Friday Funnies!

~Bus Ride~

Two bowling teams, one of all Blondes and one of all Brunettes, charter a double-Decker bus for a weekend bowling tournament in Atlantic City.
The Brunette team rides on the bottom of the bus. The Blonde team rides on the top level.
The Brunette team down below is whooping it up having a great time, when one of them realizes she doesn't hear anything from the Blondes upstairs. She decides to get up and investigate.

When the Brunette reaches the top, she finds all the Blondes frozen in fear, staring straight ahead at the road, and clutching the seats in front of them with white knuckles. The brunette asks, "What the heck's going on up here? We're having a great time downstairs!"
One of the Blondes looks up at her, swallows hard and says,

"YEAH, BUT YOU'VE GOT A DRIVER!"

My Experience with a Dragonfly

I do not have a fetish for dragonflies! Although they are one of the fastest insects in the world and they eat mosquitoes. That gives them some credence.

A few years ago, I received a beautiful dragonfly pin. I was visiting my daughter who was living in Newport, R.I. and Mother’s Day was approaching. She took me on a tour of the town knowing how excited I was to finally visit an east coast state. She saw my appreciation of all the interesting wares in a little gift shop we entered and encouraged me to choose a mother’s day present from her. That’s how I got the dragonfly that affected my life for years.

My dragonfly pin halts foot traffic just about every time I wear it. I meet curious people in airports, supermarkets and it has become a catalyst for meeting strangers in church. It’s how I met Patty. I had just arrived at the Joyce Meyer Conference. I was nestled in the side of a hallway absorbed in cell phone conversation when a strange woman caught my eye. She got so close to my face, I thought she was going to demand that I leave the area. No, she was gesturing to me that she admired my pin and just had to tell me right then and there! My call ended and we formally introduced ourselves and I told Patty the heartfelt story of my dragonfly gift. Just then my daughter, Amy, exited the church’s bookstore showing me and Patty the Joyce Meyer book she just purchased. She paid way too much money for it leaving Patty and I gasping at the same time. Patty insisted she take it back and went along with her and then accompanied her to Joyce’s resource table where that book and tons of other things were sold as a bargain tote bag of goodies. Amy perceived that Patty was one of my close friends the way we were talking together. When Amy returned to our row of seats, we all marveled at her smart purchase. Shortly thereafter, we got another surprise. Our new friend, Patty, took her seat in the row directly behind us!

This is the way it is at these conferences. It’s a slice of heaven to make new friends and meet all kinds of people. You just know good things are awaiting you! And this time God used my dragonfly to pave the way!

This post connects to What's on your Heart Tuesdays hosted by Shanda at Pause on the Path.

When Women Know They're Loved

Phoenix in February is special because Joyce Meyer comes to town. So guess where I was last Friday? When I drove down to the conference, I almost fell over when I learned my friends saved me a seat in row 6! I could almost touch the stage.

Here’s a thought that I took home from Joyce’s topic about “Letting God Fight our Battles.” One hindrance to intimacy with the Lord is demands that people make on you. Responsible decisions have to be made on purpose if we are to have true joy. People and their expectations should not control us.

My favorite point was when she talked about 1 John 1:3. The NLT says: “We proclaim to you what we ourselves have actually seen and heard so that you may have fellowship with us. And our fellowship is with the Father and with his Son, Jesus Christ.”

She spoke straight into my heart saying that I need to live on purpose and I need to drink in the love of God every day. I do love thinking about Him and how much He loves me. There’s something phenomenal about a woman who knows she’s loved. Such a woman has an inner glow. How can we not glow? We’ve been rescued! When you know how much you are loved by God, you become bold in prayer too. But there are times when things don’t seem to go right; I’ve been tempted to think: “Don’t you love me God?” This is such a lie and I must always remember God’s Word: “I have loved you even as the Father has loved me. Remain in my love.” John 15:9.

I thought this was a great love message, especially for this Valentine’s week. Keep remembering with me just how much He really does love us. It's powerful.

Thankful Thursday ~ My Roots

I’m working on a special project for which I’m very thankful. In two weeks, Dice and I will be presenting a teaching to the leaders of our church and our topic is The Seder Passover. We are preparing the kosher foods with another couple who have a large home and kitchen with dining room to accommodate all of us! I look forward to sharing the Bible teachings and Jewish traditions of old because whenever we study our roots, Jesus always shows up in amazing ways. Our focus revolves around Him as our deliverer. The Passover is a wonderful story about deliverance and oh, how we love to tell it.


Whenever I go home to Chicago, my siblings gather around a meal, usually at my sister’s home and we share those same stories of our youth and tease one another about the old days. It is always fun, sometimes includes old photos but always centers around the Christian principles of family with fond memories of our parents and our early days. These are our roots. Our experiences define us and we remember who we are as we gather together as a family. Always, as I board my plane for home, I’m fulfilled by these times of expressing our love one to another with our stories, hugs and kisses.

That’s how the Passover is, too. We go back to our beginnings. We remember how much our God loves us and that our God is a miracle-working God. He knows of our suffering in the past and made a provision. He sent His only Son to rescue us, to save us from eternal damnation. We are God’s family and how Father God must love it when we remember the story! I know how I feel too as a parent when my children come home for holidays. We gather in my home around meals and reminisce and laugh! Even though my girls are in their thirties now, they love to hear the story of their early days. Was I like this, Mom, when I was three? Tell me again about the day I was born…etc. And like a crazy woman, I go into detail every time telling the same story like I was telling it for the first time!

Our God knows us. I’m thankful He understands that we need that connection to Him and to one another. I'm thankful for His-story!

Waking Up to Hope

My clock radio woke me up this morning to an amazing presentation by Carol Kent. I became wide awake as I listened, once again, to her superb articulation of her son’s imprisonment for life for taking the life of another man. What I heard the loudest was her reaching out to God and receiving His hope and presence in the midst of her excruciating pain. After sharing all her despair, she articulated God’s unconditional love for her and her unconditional love for her son. Her message was emotional and moved me to crawl out of bed knowing that whatever the day holds, it pales in comparison to the suffering of this sister in the Lord.

How does a mother look at her incarcerated son, accept God’s plan for his life and not get bitter at the grueling circumstances? Her strong character speaks to me of reliance on God’s Word in these days when many parents punish any disciplinary action and pity the child who then becomes a victim. This very thing happened to my husband when he was a small boy. He told me of how he got kicked out of cub scouts when he was a kid because he was humiliated by another boy who made fun of his soap creation. My husband got so angry he not only destroyed the bully’s soap but every kid’s soap in class. I was appalled at my in-laws reaction to the whole thing, patting him on the back giving him an atta boy so no one will walk all over him in life. They did him no favors by crippling him emotionally and his anger is hard to keep in check today.

Carol’s hope is found in Jesus alone and I can’t stop thinking of the peace and strength that comes with that kind of surrender even though it is still hard to face each day. I’ve had a very thought provoking morning! I’ve heard it said that the song you wake up to is yours for the day. Today the message I heard of God’s unconditional love is mine as I live out this day.

I end this with a great big thank you, dear friends, for all your love, cards, emails and encouragement after my mom died. My brothers and my sister asked me to impart their gratefulness to you for carrying us in prayer. Before I flew home from Chicago, we discussed all the wonderful things we've learned these past weeks and I agree with my sister who stated that most importantly, we learned the amazing power of prayer.

This post connects to Spiritual Sundays.

The Final Ride Home

Last summer, when I left Chicago to fly home, I was transported to the airport in style. My brother is a chauffeur and riding in the back of his black limousine made me feel rich! I think every woman should have this experience at least once in her life! It is no wonder that shortly after my limo ride, I dreamt about my mother being driven to her final destination in a black limousine with a driver like my brother fully suited, gloves and all. In my dream, I stuck my head in the window of the back seat and asked her if she had all her papers in order. “Yes,” she replied. I could see her ticket, but I wondered if she had her identification since she does not own a drivers license. “Don’t worry,” she said. “I have my I.D. right here!” This dream was prophetic. Last summer I told my siblings that the Lord was taking our Mom home and that all the final spiritual preparation was in place. At 96, she was ready. They kept telling me she will live to be 100, but in my heart I knew our mother was leaving. It was no surprise to me that Mom was hospitalized with congestive heart failure just before Christmas. I found it interesting that the doctors released her and my brother was called to chauffeur her to a nursing home! This strong-willed woman hung on in that nursing home for two weeks until each one of her children could get there to hold her in our arms, kiss her and tell her how much we loved her and in return hear her endearing comments back to us.


This morning at 1:30 a.m. my brother called me and told me our Mom passed away gently in her sleep just as I prayed and hoped would happen. No more suffering.


Thank you, dear friends, for those wonderful prayers you sent our way. Everything fell in place for us last week. God’s hand was guiding us as we gathered for family meetings and made decisions. His peace and love cuddled us like children under a warm blanket. Special hugs from our family to you for those beautiful cards and sentiments you wrote. I sat by Mom’s side daily reading every one of them to her with our family all around us. She loved hearing your affectionate words and knowing she was prayed for because prayer is all she wanted in her last days. She smiled when she saw the cards with dogs on the front or when we read her notes from your children!


I am weepy today, but thankful to our God who allowed me to witness my mother’s last days and her final words expressing to us that she could see our grandma and our Aunty Bea, her best friend and sister. She spoke out loud to the angels as they ushered her to her final home and eternal destiny. Her earthly journey is over. The page has turned.

My Mom

I just learned that my Mom was placed in a lovely rehab facility and she’ll be there for five weeks. Just before the holidays, she came home from the hospital but is not doing well. I’m flying out to Chicago on Sunday. I don’t know what to expect. When my brothers and sister call, the reports conflict each other. It’s hard because I’m so far away. Mom told me on the phone that she can feel the prayers that are coming her way and she was thankful. I thought of another thing I could do for her, but I can't do this without help. I could ask my blog friends to send her a card to cheer her up. I have this vision of a blast of love through card therapy. This is her address if you feel like you would like to help me with this:

Sophie Zegar
Heritage Manor
355 Raymond St.
Elgin, Illinois 60120


Mom is 96 and has a wonderful sense of humor. She loves dogs, children and Jesus. I wish you could meet her; she would make you smile!

I recently posted about my 2012 Word from the Lord: “Obedience.” It is no surprise to me that now I must follow up my words with action and go. I wonder what lessons God has in store for me. I would appreciate any prayers you can whisper for me and my family right now. Thank you from the bottom of my heart!

My 2012 Word

I got four new tires for Christmas. They are beauties. Now I’m safe. I bought my car used in 2005 and the tires were new. After six years of wear, you can imagine the threadbare. You wouldn’t believe how many times I would arrive home and tell Dice that a tire is going flat again; it would be a different tire each time. I never got into my car until I walked all around it checking to see if enough air was still in each tire. Fortunately, when a tire did go flat or almost flat, I was parked somewhere. I was always protected from blowouts on the Interstate. Dice was forever repairing the low tire with slime and driving around afterwards to smooth it out. But even then, the ride to work the next day was bumpy and my gauge never exceeded 60 m.p.h. I drove in the far right lane of the interstate at much lower speeds letting everyone pass me. I got to work every time on a prayer!

I don’t have to do any of this anymore. Dice borrowed my car just before Christmas and bought new tires for it and had them balanced. What a surprise! It’s funny how out of habit, I still check my tires before I get in my car. They are always full and Dice put these colored gadgets on the tires that warn me if I need air. I can go real fast on the interstate, too, keeping up with the best of them! The ride is smooth.

My new tires parallel my spiritual journey this New Year. I asked the Lord for direction like I always do at the end of the year and beginning of a new one. My 2012 word is obedience. At first I didn’t like it, but I’m very sure of it now and it’s growing on me! I balked at first knowing my flesh doesn’t obey well. I'm the queen of excuses when I don’t want to do something! When you do that you end up like a car that has nearly flat tires and you don’t move real fast. You’re slow and pokey. This year my focus will be overcoming the hindrances to obedience. Hindrances remind me of that slime in my tires and the bumpy ride! I want my spiritual journey to be like riding in my car the way it is now with my new tires getting me from one place to the next quickly and with ease and mostly safe and worry free. I’m off to a good start but what really matters is a good finish and that comes from the Holy Spirit’s help to hear and obey every day. God blesses those who obey Him. This is going to be a good year. I’m reaching for those blessings.

Because He Lives, I Can Move...Again

Is there a post you have written in 2011 that received more acclaim than others? You might want to join me in linking to Shanda's the Best of the Best at http://www.shandaoakleyinspires.com/ and repost your gem. The following is my post from back in March, 2011.

Because He Lives, I Can Move

I’m currently in one of those places where you lay out all the options and make the best decision. It seems, however, like none of them are fair or attractive. I know God will help me in my situation and his guidance is what I desire. I’m clinging to His Word which promises that ALL things work together for good for those that love God and are called according to His purpose, Romans 8:28.

I heard a great teaching this week about seeking God’s will and all the freedom it brings. We can know that God is bringing about a victory if we trust Him with each and every decision. The speaker illustrated his point with a painting.

The painting depicts a look of despair on the chess player’s face. He’s playing Satan and his soul is at stake. It looks like Satan is winning. Checkmate! When Paul Morphy saw this painting back in the 1800’s, he set up a chess board and aligned the pieces to reflect the painting. Being a world champion, he studied the board. His conclusion was that this painting should not have been titled “Checkmate.” Morphy found a last move setting the man free!

I’m praising God for Jesus. He defeated Satan when He died on the cross. He is going to show me the winning move and deliver me from checkmate. The game is not over as Satan wants me to think.

Breaking the Fear Barrier

I'm amazed at Mary's courage. She took so many risks when she agreed to be the vessel to birth Jesus and raise Him. The faith of such a young girl astonishes me. When the angel Gabriel foretold the birth of her son Jesus, Mary responded in faith "I am the Lord's servant, may it be to me as you have said." Her bold demeanor stunned her pregnant cousin Elizabeth, who exclaimed in a loud voice: Blessed are you among women, and blessed is the child you will bear! Blessed is she who has believed that what the Lord has said to her will be accomplished!" (Luke 1:3

A similar dialogue occurred in my own kitchen not too long ago as I was preparing to entertain my guests with a favorite meal. My cousin thought that I was courageous to take on house guests and cooking for everybody, confessing that such a task would make her so nervous that she would end up in bed with a three-day headache. She has a lovely home and is a good cook, but she’s too much of a perfectionist. I quickly admitted that although I enjoy impersonating Martha Stewart in my kitchen, I have my areas where my blood pressure rises in fear, too. Put me in heavy traffic in a big city with unfamiliar streets and landmarks and I’m a nervous wreck. You can keep that kind of adventure!

My cousin and I need to be a little more like Mary and Elizabeth. Mary knew the secret, I think. She did not depend on her strength. She submitted to God. It takes no faith to do things that we know how to do. But what kind of faith rises up in us when we have to depend on the Lord to do His will in the midst of our inadequacies? Is it lean faith, no faith or do we say: “Here I am, Lord. May it be done to me according to Your will.” There are no excuses. Am I afraid? I need to do it anyway. I need to do it, even if I do it afraid.

This post connects to On Your Heart Tuesday at A Pause on the Path.

The Gift Exchange

It was last Saturday night when our Life Group from church gathered for a Christmas party and we played the gift exchange game where when it’s your turn, you can take a newly wrapped gift or one that somebody else has already opened. The objective is that you don’t want the person up next to take your gift. You play the gift down so they will have to open up a new wrapped gift and you keep yours! However, I was so surprised when I opened my lovely gift, I just couldn’t act apathetic! In fact, I featured all the qualities of the gift to the group as if it was a sales presentation! You can take the saleslady out of the office, but the sales pitch is still in her!

I may have played the gift game wrong, but I’m playing the Salvation gift right these days of December. And I’ve been busy! I heard a wonderful sermon this season on the reason God sent Jesus to us. It is because God made us a promise and Jesus fulfilled that promise to us in every way. I’ve been on the lookout to see who needs Jesus, who needs to be encouraged, who needs help or prayers, who I haven’t been in enough contact with, who I can pray for that is standing on a scriptural promise that hasn’t manifested yet. Who is in need of healing?

Salvation is a gift. No way am I keeping it to myself!

This post links to Shanda at Pause on the Path featuring On Your Heart Tuesdays

Kids' Perspective

There is nothing sadder in this world than to awake Christmas morning and not be a child.
Erma Bombeck

What do kids think of angels? Here are some thoughts:

I only know the names of two angels, Hark and Harold.
Gregory, age 5

Angels have a lot to do and they keep very busy. If you lose a tooth, an angel comes in through your window and leaves money under your pillow. Then when it gets cold, angels go south for the winter.
-Sara, age 6

Angels work for God and watch over kids when God has to go do something else.
-Mitchell, age 7

My guardian angel helps me with math, but he's not much good for science.
-Henry, age 8

Angels don't eat, but they drink milk from Holy Cows!!!
-Jack, age 6

When an angel gets mad, he takes a deep breath and counts to ten. And when he lets out his breath again, somewhere there's a tornado.
-Reagan, age 10

Angels live in cloud houses made by God and his son, who's a very good carpenter.
-Jared, age 8

Some of the angels are in charge of helping heal sick animals and pets. And if
they don't make the animals get better, they help the child get over it.
- Vicki , age 8

What I don't get about angels is why, when someone is in love, they shoot arrows at them.
-Sarah, age 7

No Well

When the rest of the world entered into the Christmas season last weekend and began singing about Noel, we were without water and we were singing “no well.” Country living is wonderful with its open range and wide spaces scattering homes here and there, but as wonderful as this country lifestyle of ours is, it requires a water well and you never really know when something will go amiss and you end up with no water. I might add that people tend to get feisty when water does not flow! In my predicament, I can thank the Lord for several things as I look back to last weekend.

First, our well stably pumped water on Thanksgiving, allowing us to live uninterrupted lives and entertaining a house guest in comfort who traveled home by the time our well decided to quit. I’m thankful for the showers we enjoyed, the toilets that flushed and the water flowing liberally as we cooked and carved a messy 22 lb. turkey on Thanksgiving Thursday!

Second, I thank God for the grace to enjoy our holiday weekend regardless of our dilemma. We set up our tree and decorated our home like clean, showered people did. We ate out of cans or we used paper plates and cooking was brief giving us more time to watch the Christmas movies on TV and fill up on munchies from disposable bags!

Lastly, once the weekend was over, our well-driller was at our place, Johnny-on-the-spot! I gasped when the grim diagnosis revealed that we needed a new pump. They are pricey! But I’m thanking God and praising Him because we were told that we are still under warranty! All the repairs cost us short of $900, but it could have been worse and twice that amount.

Today I’m thankful for God’s perfect timing. He had His mighty hand on us and on our celebration last Thursday and I’m so grateful! On this Thankful Thursday, I’m thanking Him that He never leaves me and His living water is always available. It never runs dry! He that believeth in me, as the scripture saith: Out of his belly shall flow rivers of living water. John 7:38

Unity: The Best Ingredient

Unity was the best ingredient in our Thanksgiving Dinner Celebration. I have been inspired as I read posts about others' Thanksgiving holiday and decided to write one of my own today.

When I woke on Thanksgiving, it was so dark and cold and quiet in my kitchen, but a pot of coffee and the Word of God warmed my body and my soul. I read Psalm 133 which speaks of unity among family and how pleasing it is to the Lord. It’s like precious oil poured on Aaron’s head and runs down his robes. Imagine being cloaked in unity and the Lord saying He bestows his blessing! This message had a wonderful ring to it and I prayed for unity as the day began. It manifested in most surprising ways!

Our cousin, Wayne, woke up showing me the house slippers he packed because he feels so at home at our house.

Dice woke up early and cooked us a hearty breakfast of bacon, biscuits and gravy.

The guys watched a cooking show after the parade and displayed their research dressing the 22 lb. bird with stuffing and seasoning.






Our daughter and SIL prepared appetizers to ward off our hunger and kept us content through the afternoon.




Me? Well, I read a good book!





Clean up after dinner went fast with everybody so willing to help in the kitchen so that we could eat pie and drink coffee and play “Left, Right, Center.” We are far from a perfect family with our communication gaps, offbeat sense of humors, and typical family issues, but forgiveness and acceptance runs deep in us and for that, I am thanking God for a wonderful holiday weekend.

This post connects to Spiritual Sundays and 30 Days of Thanksgiving/Reflections of His Grace.

This Balm is Divine

If I could package a divine healing balm and wrap it real pretty and tie it with a bow, I would. I would give it out as gifts to all my friends and family who are hurting as we enter the holiday season.

It was last week, in fact, when I came home late in the evening and discovered as I got ready for bed that the left side of my lip was sore and puffy and felt lacerated. I remembered a Christmas gift my good friend and mentor, Helen, gave me years ago so I went into my medicine cabinet to find it: Bag Balm! Helen told me that it always works and heals quickly. I rarely get cold sores or lip sores so I forgot all about the balm. It has amazing properties and just like Helen said, it worked thoroughly and effectively. By morning, my lip was healed.

But there’s a greater healing. For several months now, our Life Group has done an intense study on the Blood of Jesus. His Blood is powerful. It changes people and situations. It restores the prosperous and the poor. It improves circumstances. It is all sufficient. It heals, it helps, it cleanses and it delivers. It can’t be contained in a gift box with a bow, but it’s the greatest gift to give. Likewise, it is the best gift a hurting person can receive. I’m giving it today as I pray for those who phoned me this week for prayer. I’m pleading the Blood of Jesus on the one who is financially strapped, on the one whose spouse wants to leave, and on the one who faces surgery. In fact, I can’t think of anybody who can’t use it. It’s that good of a gift! This Balm is divine and I'm thankful for it.



This post links to Spiritual Sundays hosted by Charlotte.

Random Blessings

Here it is the week before Thanksgiving and excitement is building as I plan my menu, polish the silver, shop for groceries and clean the guest room. But I want to pause and focus on my blessings once again and thank God for them. I’m calling it “random blessings” this week!

I met with my prayer sister yesterday. After lunch at a Mexican restaurant, we sat in the park across the street and enjoyed a beautiful fall day with strong sun and gentle cool breezes. We had a powerful afternoon time of prayer in the crisp outdoors.

It looks like I can possibly close a sale tomorrow. I’m so thankful to be able to have a big sale to work on as the holidays begin. What a way to end the year.

Our Tuesday night “Life Group” has been a great time of fellowship and renewing our minds. We have been discussing the Blood of Jesus focusing specifically on Knowing it, Believing it, Appropriating it and Expecting it. Our group is large; about twenty of us meet in a large home with a huge living room. We've been gathering for months now encouraging one another to put our faith in the Blood knowing what the Blood of Jesus has accomplished, delivered us from and ratified for us. Good stuff!

I love to bake and my daughter dropped by unexpectedly Saturday morning.

We enjoyed a cup of tea together and decided to make cut out, sugar cookies with a new cutter we found in the shape of a Saguaro Cactus. They turned out great! I got a kick out of watching her creative juices flow as she decorated them! We ate a few while watching a Christmas movie on DVD. I posted the recipe here if you are interested.

That’s what’s on my heart this week, my random blessings. I hope you have many as well. I’m linking this post to Shanda’s What’s on Your Heart Tuesdays.