Beep Beep Beep

We interrupt this sightseeing trip to bring you this delightful announcement.

Delightful Announcement

I'm SO excited... I got an award. And what's even more exciting than the award is finding out I have a reader that I didn't know I had! Whoo Hoo!!!! And that means I have a bloggy friend that I didn't know I had. How fun is that? Way way fun!

Melanie, aka "An Uncool Mom" passed the Friendship Award on to me. Thank you, Melanie!
You all need to stop by her blog, Innermost Thoughts of an Uncool Mom (click here) and say hi. She has a nice blog, and be sure to read all the way to the bottom of her page. She has a picture of our new president who, we all know, is way too dependent on the teleprompter. I laughed and laughed, and for the first time, applauded the man. Finally something he does really well!

In acceptance of the award, I say thank you. Like the other awards that gracious bloggers have bestowed to me, I thank God and give Him all honor and glory. I blog for Him.

Now to follow the rules and pass this along to five other friendly bloggers.

“These blogs are exceedingly charming. These kind bloggers aim to find and be friends. They are not interested in self-aggrandizement. Our hope is that when the ribbons of these prizes are cut, even more friendships are propagated. Please give more attention to these writers. Deliver this award to those bloggers who must choose at least 5 more and include this cleverly-written text into the body of their award.”

So, it is my honor to give the Friendship Award to these 5 bloggers:

1. Tricia @ Mundane Musings and Humdrum Happenings because she is one of my daughters and my daughters are my three best friends in this whole wide world. She has a nice blog and some very cute pictures of my perfect grandchildren. Stop on over!

2. Alene has a beautiful blog and ministry to women. She appreciates friendships and recently blogged about it! You'll be blessed from your visit.

3. A man who calls himself Walter Mitty but is sometimes known by his friends as Dave, has an interesting and unique blog--Proverbs 30:2. He gets this award because in real life, he really is a friendly guy! Go see for yourself.

4. Mom's Ministry, and More is a very welcoming, helpful, informative, funny, provoking, encouraging, ... Well you just need to check it out for yourself. Tell Stonefox I said hello.

5. Travis calls himself The Blundering Discoverer. He is a good writer and a Texan. Everyone knows how friendly Texans are! Be sure to visit him and say howdy!

Is it an Award, or is it Tag?

Remember my new friend Sarah? I told you about her in yesterday's post. Well, she passed on this award or tag or a combination of the both. It has rules. Y'all know I'm not always good with rules. But here they are anyway.

The Honest Scrap Award: A) First list 10 honest things about yourself - and make it honest (hence, the award 'Honest Scrap'), even if you have to dig deep!

B) Pass the award on to 8 bloggers that you feel embody the role of the Honest Scrap. (This is an award only to display on your blog that everything you write on it is in truth, sincerity, and integrity.)

Now I don't know exactly what to do. I'm trying to think back and remember if everything I've ever written in every post is the absolute truth. I've been known to exaggerate sometimes, if I think of something funny. But for the most part, I am a truthful person. Do I accept the award or decline?

If it is a tag, then I can play tag, but to follow the rules and pass it along to 8 other bloggers I find difficult to do. I don't follow that many blogs and I'm afraid that they might get sick of me always tagging them. And I don't want to make them want to run away when they see me coming.

So, here's what I'll do. I'll let you know 10 more honest things about myself, but I will skip the tagging. If you stop by here and see this post as inspiration and want to get tagged, then grab the award and run with it! If you'd just as soon your readers not know honest scrap about you, then leave it alone. How's that?

Okay, honest scrap. Let me see...

1. I started going gray at the tender age of 25. My hubby doesn't particularly like my silver strands and he likes for me to get my hair color out of a bottle. So, that's what I do. But the honest scrap is...my roots are salt and pepper.

2. Day after day I don't see very many people or talk to anybody except my kids or my mom. (On the phone) So when I get around people I have a tendency to talk too much. That's the honest scrap.

3. I love my husband more than words can describe. But the honest scrap is, some days (and they are very few) I don't like him very much. But that's okay because some days he feels the same about me. (I'm not always a sweet nice person.) That's how marriage is sometimes. I'm glad that love conquers all.

4. Sometimes my arms ache to hold my grandchildren and hug my children. Honest mommy scrap.

5. My thumbs hurt. I guess I'm getting old. Opening jars has turned from a thoughtless action into a major ordeal. That's OLD honest scrap.

6. I might, statistically, be un-churched. Our on-the-road living and working rarely allows us to go to church. That makes me sad. But thankfully the Holy Spirit doesn't live in a brick building with stained glass windows. That makes me glad. Honest trying-not-to-backslide scrap.

7. I've told you this before, but I HATE washing dishes. I wish I could just throw dirty dishes, pots, pans and all, out the window after every meal. Honest lazy scrap.

8. I'm not scared of dying, but I'm not crazy about the dying process. I want to go instantly. Morbidly honest scrap.

9. I love my kids more than life itself. They are all my "favorite." Sometimes they frustrate me, but that doesn't change how I feel about them. More honest mommy scrap.

10. I'm tired of trying to think of honest things about myself. Not that honesty is a problem. It's just that I've got other things I need to be doing. Like vacuuming the floor. That's real life honest scrap!

If you pick up this award, let me know so I can read your honest scrap too!

Say Cheese! I'm Pleased!

There is a sweet gal named Sarah blogging about her family, her Bible study, and just life in general. She's got a beautiful design and a heart focused on God. God may not be finished with her yet, but He's done a great job with her so far. Please take a few minutes to click over and visit her.

Sarah has blessed me with a photography award. I'm honored! I'm not sure I deserve an award, I just get snap happy from time to time. I don't know anything about lighting or shutter speeds or f stops or anything like that. I've got a middle of the line camera that is great for dummies. It's obviously smarter than I am, and it takes great pictures. Sarah, I'm glad you've enjoyed them.

I've tried to label a few of my posts. I'm slowly but surly trying to get them all labeled, but if any of you want to see more of my pictures, you can find the label in my side bar. If you click on "Photos" it will take you to the posts that I've gotten labeled. There are probably still some with photos that I've not labeled, so check back again some other day--maybe I'll get more done.

I've got a few photos that are my favorites, but I'd like to know your favorites. So if you have time and want to go back and enjoy some of my older posts, make a note of your favorite photos and let me know. Thanks.

Now, like the Lemonade Award that Ida passed on to me, I place this one at the feet of Jesus because as I think about all my favorite photos, I realize that the subject matter of each of them is something beautiful that God has allowed me to see or be a part of. It's all because of Him, so it shall be all for Him. For His glory I write and for His glory I capture and post pictures. If people who stop by here find pleasure or joy from what they see, then I'm blessed. I'm pleased.

Thanks again Sarah! Say "Cheese!"

Applause, Applause, Applause

Thank you. Thank you. Thank you very much!

I am happy to accept this award from Ida over at Losing Myself. What an honor it is to be chosen one of ten people she knows.

I mean, one of ten people she knows who tries to make the best of every one of life's challenges.

Ida has passed this blogging award on to some folks who she thinks shows gratitude or a good attitude from, "If life hands you lemons, make lemonade!"

Seriously, I'm honored and humbled. Thank you Ida!

I guess I've had a few of life's lemons, but God has been very, VERY good to me. I think about what I deserve, (which is nothing better than the fires of hell) then I try to wrap my mind around all the ways God has blessed me, and all I can do is quiver and cry.

Someday I will stand in the presence of Jesus Christ, and if I have earned any reward, if there be any crown upon my head, I will take it off and lay it at His feet, for He is the reason and the power, and the strength, and the ability...behind every good thing I have ever done, am doing or will ever do. I don't know if He accepts blogging awards, but if He does, a glass of lemonade will go at His feet as well.

Now the rules of the award say that I need to pass it along to ten other people. Humm, let me see...

I know AT LEAST ten people who deserve it, but not all of them have blogs. So here is what I'm going to do.

I'm going to start slowly and award it to a couple of bloggers I think deserve this award. Then, as I come across or think of others, I'll have a place on my sidebar where you can find links to their blogs. And I'll keep after it until I come up with ten. How dose that sound?

I don't know these people personally, but I have read their blogs and what I have seen there prompts me to pass along this award. May God bless each of them for their inspiration to us all.

First, I'd like to award Sharon over at The Old Oak Swing the Lemonade Award. This woman is in the middle of a big basket of lemons. She could use your prayers. I am amazed every day at how her attitude remains so sweet in the midst of her trials.

Secondly, I think the Lemonade Award should go to Richard and Jennifer at Surviving Life's Curveballs. Grab a box of Kleenex before you click on this link. I can't imagine (don't want to imagine) the pain this couple has experienced. Only God could put smiles back on their faces.

Thank you both for inspiring and encouraging me through your blogs. May God continue to heal and bless.
Thanks again Ida.