsea's take on this
at her blog HERE.




Fun thing is that Chelsea's photo 
was chosen second on Allrecipes.com
this week.

Today she made Orange Cranberry
and Banana Nut Biscotti.
Mr. and Mrs. Rabe and  their company
from Florida sampled some this morning.
Then our Aunt, Uncle and Cousins from 
Florida visited this evening and 
sampled it for themselves.
Good reviews all around.
So yummy!
What a girl!!
Go Chelsea!

A Tale of a Hospital Stay

Well, what a week this shaped up to be.
Just when you think you have the world
by the tail and all is well, leave it to
your health to step in and take things
in a totally different direction.

In all honesty I haven't felt well for
quite a while. Here is hoping that the
last couple of days are the resolution to
that.

Over the past couple of weeks we have
started a journey of a change of diet
and weight loss. Chelsea is our coach.
She loves all things to do with nutrition
and food and has lost a lot of weight over
this past year...in fact too much....but we
are addressing that, as well. Our goal as
a family is to be healthy, whether that is
losing or gaining weight, as needed.

Anyway, I had promised Jonathan and Chelsea
breakfast at our local family restaurant on
Monday. Even though I felt terrible I wanted
to follow through. I forced myself to order a
bagel, even though I had absolutely no appetite.
As I ate it I felt terrible. Pressure and pain
crushing my chest, nausea and sweating with a
very odd sensation in my head. I looked for
a waitress to get them to call 911. However,
I did not want to leave the kids there and have
all of that chaos for the other diners. Breathing
deeply I waited for the sensation to pass, quickly
paid the bill and we left. I decided to go directly
to the doctor's office. As we went the pain went from
my chest to my shoulder and up under my chin. 
I prayed that I would make it the 
couple of blocks to the doctor.

We did. The kids headed home on foot. 
It is nice that we are close enough 
that they could do that.
In their defense, I had not
let on to them exactly how badly
I was feeling.
As soon as they left the tears began
streaming down my face.
(Isn't it funny how you can hold
things in for the sake of those you love?)
I told the woman at the
front desk that I had chest pain. 
She called the nurse and very quickly 
things were underway. 
The E.K.G. showed
changes and nitroglycerin was 
given while the ambulance
was called. 
I tend to withdraw when in pain so I didn't
really enjoy chatting with the EMT's 
as they took me
north to Lancaster General Hospital. 
Several attempts
to start an IV were unsuccessful.
I do recall getting
angry with the one student EMT as he 
poked and prodded with
the needle in at least two places. 
Finally his buddy gave it a
try on the other arm...no success. 
At the hospital it
took at least two tries, as well.

Nitroglycerin gives me a nasty headache. 
If you've ever
used this you'll likely know what I mean.
But, it did seem
to ease the chest pain. 
So, it was a catch 22. 
My blood
pressure was 164/100+ 
and my heart felt like it was working
so hard at 123 beats per minute. 
Later, the Cardiologist
would ask me if I was 
a nurse because I was repeating the
numbers as I retold the story to him. 
I laughed and asked why?
He said because I knew all of the numbers. 
I didn't tell him that as a 
financial analyst numbers 
are my business
too.

Long story, shorter....
They decided to keep me in the 
Outpatient Observation Unit. 
A stress test was abnormal with reduced
blood flow to the front of my heart. 
My echo technician was very thorough and
very concerned.  
I felt that if there was something to see
he would find it.
In fact he added contrast halfway 
through the test because he said he
didn't want them to miss something he saw.

It was interesting to see
how the different nurses handled my pain. 
Most were very fast
to offer nitroglycerin 
but one, a guy named Chris, was not.
I liked him. 
I do dislike those headaches. 
He would wait the
pain out and always said that if it got worse 
he would give me
the nitro.

Every doctor and nurse 
I met were fabulous. 
I cannot say enough
good things about the treatment I received.

But, now to the mystery.

My heart cath came back just fine.
Weird.
My mother-in-law, an RN, is not very
satisfied with my release without additional
investigation. But, I figure I will try the
treatments offered and will see if they help.
They have added an additional blood pressure
med as the Cardiologist said that there is a
lot of pressure in my heart. They are also
starting me back on meds for acid reflux.
A known issue with me. 

I wouldn't know why a busy person with three
teenagers would ever have stress, (lol) but I seem
to thrive on it...until it eats holes in my
digestive track. We will see if this is part
of my problem this time.

I'll be seeing doctors over the next month
for follow up and will be taking it easy
for a while. Got to get better before candle
season kicks in this September. I am so excited
for this year's orders to begin coming in!!!
I've been planning and working on the website.
I ordered postcards to send out to non-profit
groups. It will be so much fun!!!
Got to be better!!!

Also, Chelsea and I have so many plans for
this school year. So much to do.
I want to be better.
So, I will continue with the healthy eating
plan, take the meds as prescribed and follow
up with the doctors. I might take Georgia with me
to ask the right questions as I tend to just
accept whatever they say...if I am the patient.
I am a great advocate for others, though.
Need someone to go along with you?
I'm there.
I'm a shark!
But for me?
Not so much.

So....now you know more than you
ever wanted to know.

Your prayers and comments were the
highlight of my morning as Warren would
bring in the laptop.
I didn't have the energy to comment back
or read many blogs but I knew you cared.

Many hugs to you.................

Tomorrow back to regular stuff.
Hope you got your fill of 
hospital stuff...because unless something
unexpected happens we will be back
to subjects like
Chelsea's gorgeous brownie biscotti!
With raspberry drizzle!!!!  Oh my!!!
It is amazing!!!
You'll see it tomorrow....
So, if you haven't fainted and are still
reading you have a treat to look forward to.

Consider it a reward, of sorts.

Becky K.

Wednesday, July 21, 2010

Praise God!

The heart cath was all good.
No Blockage.

So with some med changes in my future
and with a thankful heart I should
head home long about 7pm this evening
if all goes as planned.

A slightly loopy
Becky here.
Yes, the meds are good.
lol
Thanks and Hugs!!!

Becky K.

Heart Cath Today

The Stress test did not go well.
So...more cardiac fun is on the way....

The front part of my heart is not getting
all of the blood it needs.

So...your prayers are appreciated!!!!!

Tuesday, July 20, 2010

Good Morning, People....update from Hospital

Update: An episode of chest pain, an unscheduled trip to our local doctor's office and an ambulance ride to the hospital. Lots of blood letting, pain and worry and I am still here. The people in this sterile spa are amazing. I have slept well and will soon head out for a stress test. I'll either be on my way home this afternoon or off to some new cardiac adventure.

Thanks for your prayers and kind words.
I'll give you more details later.
Warren was kind enough to bring the laptop
so I could do this short update.




Mom is not quite feeling up to posting today
so she sent me to say "Hello!"

She hopes you'll have a great day!!!

Love,

Bandit K.

Friday, July 16, 2010

Echinacea

Otherwise known as
Purple Coneflower.

So full and pretty in my
garden right now.


I braved the
heat and humidity
for these photos.


But, they are worth it.
This weather seems to make
them very happy.


What I didn't realize until today
 is that I have Double Echinacea!
This freaks Chelsea out.

Do you think it is 
cool or weird?










Thursday, July 15, 2010

Oh Melissa, You had to Ask...

Melissa at The Inspired Room is hosting a link party featuring
things that have inspired us this week.
My contribution has nothing directly to do with
homemaking or decorating but
let me tell you, this has been a week full of inspiration.
Some for good and others not so wonderful.

I should probably just pick one thing, huh?
Well, maybe just two!

Two separate things that will go together, 
I promise.

Yesterday I told you about the Blogger Meet
at Sight and Sound Theatre.  What I have not 
talked so much about is why this particular story
moves me to the core.

You see, the story of Joseph speaks to the part
of me that used to be extremely fearful.
I feared everything.  
Faith was just a word in my vocabulary 
when it came to trust in God.
You know, what if He chose to let something
horrible happen to me or someone I loved?

What if....So many of these if's.

But when you see the story of Joseph laid out
in live action you realize that life can stink pretty 
bad and still be within the Will of God.
Encouraged yet?
Ha!

I mean, how many of us have had our siblings
toss us into a pit with the intention of allowing us
to die a slow and painful death?
Or....sold us into slavery?

Not so much.

How many of us have spent three years in 
prison for something we never did?

It happens.
But not to me.
Most likely not to you either.

But the thing that grabs my heart and soul
is the knowledge that God did not allow 
any of these things for evil intentions or 
because He didn't care about Joseph or his 
brothers.  He allowed it specifically because...
Are you ready?

He loved them THAT MUCH!!!!

Because of these seemingly
cruel and unusual circumstances 
God saved Isreal.
A family was restored and a life of
a Faithful man became one of Honor.

Through all of this,
He preserved the line through which He
would bring the Savior.
This is the best of all!

He loved US THAT MUCH!!!

I have spent so many hours in worry and fear.
Even this morning I opened my eyes and crawled
out of bed early because of concerns relating to 
my health.  
Yes!  
Today!! 
I am not over this whole
tendency to worry.  
If it hadn't been about test results
that now require a trip to the doctor
in a week or so....I likely would
have been trying not to hyperventilate
about Mikey's determination
to get his motorcycle license!

However, I am wholly encouraged
by the fact that God is intimately involved in my life.
His plan was established before the beginning of
time and it is all as it should be.

Will I always see the pathway clear?
Nope.
That I can guarantee.
But sometimes a miracle happens just when you need
most to see it.
Such was the case today.
Our neighbors were in a horrific accident.
They were pulling a large camper behind their 
SUV when a tire blew out on the camper.
Their SUV and camper went flipping down 
the road rolling three times.

I got the call as they were still attempting
to get one of the ladies out of the vehicle.

 Credit for this photo goes to 
WGALTV.
You'll find the story here.
It was necessary to remove the roof 
to get her out.  
She is the only one
of six people, two dogs and a cat 
who is injured enough
to remain in a hospital this evening.  
She has a badly 
broken finger.

Really!

It truly is a miracle. 
The youngest child was three.
The oldest person was a senior citizen.

I just know that things could have been so 
different.  Sometimes they do work out 
horribly otherwise. But, if God wishes to 
intervene and allow a miracle, 
He can and will 
do it.  

If He chooses to allow us to travel through 
bleak times...even years... as in Joseph's case
what is most important is that we remain 
faithful.   Always knowing that He is at work.
His plan is perfect.
Truly.

I wish I could quote the challenge
given at the end of Sight and Sound's performance
but it is along the lines that God is 
looking for those who will stand up
for Him today.
It reaches into the core of me
each and every time I see it
and it is all I can do not to jump 
from my seat shouting
"Me!  Pick Me!"

Now that is inspiration.
Straight to the heart.

Be encouraged that our Heavenly Father
knows what He is doing.
It is good.