Granddaughter Ava Turns Four

 Ava signing "eat"

Our precious little granddaughter Ava in Kentucky turned four this last Wednesday.  Our daughter Michelle wrote a beautiful letter to her and published it on her Caring Bridges Page and I wanted to share it here with you.  

Dear Ava,

Today is a special day because today is your birthday.  Although you are only turning four, I find it hard to remember life without you.  From the moment I learned of your impending arrival, I decided that you would be an important addition.  You would be the salt; the essential ingredient that would balance out the flavor and complete our family. You have not met my expectations, however. My precious child, you have surpassed them!  You are not the salt, as I had hoped.  Instead, you are the sand.  Your influence, like that in the case of the oyster, has produced prized pearls.  By acting as the sand, our family has molded a pearl of courage, of humility, of gratitude, of self sacrifice, and of love.  In fact, each day your presence brings out the best that each of us has to offer and reveals treasures we never knew were there.

I know that your journey in life has been difficult for you in every way.  Considering the advantages bestowed on people around you, you might even consider your situation unfair.  Most people will waste their gifts, make insignificant impressions on those around them, and live hollow lives. They will see your broken body and fail to recognize your value. I want you to remember that your life has purpose. Remember that you are sand.

Daddy, Tristan, Amber, and I will forever cherish the pearls that you have given us, and the many more to come.  Happy Birthday baby girl! We love you.

The following is from my friend Connie who responded to Michelle with this wonderful encouragement :

I enjoyed your birthday message to Ava.  Because our purpose is to Glorify God, He gets to decide how.  If we don't keep our eyes on Him, we will come up with our own ideas of what will bring glory to God.  When He said His ways are not our ways, nor His thoughts our thoughts, He was telling us truth.  Because this is only our shaping and molding place, and not our final destination,  it can be hard to understand His purpose.  The more we spend time with Him, and in His Word, the easier it is to trust Him, and His way.  As a matter of fact, looking at Him gives us great joy, even in the hard places.  Remember it is from faith to faith; one day at a time.

The Lord Bless and keep you all.  Happy Birthday Ava!

Your Sister in Christ,
Connie Young

Today's Proverb

Pivotal Proverb For Sure!

Proverb 3:5 says, "trust in the Lord with all your heart and don't lean on your own understanding."  This is the verse the Lord put on my heart 39 years ago when He put an eight month old baby boy into my arms.  I was a single woman with a dream of adopting but I had that scenario planned for the future when I at least had a husband.  With no prospective husband/father in sight I became a single adoptive mother at the age of 22.  My twenty-second birthday was more of baby shower than a birthday party - receiving basic necessities for my new son.

Single parent adoption was pretty much unheard of back those many years ago and none of it made sense to me but God gave me the added faith I needed to trust Him and not lean on my understanding or lack of it.  God's hand changed my life in the natural and most importantly in the spiritual.

Tomorrow Jason and I will celebrate our 39th adoption anniversary - a day that definitely changed my life and one I am so thankful for.  I love my son so much and I am very proud to be his mother.

Have a Great Day!

1. Wake Up !!
Decide to have a good day.

"Today is the day the Lord hath made;  Let us rejoice and be glad in it." Psalms 118:24

2. Dress Up !!
The best way to dress up is to put on a smile.
A smile is an inexpensive way to improve your looks.

"The Lord does not look at the things man looks at. Man looks at outward appearance;   

But the Lord looks at the heart."  I Samuel 16:7

3. Shut Up!!
Say nice things and learn to listen.
God gave us two ears and one mouth,
so He must have meant for us to do twice as much listening as talking.

"He who guards his lips guards his soul."  Proverbs 13:3  

4. Stand Up!!...
For what you believe in.
Stand for something or you will fall for anything.. 

"Let us not be weary in doing good; for at the proper time, We will reap a harvest if we do not give up. Therefore, as we have opportunity, let us do good..."  Galatians 6:9-10

5. Look Up !!...
To the Lord. 

 "I can do everything through Christ who strengthens me."  Philippians 4:13

6. Reach Up !!...
For something higher. 

"Trust in the Lord with all your heart,  And lean not unto your own understanding.
In all your ways, acknowledge Him,  And He will direct your path"  Proverbs 3:5-6

7. Lift Up !!...
Your Prayers. 

"Do not worry about anything;  Instead pray about everything." Philippians 4:6

* Afraid I can't give credit to whom it is due - found this via cyberspace.

Tempt My Tummy Tuesday

It's Tempt My Tummy Tuesday once again and I am going to share my recipe for the cheesecake that won my Precious Husband's heart.  We are celebrating our 27th anniversary this November and we dated for 2 years prior to marriage so you can just imagine how many Cherry Cheesecakes I have made through the years.  This recipe is a favorite of my kids and grandkids too.  The nice thing about the recipe is that it is delicious and it is EASY to put together.  This cheesecake  has definitely become another of my signature hospitality recipes.

Cherry Cheesecake

8 ounce cream cheese

1/3 cup sugar

1 cup sour cream

2 teaspoons vanilla

8 ounce Cool Whip

1 can of cherry pie filling

graham cracker crust

Make crust and set aside. 

Beat cream cheese and sugar till fluffy.  Add sour cream and vanilla and beat well.  Fold in Cool Whip and spoon into pie shell.  Add can of cherry pie filling to the top and refrigerate for several hours before serving.  Yum!

Today's Proverb

Charm is deceptive, and beauty is fleeting; but a woman who fears the LORD is to be praised.  

Proverbs 31:30