My bloggy friend, Ava, awarded the Liebster Award to me. Thanks, Ava! :) She asked me 11 questions which I will now answer:
1) What is something special or unique about the place where you live? I LOVE where I live. We are in a small, hometown community, where high school football and 50's-type ice cream parlors are still loved and appreciated. Everyone pretty much knows each other or knows someone in your family. We live near a National Military Park where part of the Revolutionary War took place. Believe it or not, there are several notable people from our very small town. And for the most part, people love their Bibles, their guns, and their freedoms.
2) If you could meet anyone in history, who would you want to meet and why? (Jesus does not count because we know we will all meet Him one day.) This is a difficult question for me because there are many people in history I think I would like to meet. I could name former presidents like Abe Lincoln, or famous preachers like Billy Sunday. But I think I would like to meet the Apostle Paul. If you read through Paul's writings, you soon realize that Paul knew how much he was made of flesh and bone. He faced trials, hurt, persecution, etc. Yet toiled on through life until he was able to pen, "I have fought a good fight, I have finished my course, I have kept the faith..."
3) Have you had your "15 minutes of fame?" Describe the experience or tell what you would love to have it for. LOL, well, I don't reckon I've had three minutes of fame, much less fifteen. And to tell what I would have it for, I couldn't rightly do that either. To be honest, I'm quite content to just be me with no fame attached.
4) When you were little what did you want to be when you grew up? Did you accomplish that? When I was very little, I wanted to be a missionary nurse with Dr. Driesbach. He was a missionary in Africa that went home to be with the Lord in November of 2009. Bob Jones University's Unusual Films, made a movie about him called Beyond the Night. No, I did not accomplish that. The Lord never put that calling on me. As I grew older I knew I was to be a wife and mother. The Lord blessed me with a wonderful husband and three terrific kids. And for that, I give God the glory!
5) What is your favorite advice or tips for little ones? Seriously, Ava? I could spend HOURS on this one. Just kidding. I think if I could tell mothers "one" thing it would be to introduce your children to Jesus at the very moment they enter this world. Pray diligently over their lives, daily, hourly, minute by minute. And to be consistent in discipline. They should learn to obey immediately. Not by the time you get to the count of three. I could expound on this, but I think everyone pretty much knows where I'm going with it. So, I'll spare ya. LOL
6) What is your best advice for keeping it all in balance? Or at least from dropping all the juggling balls? Pray, prioritize, and learn that it's ok to say, "NO" sometimes.
7) What is your favorite joke? Or what is something funny that has happened to you or you have seen happen? Gracious. That's a loaded question. I have tons of jokes I love and have had several funny things happen to me or others. I guess something funny that happened to me in Germany is we were getting ready to come back stateside. We had given up our apartment and was living at the base Hotel until our flight home. One night about 1:00 or 2:00 in the morning I was awakened to the sound of fire alarms and a voice calmly saying over the loud speaker that everyone should evacuate the building. Being a young mother of a nine month old baby, I quickly arose from my bed, grabbed my baby and ran out of the room, shouting to my husband over my shoulder, "GET OUT!" It wasn't until I was half-way down the steps (elevators were shut down), that I realized Bruce was trying to tell me to wait. One reason is that he knew a drunken soldier had most likely pulled the alarm to be funny. He had experienced this on more than one occasion. And also, he thought that maybe, since I was in a very short nighty, I might want to put on a bathrobe and slippers. Realizing all of this, after seeing several people calmly walking around the hotel, completely dressed, and taking their time exiting the building, I began to walk back to the room. But as I was walking back, someone took me by the arm and said I could not go back and I needed to take my place on the front lawn of the Hotel. So sheepishly I walked out of the hotel, where many others gathered. Me, standing there in my nighty...no robe, no slippers...and my little baby wondering why mommy pulled him out of a nice warm bed. As I stood amidst the crowd, almost like slow motion in a movie, the doors to the hotel open and out comes my husband. Hands in the pockets of the blue jeans he took time to put on, feet nestled in warm socks and shoes, a t-shirt, and his winter coat. As a matter of fact, everyone had on their coats. He was grinning at me from ear to ear. An army gentleman came over and gave me his coat to wear. Thankfully, it was longer than what I had on. And warmer too. By the time Bruce got to me it was almost time to go back in. Sure enough, a drunken soldier pulled the alarm. Mind you, this wasn't funny at the time. I was humiliated. But looking back now, it does make me laugh. Bruce, on the other hand, has always found it funny.
8) Who are you most like in your family? I am forever being told that I am just like my daddy. Which I have to admit that I do have his sense of humor. However, I also admit that I am a LOT like my mom in other areas.
9) What is the best memory you have of any of your grandparents? Hmmm...the best...I'd have to say with my mom's parents the best memory would be when all of the grandkids would spend the night. They'd put us in a room with two big beds and grandma would come lay in bed with us and tell stories. With my dad's parents we didn't get to see them as often since we were in SC and they were in Ohio. But when we would go visit, there was a bend in the curve where their house set. As we would round the curve we would see paw paw sitting on his bench with his fly swat and maw maw sitting at the picnic table, talking and waiting for their babies to get there. As soon as we would pull in on their road, the three of us would sit up in our seats, right behind mom and dad and look for them. We knew they'd be there. Another favorite memory of them is they would send us a box of goodies every once in a while. I mean they would load. us. down! But my maw maw would tape that box so good it was like breaking into Fort Knox. We'd get home from school and see a box on the table and all three of us would go running to the kitchen for the sharpest knives in the drawer. haha It was always fun to see what they sent.
10) Have you crossed any items off your bucket list? To be honest, I've never made one. Don't want to either. LOL
11) Who is one of your Christian mentors and what is something they have taught you? Oh, wow. I could name many. My parents, the pastors that have been in my life, my pastor's wife, etc. But one person that comes to mind right off is my friend, Rachel. Rachel is a very good wife and mother. She will be the first to tell you that she fails on a daily basis. But she has given me great advice over the years. Biblical advice. And it has worked every time. She's been a great example to me on how to love my husband and my children. Even though we don't see each other as much as we did years ago, I often find myself asking what she might do in "this" situation or what she might tell her kids in "that" situation. And when it gets tough, I'll call, email, or text her. She's always got something wise to share and I usually always end up smiling and feeling better about whatever it is troubling me. She's great about listening to my joys and blessings too. She was a HUGE part in helping me get started in homeschooling and keeping me encouraged. I've always looked up to her like a big sister and thankful the Lord put her in my life when I was twelve.
The Liebster Award is a pass-it-along award. I am going to pick the following blogs. Suppose to be eleven, but I'm going with these five:
Rita from The Jungle Hut. Rita is a missionary that was forced out of Venezuela and now serving in Paraguay. She has some of the greatest missionary stories I've ever heard. Wonderful lady! Pam from Midnight Musings. Pam is actually Rita's sister. I have so much in common with Pam and Rita it's not even funny. Pretty sure we were all separated at birth at some point. From where we grew up to who we know, to where our family roots lie. She is both fun and very political, which is something I totally love about her. Michele from Rabbit's Trail. Michele is a Pastor's wife in TX. She is a different kind of lady. Funny, unique, and loves the Lord. She is a great lady and I have a lot of respect for her and her entire family, even though we have never officially met. Dana from The Simple Gift. Dana is a very good buddy of mine. We go to church together and she and her husband are also sponsors for our youth group. She is a great friend and I love her dearly. Rebecca from Mountains-N-Valleys. Rebecca is another dear friend that we attend church with. She is over the teen class at our Super Church on Saturdays. She does an EXCELLENT job in that position and I am always amazed at how well she handles the class. Rules for the Liebster Award are as follows: (1) Post 11 things about yourself, (2) Answer the questions that your nominating blogger has set for you and then create 11 questions for your nominees, (3) choose up to 11 blogs to nominate and link them in your post, (4) go to their respective blogs and let them know, and (5) no tag backs!
Eleven questions to my chosen nominees:
1) What was the most significant event that happened in your life to lead you where you are today?
2) What is your favorite book of the Bible and why?
3) What is it about your husband that first caught your attention? And how has he kept it through the years?
4) What is your favorite style of shoe and why?
5) If you could become a new character in your favorite book, what book would it be and what would your name be?
6) Have you pinned any DIY projects to pinterest and if so, how many have you done?
7) What is your favorite thing to do when you find yourself alone in your clean, quiet house?
8) If you could tell a brand new mother one thing, what would it be?
9) I give you a thousand dollars. What will you do with it?
10) A thief breaks into your house in the middle of the night. Where will you hide?
11) What is your favorite time of day and why?
Oh, I'm suppose to tell eleven things about myself. Let's see....:
*born in Ohio
*saved at 14
*married at 19
*three kids
*lived in Germany for about two years
*love COKE products, but prefer wild cherry Pepsi over Cherry Coke.
*Pepperoni pizza with extra cheese and mushrooms from pizza hut is my very favorite.
*Very content to be at home with my family but love to go out with my buddies from time to time for a little girl time and fellowship.
*believes every girl should have nicely painted toes. No one wants to see nappy toes.
*believes that snuggling with newborn babies makes all the bad things go away. For a little while, anyway.
*Can't wait for the Lord to come back. Wish it were today. Are you ready?
