SunflowerMommy

~Update~

Well, since the last time we talked, which it has been way too long, I’ve had a lot going on.  The family tree is coming along great.  Sometimes it can be very frustrating, but I believe the rewards far out way the frustrations.

I’ve been to the library a few times and found some news there.  Next, when it cools off, I am planning to visit some of the grave sites.  Genealogists say that always helps.  I also need to get in touch with some of the counties and let them know how they’re typing mistakes cost me a lot of my time as well.  If only they had me do it, there would not be any mistakes.  LOL!

I am researching three families, my paternal great grandmother’s maiden name, my paternal grandmother’s maiden name, and of course, my maiden name {Thank you Dad, for the great name and family traits}.  It is very interesting.  So far, I have nine generations of one, eight of another and eleven of another.  The one with eleven generations, dates back to 1735 A.D.  And, the eleventh generation is my beautiful grand daughter, Madison, the first of the generation.

Isn’t funny how sometimes things are brought to life?  Like, I am very blessed.  Both my dad and mom were the first born of their generation, I was the first of mine, my daughter was the first of hers, and her daughter was the first of hers.  That is something that I am really proud of.  And before you ask, no, I wasn’t spoiled.  I had nice things and food in my mouth, a roof over my head, but more importantly, I had, and still have family values.  Every weekend, we’d go see family when I was growing up.  And dad didn’t care (or didn’t show it) if we didn’t have enough money for gas, or if he was too tired from working.  He wanted to instill in us the value that families are to one another.

I can still smell the fresh out of the garden green beans my grandmother grew, picked and cooked~with love and pride.  Or, fried okra.  Yummo!

So, I want to know where the values went?  I go see my family every chance I get, whether it’s the weekday or weekend.  And yes, I must admit, I’d love to see them a lot more.

Well, I guess I am getting off track about the family tree.  Just know, all my Face Book friends and family, that I am still here, I have not forgotten you.  I just found a big challenge that’s taking all of my brain cells to complete.  And it ain’t over, til it’s over.

~Cheers~

~Favorite Emails III~

These are some of my favorite emails and quotes.  I am NOT the author of these and do not intend to use them to be published. They are only for fun.

Bank Account

I have just deposited

love and blessings into your bank account

And the best part is that it will cost you nothing

I ask that you ust use it in abundance

Your pin number is J~E~S~U~S

*Important Notice*

If you lose your pin, you lose everything

Make a deposit in someone else’s account today!

May your troubles be less

Your blessings be more

and nothing but happiness

come through your door

~Projects~

I am working on a lot of projects these days.  Continuing my writing is first and foremost in the mornings when my thoughts are fresh.  Once I start cleaning, my mind is no longer focused on words.  Everyone is still asleep at that time as well, so the house is so very quiet, you can hear a pin drop.

We are also trying to find a home to purchase here in Texas.  I am tired of paying rent on something, just throwing our money out the window, making someone else rich.  It is very hard to find just the right one that talks to you when you walk in the door.  Owning one in NC still, I am finding that I am trying to find one as good as or better than that.  I think I must quit doing that, nothing compares.

A filing system is a must with owning our own business.  There are receipts to file, records to keep on the big rigs’ maintenance and break downs.  I did a database, but there is just so much to keep up with, that the database is overloaded.  There are lots of blank cells, because sometimes there is only one time a certain thing happens.  Plus, there must be dates, in case the IRS wants to know.

I am also working on a family tree, all the way back to my great great grandfather, Mr. Jesse James Allen.  I am almost finished, thanks to my dad, but can’t complete until my other project is finished.  That project is a family reunion.  I’d like to do that sometime in October, when it’s cooler outside.

As far as I know, besides packing boxes, just in case we find a home that I can relate to, that is all for now that I can think of that needs to be done.  With exception to the daily house cleaning and cooking.  Well, diary, I must go file papers now and pay bills.  Until next time…

~Favorite Emails II~

These are some of my favorite emails and quotes.  I am NOT the author of these and do not intend to use them to be published. They are only for fun.

A PENCIL MAKER TOLD THE PENCIL 5 IMPORTANT LESSONS JUST BEFORE PUTTING IT IN THE BOX :

UNSATISFIED HUSBAND
A man was sick and tired of
going to work every day while his wife stayed home….
He wanted her to see what he went through so he prayed:
‘Dear Lord: I go to work every day and put in 8 hours while my wife
merely stays at home. I want her to know what I go through.
So, please allow her body to switch with mine for a day. Amen!’
God, in his infinite wisdom, granted the man’s wish.
The next morning, sure enough, the man awoke as a woman.
He arose, cooked breakfast for his mate,
Awakened the kids, set out their school clothes,
fed them breakfast, packed their lunches,
drove them to school, came home and picked up the dry cleaning,
took it to the cleaners and stopped at the bank to make a deposit.
Went grocery shopping, then drove home to put away the groceries,
paid the bills and balanced the checkbook.
He cleaned the cat’s litter box and bathed the dog.
Then, it was already 1 PM. And he hurried to make the beds,
Do the laundry, vacuum, dust, and sweep and mop the kitchen floor!
Ran to the school to pick up the kids and got into an
argument with them on the way home. Set out milk and cookies and
got the kids organized to do their homework.
Then, setup the ironing board and watched TV while he did the ironing.
At 4:30 he began peeling potatoes and washing vegetables for salad,
breaded the pork chops and snapped fresh beans for supper. After supper,
he cleaned the kitchen, ran the dishwasher, folded laundry, bathed the kids,
and put them to bed. At 9 P.M., he was exhausted and, though his daily chores
weren’t finished, he went to bed where he was expected to make love,
which he managed to get through without complaint. The next morning,
he awoke and immediately knelt by the bed and said: ‘Lord, I don’t know what
I was thinking. I was so wrong to envy my wife’s being able to stay home all day.
Please, oh! Oh! Please, let us trade back. Amen!’ The Lord, in his infinite wisdom,
replied: ‘My son, I feel you have learned your lesson and I will be happy to change
things back to the way they were. You’ll just have to wait nine months, though.
You got pregnant last night.’

~Favorite Emails~

These are some of my favorite emails and quotes.  I am NOT the author of these and do not intend to use them to be published. They are only for fun.

Life cannot be measured by the breaths we take, but by the moments that take our breath away

I am thankful that in God’s design, He planned it so your path crossed mine!

“Don’t grumble because you don’t have what you want–be thankful you don’t get what you deserve.”~Evangelist Paul Forrest

I live in my own little world. But it’s OK…They know me Here!

Life is too short for drama & petty things, so kiss slowly, laugh insanely, Love truly and forgive quickly

I would rather live my life as if there is a God and die

to find out there isn’t, than live my life as if there

isn’t and die to find out there is.

“The shortest distance between a problem and a solution

is the distance between your knees & the floor.”

“Life may not be the party we hoped for, but while we are here we might as well dance.”

“Life isn’t about waiting for the storm to pass. It’s about learning to dance in the rain.”

“If you can read this, thank a teacher -and, since it’s in English, thank a soldier.”

KIDS IN CHURCH 
3-year-old :
‘Our Father, Who does art in heaven,
Harold is His name.
Amen.’
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
A little boy was overheard praying:
‘Lord, if you can’t make me a better boy, don’t worry about it.
I’m having a real good time like I am.’
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

After the christening of his baby brother in church,
Jason sobbed all the way home in the back seat of the car.
His father asked him three times what was wrong.
Finally, the boy replied,
‘That preacher said he wanted us brought up in a Christian home,
and I wanted to stay with you guys.’

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

One particular four-year-old prayed,
‘And forgive us our trash baskets
as we forgive those who put trash in our baskets.’

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

A Sunday school teacher asked her children as they
were on the way to church service,
‘And why is it necessary to be quiet in church?’
One bright little girl replied,
‘Because people are sleeping.’

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

A mother was preparing pancakes for her sons, Kevin 5, and Ryan 3
The boys began to argue over who would get the first pancake.
Their mother saw the opportunity for a moral lesson.
‘If Jesus were sitting here, He would say,
‘Let my brother have the first pancake, I can wait.’
Kevin turned to his younger brother and said,
‘ Ryan , you be Jesus !’

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

A father was at the beach with his children
when the four-year-old son ran up to him,
grabbed his hand, and led him to the shore
where a seagull lay dead in the sand..
‘Daddy, what happened to him?’ the son asked.
‘He died and went to Heaven,’ the Dad replied.
The boy thought a moment and then said,
‘Did God throw him back down?’

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

A wife invited some people to dinner.
At the table, she turned to their six-year-old daughter and said,
‘Would you like to say the blessing?’
‘I wouldn’t know what to say,’ the girl replied.
‘Just say what you hear Mommy say,’ the wife answered.
The daughter bowed her head and said,
‘Lord, why on earth did I invite all these people to dinner ?’

DON’T MESS WITH MOM!

My son came home from school one day,
with a smirk upon his face.
He decided he was smart enough,
to put me in my place.

“Guess what I learned in Civics Two,
that’s taught by Mr. Wright,
It’s all about the laws today,
The ‘Children’s Bill of Rights.’

It says I need not clean my room,
don’t have to cut my hair
No one can tell me what to think,
or speak, or what to wear.

I have freedom from religion,
and regardless what you say,
I don’t have to bow my head,
and I sure don’t have to pray.

I can wear earrings if I want,
and pierce my tongue & nose.
I can read & watch just what I like,
get tattoos from head to toe.

And if you ever spank me,
I’ll charge you with a crime.
I’ll back up all my charges,
with the marks on my behind.

Don’t you ever touch me,
my body’s only for my use,
not for your hugs and kisses,
that’s just more child abuse.

Don’t preach about your morals,
like your Mama did to you.
That’s nothing more than mind control,
and it’s illegal too!

Mom, I have these children’s rights,
so you can’t influence me,
or I’ll call Children’s Services Division,
better known as C.S.D.”

Of course my first instinct was
to toss him out the door.
But the chance to teach him a lesson
made me think a little more.

I mulled it over carefully,
I couldn’t let this go.
A smile crept upon my face,
he’s messing with a pro.

Next day I took him shopping
at the local Goodwill Store.
I told him, “Pick out all you want,
there’s shirts & pants galore.

I’ve called and checked with C.S.D.
who said they didn’t care
if I bought you K-Mart shoes
instead of those Nike Airs.

I’ve canceled that appointment
to take your driver’s test.
The C.S.D. is unconcerned
so I’ll decide what’s best.”

I said “No time to stop and eat,
or pick up stuff to munch.
And tomorrow you can start to learn
to make your own sack lunch.

Just save the raging appetite,
and wait till dinner time.
We’re having liver and onions,
a favorite dish of mine.”

He asked “Can I please rent a movie,
to watch on my VCR?”
“Sorry, but I sold your TV,
for new tires on my car

I also rented out your room,
you’ll take the couch instead.
The C.S.D. requires
just a roof over your head.

Your clothing won’t be trendy now,
I’ll choose what we eat.
That allowance that you used to get,
will buy me something neat.

I’m selling off your jet ski,
dirt-bike & roller blades.
Check out the ‘Parents Bill of Rights’,
It’s in effect today!

Hey hot shot, are you crying,
Why are you on your knees?
Are you asking God to help you out,
instead of C.S.D.?”

RECALL NOTICE
The Maker of all human beings is recalling all
units manufactured, regardless of make or year, due
to a serious defect in the primary and central
component of the heart.

This is due to a malfunction in the original
prototype units code named Adam and Eve, resulting
in the reproduction of the same defect in all
subsequent units.

This defect has been technically termed
“Subsequential Internal Non-Morality,” or more
commonly known as S.I.N., as it is primarily
expressed.

Some other symptoms include:
1. Loss of direction
2. Foul vocal emissions
3. Amnesia of origin
4. Lack of peace and joy
5. Selfish or violent behavior
6. Depression or confusion in the mental
Component
7. Fearfulness
8. Idolatry
9. Rebellion

The Manufacturer, who is neither liable nor at
fault for this defect, is providing
factory-authorized repair and service free of charge
to correct this SIN defect. The Repair Technician,
Jesus, has most generously offered to bear the
entire burden of the staggering cost of these
repairs. There is no additional fee required.

The number to call for repair in all areas is:
P-R-A-Y-E-R.

Once connected, please upload your burden of
SIN through the REPENTANCE procedure. Next, download
ATONEMENT from the Repair Technician, Jesus, into
the heart component.

No matter how big or small the SIN defect is,
Jesus will replace it with:
1. Love
2. Joy
3. Peace
4. Patience
5. Kindness
6. Goodness
7. Faithfulness
8. Gentleness
9. Self control

Please see the operating manual, the B.I.B.L.E.
(Believers’ Instructions Before Leaving Earth) for
further details on the use of these fixes.

WARNING: Continuing to operate the human being
unit without correction voids any manufacturer
warranties, exposing the unit to dangers and
problems too numerous to list and will result in the
human unit being permanently impounded.

DANGER: The human being units not responding to
this recall action will have to be scrapped in the
furnace. The SIN defect will not be permitted to
enter Heaven so as to prevent contamination of that
facility.

Thank you for your attention.

~GOD~

Please assist where possible by notifying others
of this important recall notice, and you may contact
the Father any time by “kneemail”.

Prescribed by the Great Physician
*****************************

The next time you feel like GOD can’t use you, just remember…
Noah was a drunk
Abraham was too old
Isaac was a daydreamer
Jacob was a liar
Leah was ugly
Joseph was abused
Moses had a stuttering problem
Gideon was afraid
Samson had long hair and was a womanizer
Rahab was a prostitute
Jeremiah and Timothy were too young
David had an affair and was a murderer
Elijah was suicidal
Isaiah preached naked
Jonah ran from God
Naomi was a widow
Job went bankrupt
Peter denied Christ
The Disciples fell asleep while praying
Martha worried about everything
The Samaritan woman was divorced, more than once
Zaccheus was too small
Paul was too religious
Timothy had an ulcer..AND
Lazarus was dead!

Now! No more excuses!
God can use you to your full potential.
Besides you aren’t the message, you are just the messenger.
And one more thing…Share this with a friend or two…
In the Circle of God’s love, God’s waiting to use your full potential.

1. God wants spiritual fruit, not religious nuts.

2. Dear God, I have a problem, it’s Me.

3. Growing old is inevitable .. growing UP is optional.

4. There is no key to happiness. The door is always open.

5. Silence is often misinterpreted but never misquoted.

6. Do the math .. count your blessings.

7. Faith is the ability to not panic.

8. Laugh every day, it’s like inner jogging.

9. If you worry, you didn’t pray . If you prayed, don’t worry.

10. As a child of God, prayer is kind of like calling home everyday.

11. Blessed are the flexible for they shall not be bent out of shape.

12. The most important things in your house are the people.

13. When we get tangled up in our problems, be still.
God wants us to be still so He can untangle the knot.

14. A grudge is a heavy thing to carry.

15. He who dies with the most toys is still dead.

 Have a great day!!! The SON is shining and He can certainly use you!

Christian One Liners
*+*+*+*+*+*+*+*+*+*+*+*+*+*+*
Don’t let your worries get the
best of you;  remember, Moses started
out as a basket case.
*+*+*+*+*+*+*+*+*+*+*+*+*+*+*
Some people are kind, polite, and sweet-spirited
until you try to sit in their pews.
*+*+*+*+*+*+*+*+*+*+*+*+*+*+*
Many folks want to serve God, but only as advisors.
*+*+*+*+*+*+*+*+*+*+*+*+*+*+*
It is easier to preach ten sermons than it is to live one.
*+*+*+*+*+*+*+*+*+*+*+*+*+*+*
The good Lord didn’t create anything
without a purpose, but mosquitoes come close.
*+*+*+*+*+*+*+*+*+*+*+*+*+*+*
When! you get to your wit’s end,  you’ll find God lives there.
*+*+*+*+*+*+*+*+*+*+*+*+*+*+*
People are funny;  they want the
front of the bus, the middle of the road, and the back of the church.
*+*+*+*+*+*+*+*+*+*+*+*+*+*+*
Opportunity may knock once, but temptation
bangs on your front door forever.
*+*+*+*+*+*+*+*+*+*+*+*+*+*+*
Quit griping about your
church;  if it was perfect,  you couldn’t belong.
*+*+*+*+*+*+*+*+*+*+*+*+*+*+*
If the church wants a
better pastor, it only needs to pray for the one it has.
*+*+*+*+*+*+*+*+*+*+*+*+*+*+*
God Himself does not propose
to judge a man until he is dead.  So why should you?

*+*+*+*+*+*+*+*+*+*+*+*+*+*

Some minds are like concrete
thoroughly mixed up and permanently set.
*+*+*+*+*+*+*+*+*+*+*+*+*+*+*
Peace starts with a smile.
*+*+*+*+*+*+*+*+*+*+*+*+*+*+*
I don’t know why some people
change churches;  what difference does
it make which one you stay home from?!
*+*+*+*+*+*+*+*+*+*+*+*+*+*+*
A lot of church members who
are singing “Standing on the Promises” are just sitting on the premises.
*+*+*+*+*+*+*+*+*+*+*+*+*+*+*
We were called to be witnesses, not lawyers or judges.
*+*+*+*+*+*+*+*+*+*+*+*+*+*+*
Be ye fishers of men.  You catch them – He’ll clean them.
*+*+*+*+*+*+*+*+*+*+*+*+*+*+*
Coincidence is when God chooses to remain anonymous.
*+*+*+*+*+*+*+*+*+*+*+*+*+*+*
Don’t put! a question mark where God put a period.
*+*+*+*+*+*+*+*+*+*+*+*+*+*+*

Don’t wait for 6 strong men to take you to church.
*+*+*+*+*+*+*+*+*+*+*+*+*+*+*
Forbidden fruits create many jams.
*+*+*+*+*+*+*+*+*+*+*+*+*+*+*
God doesn’t call the qualified, He qualifies the called.
*+*+*+*+*+*+*+*+*+*+*+*+*+*+*
God grades on the cross, not the curve.
*+*+*+*+*+*+*+*+*+*+*+*+*+*+*

God loves everyone, but probably prefers
“fruits of the spirit” over “religious nuts!”
*+*+*+*+*+*+*+*+*+*+*+*+*+*+*
God promises a safe landing, not a calm passage.
*+*+*+*+*+*+*+*+*+*+*+*+*+*+*
He who angers you, controls you!
*+*+*+*+*+*+*+*+*+*+*+*+*+*+*
If God is your Co-pilot – swap seats!
*+*+*+*+*+*+*+*+*+*+*+*+*+*+*
Prayer:
Don’t give God instructions — just report for duty!
*+*+*+*+*+*+*+*+*+*+*+*+*+*+*
The task ahead of us is never as
great as the Power behind us.
*+*+*+*+*+*+*+*+*+*+*+*+*+*+*

The Will of God never takes you to
where the Grace of God will not protect you.
*+*+*+*+*+*+*+*+*+*+*+*+*+*+*
We don’t change the message, the message changes us.
*+*+*+*+*+*+*+*+*+*+*+*+*+*+*
You can tell how big a person
is by what it takes to……….discourage! him.
*+*+*+*+*+*+*+*+*+*+*+*+*+*+*
The best mathematical equation I have ever seen:
1 cross + 3 nails= 4 given.

“When you re-read a classic, you do not see in the book more than you did before.

You see more in you than there was before.” ~~Clifton Paul Fadiman

“Have you read my #1 bestseller?  There will be a test.” ~God

~Jesus & The Mud Puddle~

~Unexplained Perceptions~

~FOR MY SISTER~
I was always told that I inherited it from my maternal grandmother.  A special intuition.  Nanny always knew when something wasn’t quite right.  Especially with those she loved most.  She said she got it from her mother.  She also always knew how and when she would leave this Earth to be an angel in Heaven, then on to being my own angel.
I was never sure I had it, only what other family members told me.  Why I listened to it one Friday night, I’ll never know.  But I heard it, loud and clear.

Whether I wanted to or not.  At first it was one of the scariest feelings I’ve ever had.
It was getting late so I cleaned the kitchen to get ready for bed.  I had a busy day cleaning house the next day, so I wanted to retire early.  I was rinsing the dishes preparing to put them in the dishwasher when it happened.  The most dreadful dizzy spell I’ve ever encountered.  I had to hold on to the sink to keep from falling.  It passed until a couple of minutes later.  Then came another.  Moments had passed, it didn’t happen again, so I went about my business.  Then I got the call.  The call that would change my younger sisters life forever.

The call that would change our relationship forever, in a better way.

Mom said my sister’s husband was involved in a motorcycle accident.  Living 1,400 miles away, I couldn’t go to her.  In the meantime, waiting for word of any kind was making me feel like everything was in slow motion.

When I finally found out what happened, I was so afraid for my sister.  They said someone pulled out in front of him, turning illegally and driving without insurance.  My sister’s husband never knew what hit him.  He never regained consciousness.  He slammed into the side of the car and landed face first onto the pavement.

The doctors worked for hours keeping him alive with life support.  In the time it takes to get the results of a very important x-ray and then read it, they said there was no hope.  There was irreversible brain damage, numerous internal injuries and a broken neck.  My sister had to make the toughest decision of her life.  She knew he wouldn’t want to live that way so they turned off the machines.  About ten minutes later, he was gone.

That night and for the next week, I sensed everything my sister felt.  My heart was empty, I felt her suffering, and every time she cried.  Sleep was interrupted every single night.  My stomach growled because she was hungry.  Many times I had to call her and tell her to eat because we were hungry.  Sometimes crawling into a shell and living there was something to consider instead of dealing with the hurt.  I was totally worn out because of all of the preparing and the errands that she had to do.
I told my sister that I couldn’t fly to be with her, but that I would be there with her in spirit, hoping it would ease her pain just a little.  Little did she realize, it was the truth.  I was there all the way except physically.

Now that everything has somewhat gotten back to normal, as much as it can, I’m not scared of these feelings.  I now feel the biggest blessing I’ve ever received is the new and improved bond with my sister that shall never be broken.
I’m blessed with my nanny’s sight and know that twins are not the only siblings to share a soul.

Note:  No names are given to protect the innocent and the guilty.
©Copyright:  Shana Allen Kimbrell, September 2006

~Cruising For Control~

Has anyone told you that engaging the cruise control when road conditions are slippery can be very dangerous?

There is a summer rainstorm brewing, and it’s coming fast. Sheets of rain create steam as they pound on the hot pavement and flood the concrete. You think you are driving at safe speed, along with the other cars. The traffic is very heavy. Your windshield wipers are dancing full blast, but the rain is so hard that they aren’t helping much.

Suddenly your vehicle starts gliding through the air like an airplane. You have lost control. You are very scared but know that you must not panic. The traffic has backed away to give you the room you need to get control of your vehicle. You are feeling really bad because you are holding other drivers up and they are responding by laying on the horns.

You are now pointed towards the concrete median in the middle of the highway towards oncoming traffic. You quickly swerve to keep from pounding into the barrier to save your vehicle and possibly your life. This turns into a spin out, twirling your vehicle around three times. All you can do is turn the steering wheel in the direction your vehicle is going.

At last, you stop spinning. For a split second, you sigh with relief. Then, it begins again. You start flying on top of the water, this time heading in the opposite direction, dodging the cars that are trying to stay out of your way. Somehow, you manage to keep from hitting them. You are spinning uncontrollably and suddenly find yourself heading straight for the center of an eighteen-wheeler’s trailer. You are thinking this is not going to be pretty, and the truck is going to drag you under it until it has a chance to stop, if he sees you in time. You suddenly jerk the wheel away from the truck and then spin around three more times before slamming head on into the concrete barrier where it all began.

The horn on the vehicle is blasting because of the impact of the crash, and the two front airbags are spitting this revolting gas called nitrogen. Nitrogen is the very gas that makes up 80% of the air we breath everyday.

When finally getting your wits about you, you wonder how this happened, Then you think back and ask yourself if you could have done anything differently. You suddenly remember that you were really nervous driving in the pouring rain, so you thought that if you set your cruise control, it might make you relax a little bit.

Sources such as state police and insurance companies have confirmed that using your cruise control when road conditions are slippery can be very dangerous. Since your cruise control doesn’t know the difference in road surface types, it makes having it activated dangerous because it will not allow you to slow down during a skid and the car will continually accelerate. This does not allow you to have control of your vehicle.

Cruise control will try to regulate the speed based on what you set it at. If a tire is spinning on a wet surface, the tire is no longer providing traction, so it is no longer affecting the speed of the car, which makes it want to keep up. Without the friction of the road, it will be going faster than the car and the cruise control will reduce the speed command.

Once the tire regains its grip, the speed will again try to match the speed of the car. Then, the car will be going slower than what the speed is set at and the cruise control will try to compensate until the car is back to where you have set it.

During a spinout, thinking about turning the cruise control off is not what some would think about. You don’t even remember turning it on. You are just trying to get this over with, and hoping for the best outcome.

The experience I am discussing is called hydroplaning. It can be very expensive. When crashing into something head on, your car will more than likely be considered totaled because the frame will be bent and airbags cost around nine-hundred dollars each. May you never have to suffer through this, because I did and survived! And I thought I’d share this experience with you, so you may never have to.

©Copyright

Shana Allen Kimbrell

~Ponytail Girl~

They sat at the table in the coffee house laughing as they talked. Ponytail girl did most of the talking while the boy listened.

She wore a light green cotton jacket with the words “American Eagle” spelled out in white on the back in a thick cursive type font. Under the jacket was a pink shirt that fit snug. She was also wearing blue jeans and clogs. Her hair was put back in a ponytail with a pink scrunchy, with only a little hair hanging on the sides like it had fallen out over a long day in the wind.

She gestured to the boy while twisting the part of her hair that was hanging out of the ponytail. She was sitting on one of her feet and the she was nervously shaking the one that was hanging.

The girl had nice posture and was very skinny. Her ears held two earrings each and the bottom one was a big hoop. She turned around for a glimpse of her surroundings and I noticed the brightness of her eyes as they smiled out of sheer joy.

The boy said something to her so she flipped her head around and her ponytail swung around slapping her in the ear.

She signaled to the boy with her index finger and took her cup over to the table where the sugar and cream were located. She picked up two sugars, opened them and poured them in the cup. Then she put some liquid creamer in the cup. The whole time she had a big smile on her face. She looked over again at the boy and smiled from ear to ear.

Walking back to the table she sat the cup down and gestured to the boy again. This time her hands were flapping more than before.

The two of them were laughing hysterically as if one of them had said something funny.

They jumped up and left the coffee shop laughing all the way out.

 ©Copyright

Shana Allen Kimbrell

~Ponytail Girl Writes A Story~

I don’t feel much like writing a story today for a class that I’m taking. Everyone says this assignment doesn’t seem that hard and maybe I’m making it harder than what it has to be, or what it really is.

I’m just not the type of person that can watch someone I don’t know and make a fiction story out of it. Every time I tried to watch someone, it seemed they weren’t doing anything in particular that would amaze anyone.

I watched a boy and girl drinking coffee at a local coffee shop. I saw the children hunting Easter eggs scratching their heads wondering where to look next. I watched children at Wal-Mart trying to hunt down that perfect toy. Their parents were all scrounging to find the perfect Easter present from the Easter Bunny. It was very hectic and I sensed a lot of tension.

The same thing happens every year, right? That is what I thought until my eight-year-old son looked at me on the candy aisle in Wal-Mart holding a bag of candy and said, “Mom, did you know that each of the colors of these jelly beans means something special?”

“They do?” I said kneeling down on one knee. “What do they mean?”

“Red is for the blood of Jesus, purple is for the sadness, green is for the grass He made, yellow is for the sun, orange is the edge of night, white is for the grace, pink is for a new tomorrow and the speckled ones are for fish and sand. I don’t like the black ones, they’re for our sins.”

I stood up after a moment with a smile. I was amazed at my eight year olds knowledge of certain colors of  the jellybeans.

“So, tell me, where did you learn that?” I said.

“Oh, daddy sent me an email with that information on it.”

My son has never liked to read long emails with a lot of words on them, so I was a little surprised that he remembered all of it.

I said, “That’s very interesting. I’m very proud of you for remembering all of that. So, now do you know the importance of Easter and what it really means?”

“Yes,” he said. “It means we are celebrating the day Jesus came back to save us after those people nailed him to the cross.”

I was speechless. An eight-year-old only remembers what interests them, so I had goosebumps all over my body for the rest of the day.

That day, I did nothing unless it was with my son. We rented a movie, popped popcorn, took our shoes off and relaxed.

The fiction story on the observation of a real-life child or teenager that I didn’t know would just have to wait.

©Copyright

Shana Allen Kimbrell

~The Wait Is Finally Over~

Well, it’s been a rough couple of days.  The big truck broke down again and my groom was stuck in Arizona for two days.  The rear-end went out and  $6k later, he’s back rolling finally.  We put $10k into it about 5 months ago as well, due to the steering going out at 65 MPH.  But, it all goes with it.  When you put that many miles on a vehicle, it’s bound to happen.  Just a week ago, we put two new tires on it, which was a1lmost a grand.

BUT, God is good!  The first quote we got on the rear end was $8k, but once they recycled a part or two, the amount went down.  I thank God every day for the little things as well as the big ones.  He has never let me down, even when I wonder.

to be continued another time…

~Lessons~

I hope everyone is having  great day today!  Mine isn’t going so well.  Dale and I got into quite a disagreement a couple of  hours ago and it wasn’t pretty.  We disagree about our son all of the time.  He thinks he should be raised one way, I think another.  We can’t seem to agree on anything when it comes to him.

Don’t get me wrong, Tyler is a good boy, but he gets away with alot of things he shouldn’t.  There are hardly any consequences for his actions, and me,  being a stay at home mom, and Dale being the great truck driver that he is and never home, guess who gets to deal with it?  Yup, you guessed it.  Me me me me me!

A while back, Tyler did something really bad, I won’t get into it because it makes me look like a terrible mom, but he was punished and when his punishment was up, he was to apologize to the person he hurt.  Then, and only then, could he start his lessons to get his driving permit.  Well, he hasn’t apologized yet, and his daddy wants me to order the kit now!  HELLO???  I told him no because he hasn’t lived up to his part of the bargain.  Then, here comes the part when its all MY fault!  “Well, look around and tell me where his motivation comes from, because I can tell you it ain’t from you”! No way man!  Now it’s my fault?  I think not!  It’s Tyler’s own fault for not following through.  Goodness, where do these ideas come from?  Is it the air?  Why do people blame the ones they love the most?  If someone knows, maybe they can tell me because I sure can’t figure it out.

I just hope Dale can see how much he is hindering Tyler instead of helping him prepare for this ugly world we live in, and soon.

Thanks for reading!

~It’s Been Awhile…~

Hello to all,

I know its been awhile since I’ve blogged.  Had alot going on.  Finally got moved to Texas about a year ago, did not sell the home in North Carolina.  We found a young couple to rent it to, and they seem to be taking care of it extremely well.  We are very happy here in Texas, our born and bred land of the free!  Dale’s business is running well, I am doing all of the paper work for it and I am homeschooling Tyler.  I can say all is well in our world!  Thank you for reading!

~Letter To Luci~

I know I shouldn’t ask, but WHY?  Why does everything seem to be going so well, then, all of a sudden…BAM!!!
I just don’t understand, it hurts so very bad.  Am I being punished?  I was having such a  wonderful day, my toes in the water, toes in the sand, not a worry in the world, my God in my hand…I don’t think I can take this, I feel like I’ve lost one of my children or something, why does Satan take everything away that I love so very much?  First, my husband goes to Texas, to take care of us with a better job, then, all this stuff kept happening around the house, everything breaks down, my life is chaos, laundry piling up, house not decorated yet, not the first Christmas present bought.  Today was going so well.  Christmas Cantata practice last night was the best one ever, I’ve received so many blessings lately from it, been feeling better, not so depressed, then this.

Two hours ago, (it’s 9:30 p.m.m EST), my precious Luci~Goosi, part Sharpei dog was hit by two cars, they didn’t even stop to see if she was okay. She wasn’t.  She’s with my God now.  Luci 2001-2009, rest in peace my sweet angel.  Thank you for loving me and for being part of my life.  I’m sorry I could no longer protect you from the evil things of the world.  May you rest in peace, I will see you where the dirt road ends and the streets of gold begin someday.   I’m sorry I said I was gonna have to find another home for all of my animals soon, I’m so so sorry.  I’m sorry I didn’t give you kisses and hugs after work today.  You were so glad to see me, and all I had on my mind was getting the house cleaned so maybe I could feel better about going to church tonight and not feel so guilty b/c your brother, Tyler didn’t have any clean clothes, or b/c the floors needed to be swept and the dishes needed washed.  If the cat wasn’t trying to get out, I would’ve seen the gate was opened and you wouldn’t have escaped.  How am I ever gonna forgive myself?  When your BFF,  Tessi was killed the exact same way, five years ago, I said I’d protect you, I’d make sure you’d be okay.  I had to keep you on a chain to do it, but lately, you were being so good.  You’d go three steps to the grass, do your business, then come straight in.  I’d be standing there waiting for you, protecting you from escaping.  For all of the times you stood by me, protected me, the one time I should’ve protected you, I didn’t.  I know you loved me, and for that, I am thankful.  I am thankful for the eight years we had together.  I remember buying you in the Wal~Mart parking lot.  You were full of fleas and the person, or should I say, ‘thing’  that was selling you, was probably selling you for evil money.  She had piercings and tattoos everywhere.  I didn’t want to think bad things of her, but I felt so bad for you.  I knew when I saw you, that if I held you and looked at you, you’d be mine forever.  And I did.  Something told me to.  I just remember wishing I took your brother as well.  Yall were the only two left of the litter.  At that time, $25.00 each was scarce.  I remember telling your daddy to pay the ‘thing’ and we were on our way.  I took your little self into Wal~Mart that day to buy puppy food, flea shampoo, toys and anything else you said you wanted.  You fit in the palm of my hand. I took everything out of my purse and  you were a perfect fit right inside.  I dared anyone to say anything.  And then, when you were not even a four months old, you got Parvo. You stayed in the hospital for 3 or 4 days.  I did whatever I had to do to pay that bill.  It was probably something you already had.  That ‘thing’ said you already had your shots.  You survived, we caught it in time.  I was so very happy.  Then, the next thing I knew, you were a mommy.  You had 6 babies, only 3 made it.  They were huge!  They were so very beautiful.  Two black ones, one tannish red one.  Part Sharpei, part Laborador.  You did such a great job!  I was so proud of you. As if loving me wasn’t enough,  you accepted each animal that I brought home after that.  I only wanted to save them all.  The whole world of domesticated animals that were in trouble.  You were stubborn, but oh how I love you so very much.  I will miss you my friend.  May you rest in peace and may your life in Heaven be abundant.  I will see you there, but until then, please don’t forget me.

Love, Mommy

RAINBOW BRIDGE

Just this side of  Heaven is a place called Rainbow Bridge.

When an animal dies that has been especially close to someone here, that pet goes to Rainbow Bridge. There are meadows and hills for all of our special friends so they can run and play together. There is plenty of food, water and sunshine, and our friends are warm and comfortable.
All the animals who had been ill and old are restored to health and vigor. Those who were hurt or maimed are made whole and strong again, just as we remember them in our dreams of days and times gone by. The animals are happy and content, except for one small thing; they each miss someone very special to them, who had to be left behind.

They all run and play together, but the day comes when one suddenly stops and looks into the distance. His bright eyes are intent.  His eager body quivers. Suddenly he begins to run from the group, flying over the green grass, his legs carrying him faster and faster.

You have been spotted, and when you and your special friend finally meet, you cling together in joyous reunion, never to be parted again. The happy kisses rain upon your face; your hands again caress the beloved head, and you look once more into the trusting eyes of your pet, so long gone from your life but never absent from your heart.

Then you cross Rainbow Bridge together….

Author unknown…

Stacey, my BFF, thank you for sending me Rainbow Bridge.

~It’s Official…~

Hello my friends,

It’s official.  Number one, I am getting old.  Yep, the eye doctor told me that.  Between the ages of 40 to about 55, our eyes get old and tired.  Yes, there is an official medical term for it, but I cannot remember it, nor do I want to.  But, it’s where the eyes become blurry and either your arm isn’t long enough (can’t see up close) or you can’t see far away because of focusing problems (and age).  So, after spending several hundred dollars between the doctor visit, the lenses and the frames, I’d have to say, “I Can See Myself”!  lol  Anyway, please make it a habit to get your eyes checked yearly, as it is very important.  If you have glasses, but don’t have to wear them all of the time, PLEASE don’t forget to wear them when you should.  I didn’t because it wasn’t convenient.  Taking them off, putting them on, just became a hassle.  It was also a waste of money.  So, NOW I have to wear them all of the time because I didn’t listen.  Yes, me, the perfect one, didn’t listen.  I’m finding today more than ever that I only thought I was a perfectionist.  Well, perfection is often a deceiving word and  more than that, is confused with stubbornness in my little corner of the world.  Nonetheless, I am very thankful that I still have my sight, and even though no sight at all is the worst, I know that there are other people in the world with sight much worse than mine.

Number two on the agenda today is how my week went.  First, among other things, my daughter dented my van.  I think I blogged this earlier.  Anyway, I’m glad they were not hurt and my Jesus knows, it could’ve been worse.  It’s only a dent.  Well, last night, my son Tyler was at a friends birthday party.  They were having a bonfire and when finished, they put it out.  Someone had put an aerosol can in the fire and it started flaming up, so Tyler, trying to save the day, and the yard, ran to put it out some more.  While running, he got into a fight with a clothesline.  He ran right into it, throat first and it through him backwards.  He hit his head, was dazed and somehow gashed his head.  He has a couple of lines of  hikki-like marks on his neck as well.  So, at the emergency room (from 10:30 p.m.-1:30 a.m.), they checked his neck thoroughly, and he ended up with 2 staples in the gash.  He said the staples hurt worse than the gash.  But, I thank My Lord that he is okay and wasn’t hurt more than that.

Now, all of that being said, I think that there are evil forces in this world, because, every time I turn around, they are getting in my way.  There are little things that keep happening, (see my other blogs) that keep testing my faith.  Well, I wonder, why so many?  This is something I have to figure out for myself and pray about.  I keep thinking I am faithful, I have a very good relationship with My God, I worship Him, I pray to Him, I praise Him, I ask His forgiveness, I pray for my family, mine and their faith and safety and for my friends.  And, I go to church almost every time the doors are open to listen, learn, take notes and worship with my brothers and sisters in Christ.  So, I know I shouldn’t say this or feel it, but when is it gonna be good enough?  Is this really an evil force, or just common everyday stuff that happens to Christians?  Don’t get me wrong, I am very thankful and I know I am unworthy of His many blessings, but sometimes, you just gotta ask, when will I finally prove myself to Him?

Please take this next week to give thanks for everything you are given, not for the small material things, but for your heart, the roof over your head, your friends and family,  and the many blessings, be it abundant, or not, and most of all, for Our Savior, Jesus Christ, who died for our sins.  Try to remember, in all of the bad times, that it could be much worse…

Have a Happy Thanksgiving, a happy today, a happy tomorrow and a happy forever.

~Crazy Couple O’ Weeks~

Well, as if I hadn’t had a bad enough day, I asked my daughter to take my van and get the oil changed today.  Well, she got in a fight with a pole!  It’s only a dent, and no one was hurt, which I am so very thankful for!  It can be fixed and it’s not life threatening.  Just to re-cap these past few weeks, we had some extra money a while back, so we took the carpet out of the living room and added vinyl that looks just like a wood floor.  Then, a woman ran into my husband’s truck because she got rear-ended.  He was carried to the hospital, but is okay now.  The next week, my son shut the sliding glass door too hard and it shattered.  The week before last, my husband’s truck was twenty dollaring us to death and that same week, my son and his friend were playing around and broke his bedroom window.  Now, today, my van.  Grr!  But I haven’t lost the faith yet!  I’m hangin’ on to my God, forever.

There are still blessings to be had and I hope my many friends find them!  Oh, and, speaking of blessings, some Christians from my church went on a missions trip to The Dominican Republic.  They took 1,000 tracks with them, and passed out all of them!  Praise God and to Him be the glory!

Have a great day!

~Plane Ticket~

Good morning my friends

Last night I bought Dale’s plane ticket to come home for Christmas!  It was cheaper than I thought.  He will be home from December 21 to January 4.  During that time, I have to keep him busy getting the house ready to put on the market.  If it’s God’s will, it will sale before August when we need to move.  He needs to stay busy anyway, being that it’s gonna be the first Christmas without his wonderful mom.  He says he wants to go “all out” since we won’t be here next Christmas.  Little does he know, it’s already all planned out!  Parties everywhere!  We inherited all of his mom’s decorations as well, so I think I will decorate with two trees this year and make it special.  Hopefully the cats will leave them alone!  (Well, a girl can dream, can’t she?)

Tyler is looking forward to the move, he is already back in his cowboy boots and Longhorn shirts!  Didn’t I tell you he is his daddy’s mini me?  lol

Until later my peeps!

~More Blessings~

Friends,

Every single day, I am blessed by God’s love.  Today,  He was my pilot while driving and He kept me safe.  I am also thankful that He has given me a job, which so many people are out there without one.   He keeps my husband safe on the road and my children and grandchild safe in His arms.  I will be reading His Word tonight, after I cook dinner and clean a little bit.  I am thankful for my health, although I know I can do better.  I am thankful to have many many friends, especially the ones at church and on my Facebook.  I can honestly say, if not for them, I’d only have relatives!  lol

I will get back in touch with you after my daily devotional.  It helps me sleep and gives me the sweetest dreams.  Plus, I don’t do mornings very well!

♥tah~tah for now♥

~100 Fold~

Hello my friends

I have recently joined a new church and had so many blessings.  God is so awesome!  I have received nothing but abundant blessings since joining.  Recently, my husband had been praying about our finances and he got an answer to his prayers!  There just happened to be an extra 18 wheeler in the family that was for sale!  He will be driving from Texas to California to pick up and deliver hazardous materials, mostly automobile gasoline.

We now live in North Carolina.  The week he was to leave to drive to Texas, he got his little truck road ready and the next day, his check engine light came on.  So, we were questioning whether this was meant to be.  It was only a small part, some kind of filter that needed to be changed.  Done.  The next day, he was able to sale his boat, as it would just sit there doing nothing, so it wasn’t needed.  Big blessing because otherwise, he’d need to use the bill money to travel to Texas.  Well, the day he was supposed to leave, the check engine light came on again.  This time, it was found to be a hose.  Simple fix.  So, he traveled for two days and made it safely, without fail, to his destination.

The point I’m trying to make, is, even if the devil tries to get in the way, don’t let him win!  This was a small test of faith for us, and , well, I believe we passed!  All is going well!