Tag Archives: Christian bloggers

How to Get Rid of Headaches

6 Apr

Walking by Faith, Not by Sight

Janet Perez Eckles

Does anyone out there have the answer or solutions to get rid of headaches? You know those pesky intruders that alter your day?

I wish I knew. The other day I had one of them. The aching throb spread right around the right eye socket. Yuck. It took my concentration away, made me a bit irritable. And since no meds enter this chica’s body, I suffered through it.

Then it happened. God smiled at me. He sent me the most experienced, dedicated and admirable physical therapist. Who, ahem, happens to be my dear friend.

– See more at: http://www.janetperezeckles.com/how-to-get-rid-of-headaches/#sthash.MpUZXHq5.dpuf

His Way

 

 

 

 

 

 

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My Best Friend

5 Apr

SUNDAY MEMORIES

Judy Wills

Judy Wills

 

There is a “new” acronym – BFF – that has taken me quite a while to figure out. I could get the “B(est) F(riend)..” part, but what in the world was that second “F?” I finally saw it in a book the other day – Best Friend Forever. Nothin’ slow about me!

That truly describes my BFF. I still have girlfriends from my childhood, and some I’ve kept up with along the way. But the one who truly has my heart is one I met while we were in Panama City, Florida. She was in the church choir, as were Fred and I. We sat near each other, and just started talking. That led to lunches out occasionally. Shopping – of course! And just the way we thought – we could nearly complete each other’s sentences.

I guess one of the most fun remembrances is when her daughter was getting married. Fred and I had driven down from Virginia (on our way to Disney), and had planned our trip so we could be at the wedding. Her daughter and our oldest daughter were best buds from long before. As it happened, a hurricane was brewing in the Gulf of Mexico, headed toward Panama City. With the weather so “iffy,” Fred let me out of the car to head into the church. She told me later that her brother saw me, and his thought was, “what is she (my friend – his sister) doing getting out of that car? And who is that man with her?” We really don’t look that much alike, but it’s fun to think that her own brother mistook me for her!

Even though we don’t see each other very often, we still send Christmas gifts to each other. We always look for something that we would like to have, and know that the other one would love it, as well. She gave me a Cloisonne neck charm – and I think of her every time I wear it, which is quite often.

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She gave me earrings that I treasure. I gave her some Kaiser figurines from Germany.

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We give each other Precious Moments figurines that exemplify our relationship. We give each other Willow Tree figurines that depict the same thing.

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I gave her a “how did they do that?” because I enjoy looking at mine just like it.

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When we moved to Orlando, we both were thrilled – we were in the same state! Surely we would see each other more often. Took us three years to finally get together. And now it’s been that long again. They have moved to northern Alabama – to the back of beyond, actually! But they love it there, and are happy. But she and I miss each other terribly.

Many years ago, when I was teaching a ladies Sunday School class (ladies much older than I), I mentioned something about a “good friend.” I said that a good friend is someone you can tell ANYthing to, and they will love you anyway. Two of those ladies looked at each other and giggled. I knew they had that same kind of friendship. That’s the kind of friendship I have with this precious lady.

My friend and I are both believers in Christ as Lord and Savior. After all, we met in church. And so, I know that she will, indeed, be my BEST FRIEND FOREVER! And ever and ever. God is so good to have blest me with this friend in this lifetime.

The Secret to Happiness

4 Apr

From My Heart

Louise Gibson

author of Window Wonders;

 

We all harbor secrets
(facts set apart)
But I am compelled to share my secret –
It is a grateful heart.

Life presents many challenges –
We agree that this is true.
From birth to the grave circumstances change
And so does our point of view.

I am family oriented.
It was so important to me.
To raise and nurture children with love –
Became my top priority.

It took the death of my first born son
To draw my eyes to the cross.
The Lord didn’t do it to be mean –
Rather, He put meaning to my loss.

God didn’t ask us to understand him.
He only said, “trust and obey.”
I am so grateful for His promises.
He is “the truth, the light, the way.”

Footnote:
“For I know the thoughts that I think toward you” says the Lord.
“Thoughts of peace and not of evil, to give you a Future and a Hope.”

Jeremiah 29:11 World English Bible

The Family Man

31 Mar

My Take

DiVoran Lites

Author, Poet and ArtistOn Sundays, our children’s class sings and plays percussion instruments. We have a special song called “Never Alone.” It was Bill’s favorite hymn when he was growing up and the concept of God staying near stuck with him. The kids like it too. Tina and Anna sing at the top of their lungs. They are cousins. Both their dads have been in prison for most of the girl’s lives.

When it was time to go outside to play Tina and Anna ran for the tire swing. Sometimes children from the baby class join us. Sunny is a favorite, but a bit small for the tire swing. Tina and Anna are careful so we set him near them and showed him how to hang on to the plastic covered chains. He kept giggling, however, and sliding off.

Then Big Tom came out. He’s a truly gentle giant and he has a deeply tender spot for children. In fact, he seems to come for a brief visit every Sunday. His own kids adore him, and his sweet and gentle wife, as well, but they don’t live with him, and he misses them.

Now he begins to turn the swing slowly by pulling on the chains. “I can reach all the way around and give Sunny a smooth ride,” he said. Suddenly a soft breeze blew through. The trees rustled. Everything hushed. Tom smiled to himself as the air was filled with peace and love. The children rotated slowly on the swing and were as still as still can be. In that moment, it seemed that Tom was free of pain and loneliness for his children, and that maybe Tina and Anna got a taste of what it would be like to have fathers on the spot to play with them. It reminded them, perhaps of God’s care for them. Though we may miss our nearest and dearest, God has promised never to leave us, never to leave us alone.

“God will never leave us for forsake us.” Hebrews 13:5

comforters

Frau Katie

30 Mar

SUNDAY MEMORIES

 Judy Wills

Judy Wills

 

I’ve mentioned Frau Katie before (September 1, 2013), and how we came to love her as part of our family. She was such an important part of our lives when we lived in Wiesbaden, Germany.  I also mentioned in that blog, that she came to visit us when we lived in San Antonio, Texas.  We wrote many letters back and forth to arrange a time for her to visit. She also had some other friends in the States to visit, so she would be with us for one week, then she would move on to visit her other friends.  The time was set – May of 1973.

 

Frau Katie with Judy, Karen and Janet. Along the River Walk in San Antonio, Texas

Frau Katie with Judy, Karen and Janet.
Along the River Walk in San Antonio, Texas

 

Katie began asking what she could bring us from Germany – to remember our time there, as well as a remembrance from her.  I don’t remember just what I told her to bring for me – I just wanted her presence with us again.  But I distinctly remember that I flippantly told her to bring Fred “a Mercedes Benz!”

Well, she did just that!!  Isn’t it a beauty? All those moving parts…….

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Fred has had such fun with that little car, and it sits on our bedroom dresser where he/we can see it every day.  Our older grandson always enjoyed playing with it when he came to visit.  I’m sure our younger grandson will do the same. I’m not sure he’s discovered it yet.3

 

 

In spite of the fact that I didn’t really ask for anything from Katie, she brought me a lovely present anyway.  It is the 1973 Hummel plate.

 

 

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I have always enjoyed the Hummel figurines I have, but this is really special. Somewhere along the line I was told that this year’s plate (1973) had something unique about it……..but for the life of me I can’t remember what it was!

 

In any case, I have it on a easel in our dining room side board, and enjoy looking at it. And I always think of Frau Katie and her generosity when I look at it.

 

 

 

The Secret to Success

29 Mar

Walking by Faith, Not by Sight

Janet Perez Eckles

 

When someone asks you the question What is the secret to success? What do you say?

When I was 11 years old and lived in my native country of Bolivia, we did a strange thing when the weather changed.

“It’s starting to rain!” someone would call out. Then all of us dashed around grabbing old pots, cans and any containers we could find. One by one, we placed them under each spot of our leaky roof.

That was a routine for us. We accepted it. And even thought it normal when electricity and water shut off right at noon.

You can read the rest of The Secret to Success: on Janet’s website: http://www.janetperezeckles.com/the-secret-to-success/#sthash.nTdW4pku.dpuf

 

His Way

Grateful for the privilege of inspiring you…

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Inspirational video  just for you.

 

 

 

 

 

 

Do You Measure Up?

27 Mar

On the Porch

Onisha Ellis

I'm a winner

Do you ever have the feeling in your life that you never measure up? I do.  I feel it when I realize I am trying to meet someone else’s expectations, their standard.

Early in my life, beginning around age six, I learned I was a failure. My attempts in first grade art were dismal. I couldn’t even color in the lines. As a teen I was socially awkward. My clothes were all wrong, my hair was too straight. I was shy. According to my older brother, I was the ugliest girl on the planet. As a teen, he told me that all his friends hated me.

As an adult, I began asking God, what do you want me to do, what is my purpose? The answer came, not in an earth shattering revelation, but in the form of an inexpensive Christmas gift, a Bible verse in a simple, inexpensive frame. My Ladies Sunday School teacher gave one to each of the women in the group, the verse chosen specifically for them.  Mine was: Micah 6:8

The Message version

But he’s already made it plain how to live, what to do, what God is looking for in men and women.
It’s quite simple: Do what is fair and just to your neighbor,
be compassionate and loyal in your love,
And don’t take yourself too seriously—take God seriously.

 I actually prefer the New International Version. It is shorter and speaks directly to my heart.

He has shown you, O mortal, what is good.
    And what does the Lord require of you? 
To act justly and to love mercy
    and to walk humbly[prudently] with your God.

 What joy and peace this verse brings me. I don’t have to measure up to anyone else’s talents or standards! What about you, have you experienced failures because you tried to meet someone else’s expectations?

 

 

The Music Makers~Part 2

24 Mar

My Take

DiVoran Lites

Author, Poet and ArtistRita and I decided to go to Panera’s for a treat. There after a lot of discussion, we finally decided to have pecan braids. The server placed our pastries on two large platters and gave us each a table knife, a fork, and a napkin. We filled our clear, plastic glasses with ice, I grabbed a handful of butter packs, we finished off the half n’ half pitcher and heard the ice crackle as the hot coffee poured over it. We took several sugar packs, and settled into a small booth. I didn’t know how to eat the pecan braid properly, so I mixed preference and the tools at hand and cut off small portions with knife and fork and buttered each one to eat with my fingers. Rita did the same. I hoped it was close to correct.

I felt as if I were back in harness as mom and then grandmother to a teenaged girl. It was fun, and Rita was having a good time too. We talked for a long time then decided to go to the bookstore.  We both love to read, and we have a lot of understanding for each other, but, she loves fantasy and I like other kinds of fiction. It felt good to just listen as she described the contents of the books there that she had read. I didn’t have to judge, criticize, or correct anything. I think what she’s reading is doing her good, because it’s as if someone truly understand her feelings and has found solutions that she might also consider.

She wanted to go in a special clothing store where her boy cousin once worked in another city. She let me know that she appreciated the fact that I didn’t have to criticize the clothes or her taste. I wasn’t there to teach such things and that was freeing for me.

Then it was time to get back for the concert. The auditorium was so full we had to climb to the tenth level. We looked for Clarisse on the overflowing stage, but finally located her on the monitor. From then on, she was the most important person on the stage to us. Apparently, she was thinking about us too. When she wasn’t singing, she shaded her eyes and looked out into the auditorium. Later I asked if she wondered where we were. She said she yes. She also said they had practiced all morning and only got to eat as much lunch as they could get down in fifteen minutes. I offered sliced oranges and small Hershey bars. Rita donated cookies, and chips, so we filled Clarisse up and we talked all the way home. By the way, the music was wonderful, especially the song they sang at the beginning and the end, “We are the Music Makers.” Oh yes, so true. Our children are our music makers in every way possible, and I pray they will always be allowed to make music and friends of their own choice as well as behave as well as we think they should.

Purple Butterfly

By DiVoran Lites

 

Tumbling Angels and The Leaning Tower

23 Mar

SUNDAY MEMORIES

 Judy Wills

                                                     

Judy Wills

 

I essentially grew up in one town.  Okay, I was born in Dallas, Texas, but we moved to Albuquerque, New Mexico when I was nearly four years old, so….  From that standpoint, my Mother was rather surprised that I “adjusted” so well to a military life.  Of course, that wasn’t what Fred and I had planned when we met and married, but God had other plans that were infinitely better than ours.  Fred did promise me that we would “see the world” when he proposed to me.  Little did we know how that would transpire.

But I have to say that I really enjoyed military life.  Except for my brother being in the U.S. Navy for a while, I really wasn’t exposed to military life until I met Fred – or more specifically, his family.

So it came as a bit of a surprise when he joined the Air Force.  They sent us to California, then to Germany – something beyond my wildest dreams.   I really loved being in both of those places.  I still have a fondness for California, but don’t think I would like to live there now.  But Germany………..WOW!  We enjoyed it so much that Fred requested – and was granted – a second tour there.

While we had many adventures in Germany, one of the last things we did was to take in the Oberammergau Passion Play.  Magnificent!  From there, we drove down to Italy.  We went to Venice:

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St. Marks Square (Piazza San Marco) with
St .Mark’s Campanile

We went to Florence

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St. Mary’s Cathedral

We went to Trieste where Fred’s family lived following World War 2.

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Miramare Castle in Trieste

He showed me the building where they had lived.

via Carducci #2 - they lived in the "mezzanine"

via Carducci #2 – they lived in the “mezzanine”

 

We went to Pisa and saw the Leaning Tower and the church and baptistry.  Amazing!

 We had been told about a little shop in Pisa that had some unique alabaster, marble and composition pieces, so we went to shop.  Our informants were correct – the merchandise was wonderful.  We purchased two marble lampstands.  We purchased some alabaster “fruit.”  And we purchased a set of composition tumbling angels.  I just thought they were really cute, and weren’t too expensive.  We have continued to enjoy all these things throughout all those years. 

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I continue to get tickled every time I look at – or dust – those tumbling angels.  They are just cute to see, but they always remind me of that trip we took, and that little shop in Pisa where we purchased them.  It’s a great memory.

Time to Blossom

22 Mar

Walking by Faith, Not by Sight

Janet Perez Eckles

Okay, dearest friends, as of yesterday, Spring is officially here. Time to blossom.
Like flowers, God is at work—He’s offering you the drink of living water, His Words
to bring sunshine into your days, and the promise that you will blossom, grow, shine
and give off the fragrance of joy.
Happy Saturday!

Spring

His Way

Janet Perez Eckles,

Grateful for the privilege of inspiring you…

My website in English

En Español

My story (video)

Inspirational video  just for you.