Archive by Author

Enjoying the Cool

26 Jul

On the Porch

Onisha Ellis

After Tuesday’s rain storms passed through the remaining days of the week were glorious. I decided to abandon my computer and chores and simply enjoy. I have a teak lounger on the back porch and I spent chunks of time soaking up the cool breezes, watching the crazy hummingbirds and reading another of the Irish doctor books.

 Thursday we went on a picnic with friends at a campground/picnic area called Standing Indian. It is around a mile high in elevation and the cooler air was refreshing.

Whether traveling with an RV or tent, Standing Indian Campground is a prime place to stop for a night or spend several days in the picturesque Nantahala National Forest. The campground’s many amenities provide a comfortable home base for exploring this fun and historic section of the forest. Standing Indian is located within a 20-minute drive of Franklin, North Carolina

Reserve America

We had an entire pavilion to ourselves and plenty of time to burn the hotdogs just the way we like them!

This morning one of the Methodist churches had their annual mega rummage sale. I enjoyed looking at all of the items and I usually find something I can’t live without in the kitchen section. Over the winter, I found a bag on wheels at a thrift store and I grabbed it to have for this sale. Other shoppers were envious. I definitely found items I couldn’t live without!

I was hoping to score some Snap Ware, my new kitchen obsession, but didn’t. I did get several Tupperware pieces and the most I paid was $2.00 for a Tupperware butter dish. Does anyone remember having one of those? I think my favorite find is a glass pitcher like my mom had during the 1980s. I have seen them in antique stores for $15.00. I only paid $2.00!

Just because I thought it was pretty, I bought this cute dish for my daughter. She loves butterfly art and jewelry and the colors are perfect for her kitchen.

I have to give kudos to this church and their ability to organize and hold a sale. They begin in February, collecting items. Then each item is cleaned and where appropriate, checked to to be sure that it is in working condition. The sale spreads over all of the buildings at the fairgrounds and they have volunteers directing parking. Once inside, items are displayed almost in a booth like setting complete with volunteers who answer questions, bag up your choices and take the money. They even have their novels sorted by author! I was impressed.

I am thankful for the cooler temps. I know the heat will return but I will have these memories to savor as the warmer temps return. Besides it is only a little over 50 days until Fall!

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Shine!

23 Jul

On the Porch

Onisha Ellis

People around us are angry, dare I say, even a bit crazy. Some days it seems that even the alligators are upset.

Photo credit Image by OpenClipart-Vectors from PixabayPhoto credit

Philippians 2:15 encourages us to choose to be blameless and pure, children of God without fault in a crooked and depraved generation so that we will shine like the stars of the universe. So friends, let’s shine!

God’s Way to Perform Miracles

20 Jul

Walking by Faith, Not by Sight

Janet Perez Eckles

Reblogged July 20, 2019

God’s way to perform miracles.

What keeps you from believing in miracles?

A mother answered these questions with boldness and unique faith. The results stirred attention and a film was made of this miraculous event.

The scenario took place in a St. Louis hospital. The story is about John Smith who fell in icy water and remained there for 15 minutes. The news read, “When rescuers brought him to SSM St. Joseph Hospital West, the teen wasn’t breathing. Paramedics and doctors did everything in their power to bring John back, not willing to give up. They performed CPR and other life-saving measures on him for 43 minutes—without regaining a pulse.”

Medically, the boy was dead.

They called his mother to the room to give her the bad news.

What did she do? She prayed. She declared out loud God’s power and the Holy Spirit upon her son and believed she would receive it.

What happened next is that blood began to flow in that dead boy’s veins.

The doctors shocked and stunned couldn’t give explanations. They only had one conclusion: it was a “genuine miracle.”

The chilling details.

Here are the chilling details: http://www.usatoday.com/story/news/2015/02/04/inspiration-nation-mom-prays-son-back-to-life/22883985/

I’d like to meet that mother and tell her, “I want faith like yours. To be that bold, and overflow with trust.”

Her trust didn’t drive her to beg, but declare God’s healing power. Her faith didn’t lead her to lament the circumstance, but prompted her to praise the Lord for what He knows how to do. And she didn’t sink into sorrow, instead she believed God’s promise, claimed and received it.

While she claimed it in faith, the mountain was removed.

“I tell you the truth, if you have faith as small as a mustard seed, you can say to this mountain, ‘Move from here to there’ and it will move. Nothing will be impossible for you” (Matthew 17:20).

Let’s Pray

Father, teach me to look to you for that unwavering faith that proclaims what You can do and what You will do. In Jesus’s name.

What miracle are you expecting?

Janet

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Did you know I wrote a book filled with words of encouragement, uplifting thoughts and illustrations of real-life triumph to empower you? Its title, Trials of Today, Treasures for Tomorrow: Overcoming Adversities in Life. You can get it HERE.

CLICK HERE for a one-minute inspirational video.

Looking for a speaker for your upcoming event? A great speaker makes the difference between a so-so event and one that shines with impact. I invite you to view one of my two-minute videos HERE.

Please share: Feel free to share Janet’s posts with your friends.

Janet Eckles Perez

Some say she should be the last person to be dancing. Her life is summarized in this 3-minute video: http://bit.ly/1a8wGJR

Janet Perez Eckles’ story of triumph is marked by her work as an international speaker, #1 best-selling author, radio host, personal success coach and master interpreter. Although blind since 31, her passion is to help you see the best of life.

www.janetperezeckles.com

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Trying Out a Free Template

19 Jul

On the Porch

Onisha Ellis

Yesterday Adobe Spark sent me an email offering me four free templates. I like free, so I added them to my account. I used one of the freebies to make this a graphic. It offered me two download options, one with a transparent background, the other colored. Let me know which you think looks better.

Transparent
Colored

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Trying Out New Apps

18 Jul

Life is busy this week! I have been experimenting with some branding apps and one of the ones I downloaded included a platform to publish posts. It is Adobe Spark Post. I have no idea how it works. I wrote a short paragraph to go with a photo and it gave me a link. I am pasting it into this post to see what happens.

Hot Pepper Vinegar

Growing up, Did you have pepper vinegar on your table or is it a southern thing?

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Kind of a Big Deal

17 Jul

On the Porch

Onisha Ellis

The 50th anniversary of the Apollo 11 moon launch and landing is kind of a big deal in my hometown and all across the Space Coast complete with street parties and an old fashioned Astronaut parade in Cocoa Beach.

We are in North Carolina and missing out on the activities but our daughter, an ardent fan of space exploration has been enjoying the activities. Saturday she attended the parade complete with astronauts riding in vintage Corvettes!

One of our downtown businesses, Hotpoint Boutique commissioned an artist to design a unique print that celebrates the 50th anniversary. The design is sold on tee-shirts and a fluffy blanket as well as the 11×14 print.

If you enjoy historical fiction based around the race for the moon, my daughter is running a giveaway of this print in 11×14 size and a signed copy of her award winning novel, Undaunted. (Previously titled Jessie)

Entry is very easy!

Enter

For my friend outside of the US, she can substitute digital copies of Undaunted and Destiny’s Call, books one and two of her Jessie Cole Series. Unfortunately she cannot include the print.

My daughter wrote an entire blog about the activities on her website, Rebekah Lyn Books including some photos of her dad, my husband at his job as a mechanic on the shuttle fleet.

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Seeking Peace-Be Willing

12 Jul

I read this promise a few days ago.

You will go out in joy and be led forth in peace. Isaiah 55:12

Galatians 5:22 lists the fruit of the Spirit as love followed by joy, then peace. I believe without God’s gift of love, joy and peace in my oh so fallible heart, I am incapable of reaping the rest of the fruit: forbearance, kindness, goodness, faithfulness.

To be honest, I am hesitant to move beyond peace. Compared to forbearance, peace is a picnic.

I am claiming the promise of Isaiah 55:12.

He has promised, I need to be willing to be led.

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Flower Talk

11 Jul

On the Porch

Onisha Ellis

Cool mountain mornings have lured me to spend time on the porch each morning. My husband built a small water feature near the porch and it sets a calming beginning of my day. Usually, tendrils of cool air tinkle the wind chimes he also made. It’s easy to spend time in prayer and meditation there.

Except this morning. The tendrils of cool air tinkling wind chimes were replaced with sticky stillness and a buzzing insect. If the benefits of porch time outweighs my fear of buzzing insects, I will suck it up and not give up my space. Today, I gave it up.

We haven’t figured out how to grow vegetables in clay soil, so I have resorted to having two small raised beds. I am growing three tomato plants, basil and an okra plant. They are doing well so far. Hopefully the tomato worms won’t climb up to them. I do not like those worms!

Last summer I had a pot filled with coleus and tall grass. When we returned to Florida for the winter, we took it with us. If the Florida winter is mild, we have had success with extending the life of our summer plants. One flowering basket is on its third summer.

I can’t remember the name of this plant. Do you know?

The coleus survived but had become quite “leggy.’ My husband repotted it, cut off the leggy stems and put them into the new pot with the original plant. To my surprise, the coleus has flourished while the grasses have taken all summer to rebound.

Last fall, my friend Sharon shared some pansies with me. They were kind of puny when we left for the winter. To my surprise and joy, they survived winter and are thriving now. I love them!

Repurosed stepping stones and cement column. I love repurposing!

When have been blessed this summer with visits from family and friends and I like to have a cheerful greeting at the door. This summer I chose coleus mixed with what I call, Polka Dot plant. In Florida, I could only grow the spotted plants on a window sill, due to the heat and they never grew tall. It seems they love the North Carolina mountain temperatures. They are getting out of hand!

I had no idea what I was going to write as I started this post. I knew that I wanted to share the photo of the coleus, but that was it. I had fun sharing about the plants. I wonder if that is because my ancestor roots are firmly attached to the soil?

This week I began researching my family tree I knew my parents came from farming families (well except my dad’s time as a moonshiner), but I had no idea how many generations farmed in the same county. As in back to the 1700s. I am in a love\hate relationship with the research. It is addicting. Have you explored your ancestors? Suggestions appreciated.

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For Mom and Country

4 Jul

Title is a play off the name of a Christian band, For King and Country, one of my daughter’s favorite bands.

My mom was a fiery lady, full of fun but didn’t take any guff. Maybe the guff part came from growing up during the Great Depression in a tenant farmer family of 3 boys and 9 girls. The girls worked the fields, picking cotton and barning tobacco alongside their elder brother. The other two boys came along later, once they had moved to town.

All of her siblings grew to become successful adults, some owning businesses, raising families and living a better quality of life than their parents, at least materially.

That is one of the things I love about my country. With hard work, one does not have to remain in the circumstances of their childhood.

Today was her birthday and I find it fitting that she was born on a day celebrated with fireworks, food and family. She moved to Glory 18 yrs ago and I still miss her.

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The secret to overcome self-pity

29 Jun

Walking by Faith, Not by Sight

Janet Perez Eckles

Reblogged June 28, 2019

I was shocked. My friend Becky is a powerhouse of faith. But she felt lame. Here’s her story:

A crippled man lay by the pool of Bethesda for days, months and perhaps years hoping someone would roll him into the pool for healing. (John 5:1-17)

I visited the pool of Bethesda a few years ago while traveling in Israel. The pool was located directly over some underground springs of water. When the water bubbled up from the spring, people thought an angel was stirring the water and that if they rolled in, they would be healed. Believing for a miracle the lame man lay there waiting. But he never quite made it into the pool. Victimized by unfortunate circumstances, He was left crippled.

I sympathize with this man.

A few months ago, I broke my ankle and was lame myself. I had to wear a cast for a few weeks, hobbled around on crutches, graduated to a walking boot and then finally upgraded to an ankle stabilizer. I looked lame, I walked lame. I felt lame. Here’s the thing. It’s easy when we’ve experienced unfortunate events to settle into “lame thinking”. Lame thinkers feel victimized. Lame thinkers feel they have no options in life. Lame thinkers imagine that their circumstances will likely never improve. Jesus approached this man and asked one simple yet profound question, “Do you want to be healed?” Ah, such a profound question.

When our thinking becomes lame, we settle for self-limiting and God limiting beliefs. The next time you catch yourself settling for lame thinking, hold a little self-management meeting. Remind yourself that though life may feel difficult, God is still able. Spend a few moments praising Him and thanking Him in advance of what He will do. What He calls you to do. He empowers you to do. End. Of. Story.

Giving Thanks for God’s Faithfulness

is the Fix

When I fall into lame thinking, I structure my time of thanksgiving around God’s faithfulness in the past, present and future. I ask myself 3 questions:

Question 1:  How has God worked in the past?

Asaph, the writer of Psalm 77 wrote, “I will remember the deeds of the Lord”. I make a thankful list of the miracles I have seen God do in the past. As I thank Him for each one, my trust in His faithfulness grows.

Question 2:  What is God doing at this moment in my life?

I may not feel like God is on the move in my life but if I spend a few moments seeking Him, He shows me that He is indeed at work. As I thank Him for what He is doing in the present, I find more faith for the future.

Question 3:  What does God want me to trust Him for in the future?

As I spend time praising and thanking God that He will work in and through me in the future, my faith is re-kindled and my trust revived.

Becky Harling is an author, speaker, and certified coach (The John Maxwell Team). Her recent books, The 30 Day Praise Challenge and The 30 Day Praise Challenge for Parents, are helping thousands to develop the habit of praising God so that worry and fear are replaced with more joy, courage, and less anxiety. For more information, visit Becky at BeckyHarling.com

Final words & prayer from Janet:

I hope Becky’s reminder to step out of lame thinking as we shed notions of self-pity encourages you to look to what God has done, what He’s doing and will do.

Father, thank you for lifting me from the lake of lame thinking. I praise You for placing my feet on the solid ground of faith, empowering me to do the impossible. In Jesus’ name, amen.

Janet

______________________________________

Did you know I wrote a book filled with words of encouragement, uplifting thoughts and illustrations of real-life triumph to empower you? Its title, Trials of Today, Treasures for Tomorrow: Overcoming Adversities in Life. You can get it HERE.

CLICK HERE for a one-minute inspirational video.

Looking for a speaker for your upcoming event? A great speaker makes the difference between a so-so event and one that shines with impact. I invite you to view one of my two-minute videos HERE.

Please share: Feel free to share Janet’s posts with your friends.

Janet Eckles Perez

Some say she should be the last person to be dancing. Her life is summarized in this 3-minute video: http://bit.ly/1a8wGJR

Janet Perez Eckles’ story of triumph is marked by her work as an international speaker, #1 best-selling author, radio host, personal success coach and master interpreter. Although blind since 31, her passion is to help you see the best of life.

www.janetperezeckles.com

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