World With Octobers/Missouri-Made Mondays

It's been a beautiful October weekend here in central Missouri. Just look what I opened my truck door out into.......

If only we could bottle this up.

Love this time of year!

Also love the fall colors as you will see in this latest kitchen helper.

Stop by Katy Trail Creations on Etsy for other great Missouri-Made items!

Power in the Blood

Power in physics equals the rate of doing work. So while I think I do pretty good "powerful" work in my day job, there are many areas I lack "power". Here's a couple for sure:

• After 3 knee surgeries including one broken knee cap in the mix,

 I. Can't. Run.                            No Power there

• Pulling an all-nighter these days would be a Big FAIL.

On the positive side:

• Having enough power to do this A to Z challenge has been time-consuming, but do-able. Feeling some power as I made it this far for a 2nd year. Yay to me :)

•  I probably appear powerful to a child  when I can reach up high (even though I'm pretty short)
• And when a child runs to me for a hug, they feel powerful hugging as tight as they can.      Love that!!!

Most of the time we don't strive for power. We just use powerful means to help each other out. Like the times a family member or friend suffers health issues. Seeing and experiencing these hold us powerless many times (we initially think.) But what we learn is that by encouraging them and doing our part, we give them comfort, hope and time to regain their own Power.

 

Yep, another Bible Verse:

Isaiah 40:31

But those who hope in the LORD will renew their strength. They will soar on wings like eagles; they will run and not grow weary, they will walk and not be faint.     

Check out some other A to Z blogs Here

 

Only Trust Him

*Photos courtesy of Pinterest*

Have you ever Googled "Only" and looked at the images? I did and it's amazing how we use only as an exclusion.

 

"Only One"

"Only Today"

"For Teachers Only"

"Adults Only"

"Authorized Personnel Only"

"Ladies Only"

"For your eyes Only"

 

 

But to "Only Trust Him", it's more of a simple request. It's all you have to do and there are no exclusions. Everyone is included.

The song lyrics invites "every soul". By only trusting, He has rich blessings to bestow.

Trust is another word for Faith.

Explained in Hebrews 11:1 , "Now faith is the assurance of things hoped for, the conviction of things not seen."

It's a hard concept for most of us these days. Too many have hurts and disappointments and hold back trying to Only Trust Him. The Bible never once says, "figure it out." But over and over it says "Trust God".

He's already got it all figured out.


Check out some other A to Z blogs Here

Jesu Joy of Man's Desiring

J  = Joy
E  = Elation
S  = Salvation
U  = Use
S  =  Safe

Joy in your life is tenfold when you accept Jesus into it.

Elation  is the feeling of wanting to tell the world your discovery of His love.

Salvation Can only be found in Him.

Use He will use you to bring blessings to others

Safe
Psalm 91:11  For He will command his angels concerning you to guard you in all your ways


Special thanks to Moonlight 10 Photography for permission to use his awesome photos in my slideshow! Check out his web pages Here:

http://moonlight10photography.com/

And Here:

 

https://www.facebook.com/Moonlight10Photography/photos_stream

Check out some other A to Z blogs Here



 



The Day After

Our family tradition continued last night at the Annual Hunter Family White Elephant Party. 2014 was no different as we had our usual shenanigans. There were those who we missed as always and hope to see them next year. But I have to say "thank you" for not spilling the beans last night on Facebook. More on that in a bit....
There were the "gifts"

Some were "R" rated and so we'll just say I was fortunate enough to have the "family friendly" gift of the evening. Here you see the Tissue Cover Barbie Couch. Accompanying this fabulous item was a clock with various grains imbedded in it. Just Lovely Michelle :)

We had a card exchange, cookie exchange, and a fabulous pot luck meal. Loved Ashley's cream cheese corn and glad she told me the recipe. Gonna try that one!

The game of the evening was provided by Bob & Maybelle with their Cookie Bowl Roulette. I dubbed it Roulette but it was actually how a White Elephant party is supposed to work. First we all get a number and take a turn picking out a gift from some choices they provided. After that, anyone can 'steal' your item if they think it's better than yours. Apparently I have good taste, because my choice became the HoT PoTaTo of the evening.

I had it

But lost it. I think nearly everyone tried their best to keep it.

 



But my daughter, Rachel triumphed in the end. She was pretty excited about that!
(So was I actually)

Sorry to those who were plotting a "strategy". Better luck again next year.

Now for the More on that in a bit part.

 

We're a fairly versatile group of adults.

Retirees

College Students

A High School Senior

Business Owners

Skilled Professionals

Blue Collar Workers

 

Real Salt of the Earth Family.

No Fakes here

 

When I asked them to all wear the "Find A Cure For Isaiah" bracelets, they didn't let me down.

We are uplifting him and his family in our "Pound It" photo here.

We're definitely not a group to sit around a camp fire singing 'Kumbaya',

but we are giving in prayers, goodness and actions.

We hope that you'll take a minute or two to read about Isaiah and get to know him through the world of the Internet.

Vanishing White Matter Disease

He also made the New York Daily News

Going National/ Next step World Wide

Please take a minute in your day to spread some prayer, information or your support for this disease.

Isaiah's journey is one to make us all stop and bring us all together this Holiday Season and beyond.

Adding a blurry picture here of Isaiah's mom (center).

We're standing in the rain at the Lee Summit train depot but I promised to share this one.

Rachel and Emily are responsible for the bracelets.

Proud of you girls!!

Ephesians 4:2

Be completely humble and gentle; be patient, bearing with one another in love.

 

Merry Christmas from the Hunter family to yours!

 



 

Life is Too Short

Feelings that can come to pass when you have been singled out by your family.

1. Despair: "Finally, brethren, whatever is true, whatever is honorable, whatever is right, whatever is pure, whatever is lovely, whatever is of good repute, if there is any excellence and if anything worthy of praise, dwell on these things."
   Philippians 4:8
2. Anger: "Do not be eager in your heart to be angry, For anger resides in the bosom of fools."
   Ecclesiastes 7:9
3. Depression: "Do not fear, for I am with you; do not anxiously look about you, for I am your God. I will strengthen you, surely I will help you, surely I will uphold you with My righteous right hand."
   Isaiah 41:10
4. Grief: "Casting all your anxiety on Him, because He cares for you."
   1 Peter 5:7

 Yesterday at a local craft show while attending my booth there came along a lady who was reminiscing of yesteryear as she tasted the goodies from the booth next to ours. She described in great detail the recipes of her grandmother who was an immigrant of Austria and how it was rumored she was held for some time by the Royalty there for her great talent of baking and finally allowed to come to America. Great stuff. A story to be very proud of.

I said as much and said I hoped she had those wonderful recipes. The next thing I know she's telling me she is estranged from her sisters who have the book of recipes her grandmother had written them all down in and who won't allow her even copies of the recipes. Or copies of family photos. They won't even speak.

She was in tears slowly telling me more and more about wrongs of her siblings towards her and she was unaware of why they treated her this way. She talked about her brother near death but recovered and hearing about it from a family friend.

She offered her help in a family member's time of need and was firmly refused; given excuses that seemed sensible at the time, but revealed later by another friend as just another part of her alienation.

The story went on and on for about 45 minutes.
Ron, sitting there, was totally convinced we knew each other. I never learned her name.

We've all been in situations where someone is mad at us. My theory after losing my father at a young age:

Life Is Too Short

 





I'm not here to preach about wrongs and rights. Only about feelings.
During this upcoming holiday season, if you can lend an ear to someone, do it.

We all have struggles.

We all have been wronged.

We all feel pain.

And we all have the ability to lend some human spirit of caring to someone.

Pass It On.