Blessings

I'm waiting to see if Stef at My Love Knot is going to have Music Monday again but I still wanted to share a song that's really been hitting home these last couple of weeks. Since Stacey's passing I've thought a lot about the kind of legacy I'm going to leave. Do I bless the people in my life? Do I disappear and let Jesus appear? Do I point the way to Him? The name of my blog is Life in Focus not just because I love photography but because I always want to keep my life focus on Jesus so that my life's work will reflect Him. It' so easy to let our focus turn inward, to focus on ourselves. Believe me, I know. I've been there and I go there more often than I care to admit . And I've seen the results of living my life that way and it sure ain't pretty. But I know that by turning my focus to Jesus and choosing to bless others, I will find my greatest joy.

Some lyrics from my song choice go:
This day
Every blessing and curse is a choice now,
And we will choose to be a blessing for life.

Today I will choose to be a blessing.

The Blessing by John Waller

8 & 5

It's time for the official 8 year and 5 year portraits for Sister Girl and Baby Girl. We headed off to the nature preserve this afternoon for a photo session. Here are my favorites from my first go through.

Sister Girl at 8









Baby Girl at 5

Best Brownies Ever

I got this recipe from a friend a few years back. It's my "go to" recipe whenever I need a sweet treat for a get-together. They always get rave reviews.

1 box brownie mix
1 bag Hershey Caramel Kisses
Chocolate chips

Prepare brownie mix as directed and spoon into a greased mini muffin pan. Bake at 325 degrees for approximately 15 minutes or until done. After removing from oven squish a caramel kiss point side down into hot brownies. Let cool a few minutes and remove from pan. Melt chocolate chips in microwave and drizzle chocolate over the top. Enjoy!

ER

Recent email communication between my mom and I:

Mom: Did you watch ER tonight? Do they have to kill someone off every season? I had just got to liking him pretty good.

Me: I bawled. It was horrible. Waaaah!

Mom: I'm not watching it next year LOL

Well, you know what, I'm not watching next year either. *giggles* I love ER. I'm one of those long-time loyal viewers who have been around since the very first episode. It's been around so long it's hard to imagine Thursday nights without it. I've never understood why I like it so much. It's a rather depressing show. I can't even tell you how many times I've said to The Man, "ER was awful tonight. I just cried and cried." And yet every week I'm back for more. I imagine that there will be many "awful" episodes this season as it's the last. But I'll be watching every single one of them and bawling my eyes out to the bitter end.

It's Official

Okay, It's official now. Summer is really, really over. Yea, I know Fall was ushered in a few days back but today we closed the pool. And when you close the pool Summer is officially over. Truth is it's been a few weeks since we've been swimming but we have this thing about holding off on closing it. We seem to think there will be some random really warm streak that will warm the water enough to enjoy going swimming a few more times. Of course, that never happens. If we do get a few really warm days, the evenings are so chilly the water never has a chance to get warm enough to keep it from being teeth chatteringly cold.

I'm glad to say that we've gotten much better at closing the pool. We were laughing today at how it literally took us hours to get it all done the first year. A little experience goes a long way.

Remembering warmer days........


There was a definite chill in the air tonight. Hello Fall!

Music Monday

It's Music Monday over at My Love Knot. This is the song I'm diggin' this week. The video is not very exciting but it's about the music and the message anyway.



Lose My Soul-Toby Mac

Enjoy.

Remembering a friend.........

It is something you are never prepared to hear. Learning that someone you love has passed on. And yet today I found myself hearing those words about my precious friend, Stacey. She was diagnosed with glioblastoma multiforme over 5 years ago and was given just months to live. But Stacey would have none of that. She was expecting her baby girl, the youngest of 5, Saylor, at the time and there was no way she was going anywhere if she could help it. She loved her children and was determined to be around for them as long and God would allow. Kelsey, Logan, Bailey, Avery and Saylor were her reasons to keep pressing on day after day. She would not allow herself to be defined by a disease. Her faith was evident and she lived her life with great courage and hope because of it. She touched countless lives with her determination in the face of such difficult odds. And while my heart is sad today, I rejoice as I know there was great rejoicing when she stepped over into heaven. She is free from the bonds placed on her earthly body and wholly welcomed into the arms of Jesus. And while my heart breaks for her children, I am hopeful for their futures because Stacey made sure to plant seeds of faith in Jesus in their lives. They will carry all that their mother gave them with them and it will be evident in their lives always.

Until we meet again dear friend I send you all my love and admiration.

Remembering 9/11

It was a day like any other day



until it WASN'T

My oldest was 14.5 months old the day of the terrorist attacks of 9/11. I remember sitting and holding her and crying that day. She was too young to understand how her world had just changed but I wasn't. She danced while Congress sang on the steps of the Capitol building that evening and clapped when we lit a candle in rememberance of the lives lost while my heart and the hearts of so, so many broke.

Today we remember those who lost their lives, those who gave their lives to save others, those who suffered physical and emotional wounds that they carry with them even today and those who lost family and friends on that tragic day. Let us not focus on the evil but on the triumph of the spirit and the awesome Grace of God that we could all see in those moments and days that followed.

Waiting to Emerge

You can feel the chill in the air. Fall is fast approaching. But there are still some summer flowers hanging on and ready to emerge each day to paint our landscape with bright, beautiful summer color.

Music Monday

It's Music Monday over at My Love Knot where Stef is sharing the music that is speaking to her heart this week and asking what song is speaking to yours?

My pick gives me the perfect opportunity to share a really cool video someone else shared with me yesterday.

Who Am I by Casting Crowns


I hope it blesses you as much as it does me.

Labor Day Weekend: Yard Sales and Swimming Pools

Who doesn't love a 3 day weekend? And with my ongoing efforts to declutter it seemed like a good enough weekend to have a yard sale. Especially since most Saturdays this Fall are filled up with Sister Girl's Cross Country meets. I was a little concerned that a holiday weekend wasn't the best time to have a yard sale. But I reasoned that with high gas prices people were more likely to be staying close to home. Well, I certainly reasoned right. There were tons of people out and ready to buy. I was told by a customer late in the day that there were only a few people in the area having yard sales which certainly helped draw people to mine. I was very pleased to have very little left over at the end of the day. One of my best yard sales ever! Yay!

Sister Girl and Baby Girl are always looking to make a little money to add to the Wii fund so they were quite eager to set up a snack stand. We discovered we gravely underestimated the Rice Krispie Treat demand and will keep that in mind in the future.

Baby Girl got a little bored during one of the slow spells and decided to decorate her car. Interesting!

The Man was off work on Monday and we kept with Labor Day tradition and grilled out. Sister Girl had Cross Country practice that evening so we ate early and squeezed in a swim.

We are clinging to the last shreds of summer. Even with the high temperatures this week, you can tell it will all be coming to an end soon. But we'll hold tight to the warm and happy memories created this summer until we can welcome those lazy summer days again.