Celebrating Freedom

How is freedom different in America today compared to 20years ago? Do we  still celebrate freedom today as we did even 15 years ago?
I think freedom means alot of different things to alot of different people but to those of us born in America  or transplanted here we should be celebrating every single day. Every single day of living in a country where we have freedoms no other country has ever enjoyed. Freedom to work where and when we want to. Freedom to drive a car. Freedom to worship or not to worship the way we want to. The list goes on and on. But with our freedoms come restrictions. Yes, we have the freedom to work where and when we want to, but that comes with the restriction of what kind of lifestyle we might want to maintain. Yes, we can drive a car with the restriction of age depending on the state we live in. Yes, we can worship or not worship when and where we want to. Wait!!! This is the one freedom we have that seems to not have any restrictions, other than where a church building can be built.
This is why not taking our freedoms for granted is so important. The majority of our founding fathers were Christians that believed that if we gave up relying on  God in this nation the very core of our nation would fall apart. Yes, with freedom comes restrictions but aren't those restrictions worth it to continue to have the one freedom that has no restrictions. America is a Christian nation founded on the principles of a loving God. Take the time to vote to keep our freedoms in tact.

Celebrating A New Kind of Strength

What can be more exciting then being asked to be on a talk show? Now mind you it is only a local talk show but nevertheless I am so apprehensive!! All those thoughts go through your head. "Can I do this?", "Why would anyone watch me?" But yet in all of this I have to reach to the strength that is beyond me!!! The Bible says "we are more than conquerers through Christ who redeemed us". "If God is for us who can be against us". Should there be any doubt in my mind. I can't do this on my own. I so desperately need Him to lead and guide me.
I love to celebrate but when it comes to celebrating my self I struggle. Hence I will not celebrate myself but celebrate what God is doing in my life. How I can be a blessing to others, and encourage them to seek Him for strength.
Celebrate not being able to do it in our own strength today and you will be surprised how much "Strength" you will really have.

What is Celebrate?

The definition of celebrate is so different to so many people and so many cultures. What one person finds to celebrate another finds odd or the least bit interested in celebrating. My challenge to everyone out there is to find a reason to celebrate. Disney has an old movie Pollyanna, in it a little girl always "finds a reason for being glad". She calls it the "glad game". Sort of a "when life hands you lemons" thing.
Our society here in America has gotten so far away from celebrating or finding a reason for being glad. It has almost become an "I deserve to be happy and it is up to you to make me happy" game.
My goal here on Celebrate is to turn it around. Make others glad and it will definitely come back to you. Seek to celebrate and make a difference in others lives. Celebrating is so much more than just special occasions like birthdays, anniversaries,etc. Create a memory, celebrate life and give someone a reason to celebrate for a lifetime!!! 

Published!!!

I took the plunge and am finally letting people know that I wrote a book. With a blog all about celebrating, I guess you could say my book is along those same lines.I am having major issues of inadequacy thinking why did I even do this. I know why! I love to celebrate others, I love to have a party, I want people to feel that they are recognized for what they do and who they are.We never know how long someone will be with us.

I noticed it has been a while since I blogged. The last time I did was over a tragedy. This one I want to be about celebrating those we still have. Celebrate your loved ones today!!!!!!Keep the memory alive of those you've lost. Go out to dinner with your spouse. Pick a flower and give it to your neighbor (just make sure it is not from one of their plants!!:))Smile at the cashier at Walmart.Spend some quiet time with God to let Him know you celebrate Him! If you are having a yucky day find a reason to celebrate, or my wish for you would be that someone would celebrate you.

I am trying to celebrate this new journey of being an author. I may be a little freaked out but I am having fun along the way.

I hope you choose to come celebrate with me. Share with me your unique ways you celebrate others in your life.

CELEBRATE LIFE CELEBRATE BIG!!!!!!!

Celebrate Life Amidst Grief

I got one of those phone calls you never want to get on a Monday morning or anytime for that matter. A friend of ours in his early 40's passed away on Monday morning from a heart attack. Being with his 34 year old widow on Monday morning so many emotions rushing inside her head and heart. Anger, frustration, blame, fear,etc. I couldn't even begin to put myself in her shoes.She just needed to feel, and vent, and cry all at the same time. Her heart breaking and wanting him back. "I just want him to walk in that door right now!!" she kept saying. This type of deep hurt is unexplainable to those of us who have never lost someone so suddenly and so tragically. Even to those of us that have Jesus and heaven, which our friend did, still does not make the hurt any easier.

She is surrounded by so many people right now knowing that a time is coming that she along with her children will have to face. When everyone that came for the funeral goes home. This is when she will need friends around her more than ever. People around her to help her and the children face their days of lonliness and missing him.

I will choose to celebrate her by praying for her and being there for her when all the out-of-town guests leave. I will choose to celebrate her by encouraging her to keep going for her children. Celebrating amidst the grief. Celebrating a life too short. Celebrating amidst grief, is that even possible? How will you celebrate those in your life that are struggling?

Celebrate Parenting

This past weekend we shared with a group the importance of taking a parenting class that has changed our lives and helped to make us better parents. We get so busy with life sometimes we even forget to parent, especially when our kids get to be 9 and older. We tend to not see as much because they are so independent. As parents we need to remember that they are still dependent on us for so much more than just the necessities of life.The reason we are not producing morally responsible children in our homes is because parental instruction too often lacks moral reason backed up with scripture.We tell our children what to do, or just expect them to get it through influence, but never tell them why they should. here is some good heartfelt scripture to remind us to celebrate being parents!!!!!~My behavior towards you is not based on what you have done to me but on how precious you are to God. Phil 2:3-5 teaches us to Imitating Christ's Humility :
1If you have any encouragement from being united with Christ, if any comfort from his love, if any fellowship with the Spirit, if any tenderness and compassion, 2then make my joy complete by being like-minded, having the same love, being one in spirit and purpose. 3Do nothing out of selfish ambition or vain conceit, but in humility consider others better than yourselves. 4Each of you should look not only to your own interests, but also to the interests of others. 5Your attitude should be the same as that of Christ Jesus:
6Who, being in very nature[a] God,
did not consider equality with God something to be grasped,
7but made himself nothing,
taking the very nature[b] of a servant,
being made in human likeness.
8And being found in appearance as a man,
he humbled himself
and became obedient to death—
even death on a cross!
9Therefore God exalted him to the highest place
and gave him the name that is above every name,
10that at the name of Jesus every knee should bow,
in heaven and on earth and under the earth,
11and every tongue confess that Jesus Christ is Lord,
to the glory of God the Father. 12Therefore, my dear friends, as you have always obeyed—not only in my presence, but now much more in my absence—continue to work out your salvation with fear and trembling, 13for it is God who works in you to will and to act according to his good purpose.14Do everything without complaining or arguing, 15so that you may become blameless and pure, children of God without fault in a crooked and depraved generation, in which you shine like stars in the universe 16as you hold out[c] the word of life—in order that I may boast on the day of Christ that I did not run or labor for nothing. 17But even if I am being poured out like a drink offering on the sacrifice and service coming from your faith, I am glad and rejoice with all of you. 18So you too should be glad and rejoice with me.
I am so thankful for verses like these that help me get right back on track and reaching my children's hearts.

Valentine's Day! Love is in the air!

I love to celebrate as most of you have guessed by my blog. Always finding reasons to celebrate can be hard. This is why I love when special days are set aside to celebrate.
Valentine defined in Webster's is a gift or greeting given to a sweetheart, or also a sweetheart chosen or complimented on Valentine's Day. Who will be your chosen one on Valentine's day? 
The origin of Valentines day is sort of all over the page. The one thing that seems to reign true is there were several St. Valentine's who were all martyred for different causes they believed in, for those they cared about. From this has grown a huge holiday of candy, jewelry, flowers and cards, just some of the ways we show how much we love those we care about.
However you choose to celebrate Valentine's day remember the St. Valentines and give yourself unconditionally to your sweetheart and let them know you would even be willing to die for them you love them so much. Which brings me to the most sacrificial Valentine giver of all time. Our Creator Father God who gave His very own Son as a Valentine for us. So when you give your Valentines, whatever you choose to give, give sacrificially and unselfishly. The rewards will be great!!!!!

What is your Passion?

Have you noticed a change in peoples attitudes lately? There seems to be an attitude of survival yet almost with a desire to slow things down. As slow as the economy is right now more people are becoming introspective, and not scrambling around in a panic survival mode but more of a we can do this survival mode.We don't need the government to help us we will survive this by really thinking about what is important in life. This brings me to the topic today. What is your passion? Our passion, that God given gift inside you that screams YES!!!!!! that is what I was placed here for, coming out of us. That one thing that when you start talking to others about it you almost can't stop. What is your passion? Find your passion and celebrate it.

Celebrate with a Prom?

I am doing a prom for our homeschool group. This is the first time this has been done in our group. Some people have some apprehensions to it but I believe it could be a big success. We have an awesome group of kids in our homeschool group and I think we need to allow them to celebrate by dressing up and coming together for some fun, dancing, music and food.
I love celebrating teens because they are the ones that will be leading our country some day. I also know that if you set a standard and expect them to come up to it they will reach it most of the time.
The theme for our prom will be Winter Wonderland. I know in Florida that sounds crazy especially since we will be having it in April. We have to bring winter to Florida sometime (although this last week it has been so cold I was wondering if I was even in Florida.). Winter Wonderland Formal, sounds fun doesn't it?
Celebrate the teens in your life give them a chance and they will rise to the occasion. If they don't, have them read the book "Do Hard Things" then I am sure they will be challenged.

Celebrating Memories

Today's blog is going to be about celebrating memories. When was the last time you actually looked over pictures from the past? Even with today's technology of digital cameras and digital everything else we put our pictures on a computer then inevitably forget about them until we need them for something. Take some time to look over your past memories or even get out some old pictures to show your children and reminisce about the past.
If you are a scrapbooker take time to scrapbook a few pages. I am a very, very , very sporadic scrapbooker but it can be fun to do a few pages. Sometimes doing a few pages can give a sense of accomplishment and you get to laugh and think back to fun times. Tonight I will celebrate a vacation we took a year ago. How fun it is to relive past memories and times we have forgotten.
Celebrate with past memories!!!!!!

Celebrating My Creator

What a better way to celebrate then to celebrate my Lord and Savior Jesus Christ. That is my choice of celebrating today. Many people go to church and believe but do we really celebrate the one who gave us life? We so often just go through the motions and forget to celebrate our Creator.
We are all created with a purpose and yet sometimes don't fulfill that purpose because we get so caught up with what is going on around us. Each day we need to Celebrate God by doing at least one thing to fulfill his purpose in our life. What will you do today in fulfillment of that purpose?

Rainy Day

How do you celebrate when it is cold and wet outside? I woke up this morning to a rainy cold day. Well I guess for us Floridians 45 is cold. I was contemplating as to why on a day like today would I be wanting to write a blog about celebrating others and just life in general when most of the nation is covered in snow or experiencing unusually cold temperatures? Then I thought why not celebrate?
I have a home and a family that loves me, I will choose to celebrate them. My son wants to spend his Target gift card and has been asking for days to go. I need to celebrate him and take him today, even if he doesn't find what he wants the joy on his face just looking over the toys is so much fun.
My husband and I celebrated our marriage last night. When economic times are tough you have to be creative. Instead of going out to a restaurant for dessert,(the kids were gone) we opened a bottle of sparkling grape juice made some popcorn snuggled down on the couch to watch a movie together. Ahhhhhh. Such a great way to spend an evening.
I have one more conquest today, I need to find a way to celebrate my daughter. Once again if it is just giving her a hug or telling her how proud I am of her and the beautiful young lady she is becoming that is still celebrating.
Remember Celebrating others does not have to mean something tangible or a gift. Just you spending time and communicating can be the biggest celebration of all.

Celebrate those in whose footsteps you follow

This is my first time blogging and I am struggling with putting things into words. I have wanted to start a blog thinking who would want to read it? But if for nothing else it can be almost theraputic. I think what I have seen is you have to have niche to have a blog. I guess you would say my niche is going to be celebrating those in your life and those who have gone on before you to make memories last.
Our lives are too short just to sit around and think about ourselves and always seek for our own happiness. When the people we have nearest to us, as much as they might annoy us and fight with us, if we do our best to celebrate them and make them happy our joy will come. I am by no means talking about unhealthy relationships that involve abuse or neglect but healthy relationships where despite our quirks we do do our best to get along.
There is nothing that thrills me more than to celebrate a milestone in someones life. Celebrate a birthday, anniversary or anything else that I know is important to that person or will make them feel important. We never know how long we have each other.
I lost my Mom 10 and a half years ago to ovarian cancer and I have no regrets. She was the Queen of celebrating people. I just want to carry on that heritage for my family, friends and anyone else in my life.
STOP!! Take a breath and look real close at those that are around you. Have you celebrated them lately. Let them know even if the celebration is a Thank You or most importantly an
I LOVE YOU!!!!!