Missed Opportunity!

20 years ago, I volunteered at a local hospital. At times, when there were no flowers to deliver or charts to file, I would seize the opportunity to visit with some of the patients, particularly the elderly. One patient was being transferred to another floor to reside there until a vacancy opened up at a nursing home. We got to know each other more and more as days passed. Her husband and grandson was faithful to come every day and take her for a walk in her wheelchair. By this time, I was reassigned to the information station in the main lobby and would see her daily and soon looking forward to our daily exchange of smiles, hugs and our 'how are you doing today?' greetings. She never missed a day of coming by....well okay maybe one day, then two days...by the time the 3rd day came with no sign of my new friend, I decided to surprise her and go up to her room after my shift had ended. As I informed the nursing station of who I was looking for, a nurse in turn shared that we lost the patient 2 days ago. I of course smiled thinking that the nurse was new continued to look down the hall for my friend. In a minute, another nurse confirmed the story by saying, 'there wasnt a day that went by that her husband and grandson would come and take her walking.' My new found friend had died of a massive stroke. The hardest part for me as a Christian was I never did talk to her about Jesus with all the opportunities that God gave me. If you are a believer reading this post please take every single opportunity to share the Gospel to all around you. Tell someone how much God loves them and how much He sacrificed for them. You never know if you will get another opportunity....today may be your last chance to reach that person! And if you are reading this post and you dont know Christ, please comment and I will glady tell you of His compassion and sacrifice. God Bless you my friend and always always BELIEVE~Liz

Coupon Clipper

The living here in Hawaii can be expensive. So my question is: where can you find good coupons to use for any type of savings? I have a big family and always looking for ways to save money. I clip coupons from the local newspapers, midweek, magazines or where ever they offer it online. I went to my local Walmart early this morning before work and found out they are no longer accepting printed coupons from the internet. The reason because people are now trying to give 'fake' coupons to try and get 'free' items. One of my favorite coupon is one found in the Local Midweek. Baskin Robbins offers a buy one 2-scoop sundae, get one free. Another coupon I enjoy using is the family coupon for Chuck E Cheese, which is found in the local newspaper. I love Chuck E Cheese over any other 'token' entertainment because its only 1 token for any game! What does God have to do with coupons? Coupon or No coupon, God provides for all of our needs as we seek Him with all of our hearts...

What's Up For Your Saturday?

So what's on your agenda for this weekend? dad will be taking our oldest fishing and mom will need to find something to entertain the remaining four. I think I will do an instant replay of last week and go to the Water Park. We did try the Zoo last week Saturday, but didnt realize the parking was going to be totally crazy and crowded with the local police directing traffic. Oops did someone forget about the annual Martin Luther King Parade! So then the next resort was for the better...thank God for annual passes! We ended up at the Water Park and I think that's what we will do again tomorrow atleast for a couple hours. Leave me a comment and tell me what your plans are or what you do for fun with your family. I think I will go blog visiting....let me know you stopped by...I love to read comments from my visitors! God Bless ~Liz

ME time!!!!

Oh how I long for a few minutes of 'me' time!! With 5 young children in the home, its hard at times to find 'me'. Oh but with 5 young ones, one definitely needs to find some 'me' time! I think I want to take these few minutes and imagine what I would like to do with 'me' time. I would read anything to do with growing closer to God books. I love to read and I would spend hours on end in Borders or even the library looking at all the books. Just me and books! To sit by the waters with a good book would be wonderful and oh so awesome! I like to read Barbara Johnson, Max Lucado, James Dobson, Joni Eareckson, bible devotions, Joel Olsteen. I like to walk around Walmart and enjoy going to thrifts shops and of course my first stop is always the book section. I like to sit in a nice massage getting a pedicure. For more pleasant 'me', time, I would sip a Jamba Juice or visit a local Coffee Bean. OMGooosh how time flies, its time for homework and backpack check, clothes prep, hot choco for the kiddies, night time prayers and constant reminders of "its time to go to bed" or " stop playing in there!". God Bless and yes...somehow I will eventually find 'me'time, but for now...the kiddies are calling 'me'~God Bless Liz

Preach From It!

When the world gives you a platform….. preach from it! I gave my personal testimony of how I came to know the Lord for the first time over 15 years ago. I remember it like yesterday. It was at a huge Christmas production, which seated over 1000 people. I must say it was one of the biggest challenges in my life. My hand was shaking so much, I couldn't hold the microphone, so they clipped a mic to my blouse! When the 4 days of giving my testimony ended, I told myself I would do it again 100 times over, if to give God all the glory! Shortly after, I was on my way to the Kingdom of Tonga, to share the Love of Christ and share again my testimony. One doesn't need to present themselves to hundreds of people or travel across country to share what God has done for them. A platform can be as simple or complex as one allows it to be. A church, school gymnasium, a backyard. A platform is anywhere you make it to be. The audience can be the members of a big church congregation, your neighbors, a co-worker, family, friend...even the unfamiliar face seated next to you on the plane or the stranger at the bus stop. If you genuinely love the Lord, share it with someone...anyone....dont keep it to yourself! The world has and will give you a platform...so when the world does do that very thing...get up and preach from it. For the Lord said... "Go into all the world and preach the gospel to all creation." Mark 16:15

God Bless and Believe ~Liz

Friendships...

Friendship is something that I treasure and hold close to my heart. My friends are few, oh but how I love them and I do indeed considered myself blessed! They mean more to me then they will ever imagine. Karen has been with me forever and although I havent seen her in a very long time, our paths always seem to cross. We did so much together and have so much childhood memories....Donna is such a beautiful woman of God and I will cherish our friendship forever! We've known each other for years! We've laughed together, cried together, and laughed together again! She loves me for who I am and always reminds me how much I mean to the Lord and how much He will never leave me nor forsake me. She has such a huge heart and I consider myself blessed to count her as one of my 'few'. My closest friend is my awesome, loving soulmate! I truly am blessed to have him in my life. God knew exactly what I needed, when he blessed me with Mark. He does everything for me and more. When it comes to friendships, Im hoping the same for my daughter. That she too, as pictured above with a friend that has moved away, will have friendships that she too will grow to treasure.

Blackberry Blessing

I am so excited! I was in need of a new phone and been checking out Ebay, but nothing really caught my eye. Of course, my contract wasnt up yet so I wasnt ready for one of those 'free' deals. I couldnt really get anything too expensive, but at the same time needed something reliable. At work, my friend Wanda was sharing her new phone she just got and said she got it because she wanted something new.....it just so happen that she still had her other phone....and she chose me of all people to bless! Thank U Jesus! Its a Blackberry 8320 and I love it. Of course, I need to get the phone unlock so I can use it with my carrier, but her carrier will be giving the code for 'free'! Oh yeah and I must say its in Brand New Mint condition! The photo does no justice! Again, God is good all the time....God Bless and BELIEVE ~Liz

His Strength Is Perfect

I was reminded today of how I am really a weak person depending solely on God for all things. I will be the first to admit I make a lot of mistakes and far from perfect. One of the challenges that I call upon His strength is loving the ones that hurt me. and of course dont forget, one must forgive too. Its not so easy to say "okay God I lay this all at your feet now you fix it!". Sometimes I feel like "Linus" from Charlie Brown, clinging to his blanket, not wanting to let go for anything! Like a little stubborn child, 'I dont want to'....'because I cant'....'It's not my fault'...and the list goes on and on. I've traveled this road time and time again over the years and when I reflect at how many times God has carried me through it all, I thank God that when my strength was gone, His strength was... is...and will always be perfect. So friend keep in mind the lyrics of this song and reflect on these words the next time you are heavy burdened and in need of His strength...

His strength is perfect when our strength is gone...He'll carry us when we can't carry on...Raised in his power the weak becomes strong...His strength is perfect...His strength is perfect.

Let The Little Children Come Unto Me...

Are you wondering who this child is in this picture? For many years, I've wondered myself who she might be...what's going on in her soul...her heart...her being. I've stared and looked at this image a 1000 times over and still I see the very same thing...a beautiful precious baby girl. So let me ask a question of you...what do you see when you look at this picture? Was her childhood filled with love? Or was it filled with sorrow and pain? How about when you look at your little ones...what do you see? What do they see? I know one thing for sure...Jesus said, 'Let the little children come to me, and do not stop them; for it is to such as these that the kingdom of heaven belongs.' Matthew 19:14 ... take time to LOVE your child.....'And now these three remain: faith, hope and love. But the greatest of these is love.' 1 Corinthians 13:13.

Embracing the Waves

I love the ocean...its water, its waves and everything about her! She's so peaceful and welcomes me to sit for hours on end to meditate on God's word! She allows me to refresh and renew my soul! Her waves represents each challenge and trial that comes my way in my daily walk. Some waves bigger then others, but if one really thinks about it theres always a peak or point where it calms itself down if only we hang on for one second longer. Standing firm against the current, makes me stronger. Not giving in and allowing its strong currents or the size of its wave to swallow me only gives me more of a victory. That's how good GOD is in my life...in our lives! One's life is filled with daily challenges and trials...some bigger then others. I thank God for each wave, big or small...because its thru those "waves" in my life that I become more and more like Him. My dear friends, brother, sister....through the challenges and trials of life, some more bigger then others, continue to hold on to His promises that ...He will never give you more then you can handle..."weeping only last for a night and JOY comes in the morning"....He "will never leave you nor forsake you". Embrace the "waves" of your life, knowing full well that He who began a good work will be FAITHFUL to complete it. God is soooooooooooo good! Have a blessed today and like always...

God Bless and always always BELIEVE,

Liz

Never a Dull Moment

When you have a big family....it seems there's never a dull moment and there's always something that has to be done. Its almost one in the morning and we all just walked into the house after spending the last 3 hrs in an Emergency Room. Dad stayed in the car with 3 of the kids and 2 kids went with me. The visit was followed with xrays and breathing treatment, but all is well and I just Praise God for being who He is... The day time was just as busy with traveling here and there for appointments. After the appointments, I returned home just in time for dad to leave to work and mom to take over the kids and dinner. I snuck in a little nap with baby and allowed the other kids to play wii if they promised to play nicely while I closed my eyes for a bit. I guess they didnt beat each other up because they were still playing wii when I woke up a hour and 1/2 later! We decided to get some fresh air and went out to Pizza Hut for dinner. It wasnt until shortly after dad came home from work that we loaded all the kids into the van and headed to the ER. Again, never a dull moment! Tomorrow is another busy day with 2 birthday celebrations....grandma and daughter...both on the same day! Praise God!

Thank You For All The Inspiration!

2 girls...2 blessings!

We are into the 2nd day of the New Year and I must say with all the reading I am truly inspired by the many of you that share your stories and your talent through your blogs! You are so blessed with wonderful gifts that truly only God has given you. These gifts include photography, writing, stamping, scrapbooking, journaling, preaching....the list goes on and on. I am so blessed to have read blogs that have been nothing but an inspiration to me. I too love crafts (stamping & scrapbooking) but haven't really invested much time to learn. My sister Rina at Heartful Stamping is so truly blessed with talent in this area. The beauty within her is expressed through her work! She sure has a lot of crazy fun with her creations as I read through her blog almost daily! She is a loving Christian woman and I am so blessed to be her sister! I also love photography but never took it further then High School. My brother in law Jesse at 100 Hawaii Icons takes awesome photos. This blog is so educational and intriguing. I cant seem to leave his blog without checking out his pictures of icons in Hawaii and answer the quiz questions. If you are up for a challenge or planning a visit to the islands soon this is definitely the blog you need to visit! He has an awesome and great talent with the gift of photography as I viewed more of his great work on JESSE FARRAR PHOTOGRAPHY. Journal writing has always been a passion of mine. Sharing Jesus Christ to all around me is just me. I received Him into my heart June of 1985. I still make my mistakes, but I thank God for His Grace and Compassionate Love that endures all, knowing that He who began a good work is faithful to complete it....Happy Blogging, God Bless & always always BELIEVE!