101 post

Well today marks my 101 post since starting my blog this summer. I have enjoyed writing and hope to continue blogging throughout 2009. As I reflect on 2008 I remember it as a year of change. Chris's father found out in January that he had cancer and was told he had 3 to 6 months to live. We were with him as the doctor's prediction came true 5 months later when he died on my dad's birthday May 28, 2008. The summer brought us some fun as we took Olivia to Disney and Sea World for the first time (it was my first time to go also :-) Olivia decided over summer break that she wanted to try public school, so ... after 4 years in Private Christian school we let her go. She has really enjoyed it and wants to go back next year. She is in a gifted class all day on Tuesdays and will be tested in January for a gifted art class ( all I can say is her stick people look way better than mine :-). I was able to finally get a new vehicle this year and have been very thankful for reliable (and updated) transportation. Chris is working hard to keep up with the demands of me and Olivia. God bless him, he is a good man. He has a boat and four wheeler and all the necessary equipment a professional hunter / fisherman needs. I am happy for him because he deserves those things. He works hard for all of us. As I reflect on this year I couldn't be more thankful for my family and friends the Lord has surrounded me with . God is good. Don't let your circumstance rule who you are ... let the Lord. Keep Jesus first in your life and seek his will. Enjoy your family and think of others.

Go be a blessing today. Happy New Year

Is Christmas really over?

No, Christmas isn't ever over; Christmas is what we Christians carry around in our hearts all year long. Sure the gift giving will slow down and the baking will cease for awhile, but the JOY of what Christmas means will stay with us (if we let it). I choose to keep Christmas in my heart all year long. I want to start 2009 pondering Jesus. I am thankful for the opportunity to have a fresh slate and a new year. The possibilities are endless of what I can do. Will I finally lose those pounds I want to lose? Will I get bolder in my witnessing? Will I be a better wife and mother? Will I be a better friend? According to Philippians 4:13 "I can do all things through Christ who strengthens me." I am told in Proverbs 3: 5-6 "Trust in the Lord with all thine heart; and lean not unto thine own understanding. In all thy ways acknowledge him, and he shall direct thy paths." How can I go wrong in 2009 if I let Jesus direct my paths?? I can't go wrong with Jesus and neither can you. Lastly Romans 12:2 says "And be not conformed to this world; but be ye transformed by the renewing of your mind, that ye may prove what is that good, and acceptable, and perfect will of God." Wow, did you catch those last 3 words? will of God. He sent his Son Jesus as a babe, to live as a sinless man, to die for us sinners on the cross, to raise from the dead and join God the father in Heaven; all for me and you. And that is not all; he sent us the holy spirit as our comforter and his Holy word as our guide. We can't go wrong in 2009 if we keep pondering Jesus in our hearts and seek him first. May God be with you in the new year. If you don't have a relationship with Jesus email me. susanbneal@gmail.com

Go be a blessing ...

Merry Christmas everybody

Luke 2
1And it came to pass in those days, that there went out a decree from Caesar Augustus that all the world should be taxed.

2(And this taxing was first made when Cyrenius was governor of Syria.)

3And all went to be taxed, every one into his own city.

4And Joseph also went up from Galilee, out of the city of Nazareth, into Judaea, unto the city of David, which is called Bethlehem; (because he was of the house and lineage of David:)

5To be taxed with Mary his espoused wife, being great with child.

6And so it was, that, while they were there, the days were accomplished that she should be delivered.

7And she brought forth her firstborn son, and wrapped him in swaddling clothes, and laid him in a manger; because there was no room for them in the inn.

8And there were in the same country shepherds abiding in the field, keeping watch over their flock by night.

9And, lo, the angel of the Lord came upon them, and the glory of the Lord shone round about them: and they were sore afraid.

10And the angel said unto them, Fear not: for, behold, I bring you good tidings of great joy, which shall be to all people.

11For unto you is born this day in the city of David a Saviour, which is Christ the Lord.

12And this shall be a sign unto you; Ye shall find the babe wrapped in swaddling clothes, lying in a manger.

13And suddenly there was with the angel a multitude of the heavenly host praising God, and saying,

14Glory to God in the highest, and on earth peace, good will toward men.

15And it came to pass, as the angels were gone away from them into heaven, the shepherds said one to another, Let us now go even unto Bethlehem, and see this thing which is come to pass, which the Lord hath made known unto us.

16And they came with haste, and found Mary, and Joseph, and the babe lying in a manger.

17And when they had seen it, they made known abroad the saying which was told them concerning this child.

18And all they that heard it wondered at those things which were told them by the shepherds.

19But Mary kept all these things, and pondered them in her heart.

20And the shepherds returned, glorifying and praising God for all the things that they had heard and seen, as it was told unto them.

This is our tree. Can you read the date on the bottom of the picture? It says November 15th 2008. Yes, our tree has been up for over a month now. Not only that, we put it in the bay window in the kitchen this year??? go figure ... Since our 9 year old doesn't believe in Santa anymore there are lots of presents wrapped and under the tree now. She has requested a Nintendo DS and asked if we get her one to leave it unwrapped ... gee someone still wants a little of that Santa surprise stuff, huh? I have to admit I always enjoyed playing Santa, but hated lying about it. A good friend of mine who was born in Germany asked me about our Santa tradition last year. She and her family don't celebrate Christmas the way we do. They don't even put up a tree until the day before Christmas and the gifts start coming after Christmas and into the New Year. Unfortunately for me she and her family are visiting Germany for Christmas this year since her parents aren't able to travel. If she were home I'd ask her to tell me again how they celebrate because it was very sweet and sacred sounding, not commercial like Santa. Don't get me wrong ... Santa is ok, but in the scheme of things Jesus is the one we should be talking about and focusing on. The way her family celebrated Christmas made Jesus the focal point. We read the Christmas story right from the Bible each year and we talk about Jesus and give thanks for his life and death and resurrection, but her celebration approached Christmas from a different angle. Since Santa isn't in our tradition this year; I want to change up the way we do things. I'm not sure how, but I'm praying about it. God will let me know what to do and when he does I'll share with you. Maybe some of you have some special ways to honor Jesus at Christmas ... let me know what you and your family do. We learn from sharing with each other.

Merry Christmas

Old sayings and nuts

There's a saying on my flip calendar that reads: Families are like fudge... mostly sweet, with a few nuts. I don't know why, but I really like that saying. I guess because there are many "nuts" in my family. Our issues go way back. I have distant relatives who were so quirky it is hard to believe they lived the way my mom described them. My great aunt Bessie was a sweet lady who enjoyed company, but apparently her 3 old maid siblings did not. When they saw someone walking up their sidewalk they would pull the shades down and shut and lock the doors. Whoever rang the bell or knocked at the door was ignored until the visitor gave up and left. How unusual was that? Mom said they wouldn't receive guests unless they were expecting them.

Let's move on to "old wives tails". Surely someone in your family told them to you when you were growing up.

Here are some my mom told me when I was growing up. Did you know if:

you are a single girl and someone sweeps under your feet with a broom, you'll never get married?

Coffee will stunt your growth.

Cats can steal the air from a baby's mouth.

If you go outside with wet hair, you'll catch a cold. *(I believe this one)

If you cross your eyes, they'll stay that way.

Cracking knuckles causes arthritis.

I know for a fact that when my left index finger hurts we're in for a cold spell:-)

I guess by now you are thinking "where is she going with this"? To be honest I don't know. I just like to share tiny bits of my life ... this is my history, this is part of what makes up me. I have a 9 year old daughter who some days doesn't seem to like anything about me. The other day she asked me to help her make a blog :-) Can you believe it she wanted a blog? She wants to be just like ME. I pray daily that I will be a light for Jesus, because that little girl is examining me through a microscope. When I slip up; she let's me know it. She is so precious to me. When she looks at my life I want her to see Jesus in me. We're making history right now and I feel so very blessed to have her. Time is flying ... literally by the minute. Enjoy your children, make memories. Go outside and jump rope and play ball. Act like a kid. Act like a nut. Yes, families are like fudge ... mostly sweet, with a few nuts. How boring life would be if we didn't have a few nuts.

God bless you. Go be a blessing.

The Cove

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  Chris and I went to The Cove Training Center in Asheville last night for a Christmas event with Charles Billingsley. Charles is an amazing christian singer who always lifts our spirits with his songs and humor. He was accompanied by Adam Lancaster on the piano and 3 other band members. They all were fantastic. Before the event Chris and I enjoyed walking around the cove admiring all of the wonderful gifts Dr. Billy Graham received from his many journeys home and abroad. One gift that caught my eye was a gorgeous nativity that he bought for his wife Ruth. It was a relaxing evening and a nice way to end a very busy week.

These are a few pictures from the Christmas program Olivia was in at her school. I was so proud of her. The last picutre is of her and Mrs. Holland her teacher. What a fun year she is having.

Very busy day

Olivia did fantastic with her speaking part in her school Christmas program this morning, all of the kids did. I cried; it was so sweet :-) I'm off to take cupcakes to her class party ... I'll post pictures tomorrow of all the fun from this past week.

Safe shopping and traveling. The fog here in the south has been crazy this week.

Be a blessing ...

Christmas Song quiz

We went to a Christmas party Sunday afternoon and were given the following quiz. See how many of the song titles you can come up with. I'll do the first one for you. Hit comments and give me your answers if you have time. I'll have answers late tonight or in the morning. Have fun :-) If you have to know an answer before tonight just email me.....

1. The lad is a diminutive percussionist : Little drummer boy

2. Decorate the entry-ways: Deck the Halls

3. Sir Lancelot with laryngitis: Silent night

4. ABCDEFGHIJKMNOPQRSTUVWXYZ : Noel

5. Present me naught but duel incisors for this festive Yuletide: All I want for Christmas is my two front teeth.

6. We are Kong, Lear, and Nat Cole: We 3 kings

7. Boulder of the tinkling metal spheres: Jingle bell rock

8. Parent was observed osculating a red-coated, unshaven teamster: I saw mommy kissing Santa Claus.

9. Have hither ward the entire assembly of those who are loyal in their belief:

10.Vehicular homicide was committed on Dad's mom by Rudolph or one of his mates:

11. Expectation of arrival to populated areas by mythical, masculine perennial gift giver:

12. Jovial yuletide desired for the second person singular or plural by us:

Can you smell the fudge?

I have made a pan of fudge and baked 36 chocolate chip cookies and it's just 9:15. wow... I am loving this season of baking and giving. I hope to deliver my baked goods later today. I'll go see my hair stylist and leave cookies in the mailbox for our mail carrier. Tonight we'll take goodies to Olivia's Awana teachers at church then her school teacher and piano teacher. There are so many people who "serve" us all through out the year; let's remember them this Christmas. If money is tight you can give out candy canes or a simple note that says, thank you, is always appreciated. People like to hear encouraging words and affirmation that they are needed and what they do matters. When we taught 5 year old Sunday school we received the best homemade gifts and I still treasure them today. It's not the cost; it's the thought.

So as you go through out your busy day as I am running through mine. Keep the reason for Christmas in your mind and share it through your heart. Merry Christmas.

Go be a blessing....

No sign

For weeks now there has been a sign with a orange flag waving telling us that on Dec. 16 a certain busy intersection will become a four way stop. Right now people on one road stop while the others fly down the other road. Well, on the way to take Olivia to school this morning I told her today was the day of the new 4 way stop; we wondered how much better the traffic would be. Well .... to my surprise there were no stop signs yet for those of us who don' t usually have to stop. We witnessed a white two door truck almost being hit because he was sitting at the stop sign that clearly says 4 way stop effective Dec. 16 (today). He assumed that because he had a sign that the people coming the opposite way also had a stop sign BUT they did not. I am so thankful he did not get hit. I came home and immediately called the county and the lady took my name and number and said they'd get right on it. I don't understand ... I told her in a very nice way that normally the signs would already be in place and covered with black bags until the effective date, but that's not the case. I pray no one gets killed in the time it takes the county to follow through with the 'effective date' of today. Ok, that's my soap box for now.

I am off to help my mom who is not doing well. On top of health issues and dizzy spells a transformer blew behind her house on Friday and she lost her TV, microwave, washing machine and it blew up her electric blanket. Right now my brother has bought her a new electric blanket and microwave and she had a spare TV (very tiny, but it works). I brought her laundry home with me yesterday and took care of that for her. Her homeowners insurance covers those items, but she has a $500 deductible ( on a fixed monthly check that seems like a ton). Pray for her as she deals with the stress of her health and the inconvenience of everyday necessities not being readily available. Also she doesn't like depending on us kids, but that's what we are here for. None the less this is a busy time and I have commitments EVERY day this week some days I have to be in 3 different place at 3 different times so ....

Have a blessed day. Be thankful, pray for those less fortunate and be safe out there.

My red Christmas book

Today I want to tell you about my red Christmas book. When I was in the 9th grade my favorite English teacher, Mrs. Babb, gave us an assignment to buy a book with empty pages. She wanted us to write about our Christmas experiences from birth to 9th grade. I can remember really enjoying that project and have continued to write about each Christmas since then. It was a lot of work in the beginning, but now it is one of my most prized possessions. I not only write about each Christmas and how I celebrated, but I have tucked memorable cards, pictures, church bulletins etc., in my book. So it is a scrap book of Christmas memories. When I opened it a few moments ago I was surprised to see that I had not written in it since Christmas 2005. I didn't realize that I had ever missed a year, but since daddy died in 2006 I suppose it was to difficult to write that year. I'll be sure to sit down and fill in the last two Christmas experiences so I can keep my tradition alive and going this year. Let me encourage you to start your own Christmas memory book. It's worth the time and something for you, your children and grandchildren to cherish.

Have a blessed day and Merry Christmas.

Blogger to busy to blog ....

I'm a school volunteer, chauffeur, cook, cleaner and dress maker; so to speak. I am too busy to blog today, but will write again when time and a good topic comes up :-)

Have a blessed day and be a blessing to others.

Birthday fun :-)

Jewelry, games, calls, cards, e-cards, cookware and a red purse to boot :-)what gifts, what fun, what a birthday !!! Every year in late July we have a combo birthday dinner for my childhood best friend Karen and my hubby Chris since their birthdays are close together. Well, in December Keith (Karen's hubby) and I both have birthdays so we get to have a combo dinner celebration. Last night they came over and brought pizza and wings and the best chocolate layered cheesecake I've ever tasted. We sat around the fire and played Mad Gab ( the gift Olivia got me for my birthday). It was so much fun. Us girls beat the guys :-)We had a nice evening and in the tradition of the Pajama day at school us girls decided to keep our PJ's on and be extra comfy. I know some of you are thinking how could cookware be a good gift? Well, I love red and when I saw that Paula Dean 12 piece cookware set I just had to have it so ... Chris who loves to eat and knows I need new pans bought it for me. My sweet mom picked out the red purse for me and Karen and Keith gave me the boxed set of Honora pearls (Karen's a QVC girl and I love her for it :-) I also got a beautiful silver watch necklace from Things Remembered from my sweet Chris. He is so good to me. Thanks again for making my day special.

Have a fun weekend.

Pajama Day, Birthday ...

Olivia's school is having Pajama day today and boy is it fun. I wore my PJ's to drive her to school and honestly I could get used to that. Her principal had on his PJ's and robe as he greeted the students. I laughed as I watched all the pink, purple and camo prints walk down the sidewalk. The students could also bring a blanket and small stuffed animal. Olivia wore penguin p.j.'s so she took her penguin webkins with her ( it's all about matching these days...). Anyway, it's amazing how much fun a day can evoke on people; just by calling it Pajama Day.

Another day that brings happiness is a birthday and today is mine :-) Now that is a FUN DAY. My first happy birthday wish came from my sweet Chris. Next my brother sent me a text greeting, then my Livie sang me a happy birthday song, then my friend Lisa called and sang happy birthday (all this happened before 7:15 a.m.). You see why I like birthdays? can you tell I was the baby of the family and ONLY girl? I wasn't spoiled with material things because growing up our family never had any money, but I sure was showered with love and I'll take that every day.

I thank God for my life and for allowing me to enjoy 39 years on this earth. My husband sent me an e-card and he said "Suki is looking fine at 39" :-). So what more could a woman ask for? I am blessed with a precious husband who still thinks I'm hot after 13 years and some extra pounds. We have an amazing daughter and a bounty of loving family and friends. The Lord is to be praised for his blessings on us.

I have many wonderful things planned today. Starting at 9:00 to 10:00 praying for my church for our 600 hours of prayer campaign. Then at 10:05 I'll be reading at my daughters school as a volunteer. I am meeting Chris for lunch then will see my family after school. Later we have dinner plans with some friends. I'll post pictures tonight. What a grand day! This is the day the Lord has made and I will rejoice and be glad in it.

Have a blessed day.

Family Write Night

Olivia's school had family write night last night & she, Chris and I went. One of the teachers read a story then they gave us the topic of "gifts" to write about. We were to write about a special gift or anything we wanted that had to do with gifts. Well, considering my birthday is this Friday, December 5th I wrote an interesting story about how much fun gifts were. I shared about how my husband always gets me a cake, flowers, card and gift because he knows that I make a big deal over birthdays. I don't care how old I am that is MY day and I love to celebrate it. This year I will be 39 and I am proud to say that. I once read that; "if a woman will tell her age, she'll tell anything." Well ... I don't know who came up with that because it is not true; I wouldn't tell you my weight for anything :-)

I do have a point to this story. In the midst of my selfish, "me" moment last night several others at the write night decided to stand up and read their wonderful stories. It was so sweet to hear how one little girl said her baby sister was the best gift and another person said getting a special locket was the best gift. A sweet older gentleman said that receiving a smile from a particular person was his most special gift. Wow!! Talk about my selfish story. Well, to redeem myself today I want to blog about a very special gift I received two years ago. I started to write about it last night, but it was personal and I thought I'd be emotional so I didn't share it, but since you are my friend I'll share it here.

Two years ago at the end of October I was over visiting mom and dad. Mom and I were talking about going shopping and she said "we don't need to go, we'll just buy something we don't need". I spoke up and said that I needed a new pair of black shoes to wear to church. Well, I left the room for whatever reason and came back to find that my dad had fixed one of the birthday cards mom had on hand for me and put cash in it (he always gave us kids cash so we could buy whatever we wanted). He said it's early, but I want you to have those shoes. Well, on that October day I bought a red tablecloth at Target and a week later I found the black shoes I was looking for ( I bought them both with the money he gave me). Who knew he would die 2 weeks before my birthday? Jesus did. When Dec. 5th 2006 rolled around my daddy was in Heaven, but because the Lord allowed I had an early birthday card from him to cherish and display. I keep it close by all year round and thank the Lord for that special memory.

We are not promised tomorrow so live today to the fullest. Do a kindness for someone else. Love your neighbor.

Love you,
Susan