Miracles

      Today is the last day for the post about Miracles. It has been an honor and a privilege to be able to share so many stories from others. They have inspired me to new heights and reminded me to keep the faith. In truth, based on the comments, they have touched people in more ways than I ever thought possible.

      For all those who don't know, there is going to be an event on my FB wall to close this section out. People are going to share more. With their permission, they will all be posted on this blog tomorrow to mark the final day of it all.

      For me, in a time where things are unsure because of the economy or life changes, this is the perfect time to witness so many wonderful things that have happened in everyday life. Tiny miracles happen all the time. Whether it's meeting a friend who can help make dreams come true or seeing the sun rise on another day. They are the tiny little things that make life good and let us know that we are all connected in one way or another. The following is a miracle that was posted on my wall by a friend named James Weil. 

James Weil's Miracle that inspired a great change in his life.

     When I was in school in Switzerland I had a friend named Axel. His step father was a famous writer and poet. I loved him like a brother. I even spent Easter vacation with him on the island of Hydra in Greece. The day we left Switzerland we made a pact that we would meet again in Greece in the year 2000. I never forgot that pact. As the year grew closer I realized that Axel no longer lived in Greece. So I contacted the webmaster of one of his fans and asked about where his mother lived. He wrote back that she had remarried and gave me only a city in Norway and her birthdate. So I wrote a letter to her with only her name and birthdate on the envelope.


      Miraculously it arrived, and I was reunited with one my most precious childhood friends, but not without great tragedy. I cannot give anything more away because it is in Swiss Chocolate. But I will give anyone a free, signed copy of my book if they can tell me who Axel's stepfather was. There are tons of clues, but only a true fan could guess who he is.
 
      The change it inspired in his life was to write a novel called Swiss Chocolate. It comes out soon. There is a link on my page to his that shows the first chapter. I am already drawn in by his novel and can't wait to read it.
 
      All of you who have followed my blog, knows I quit my job yesterday. It wasn't planned. I woke up this morning and missed that small moment of silence at 4:30 am. It was something I had become used to. Then it hit me, we become used to things all the time. We accept them as a normal way of life. We don't always see that what might be considered normal really is just a state of familiarity. That's something we all become used to and long to have, even if it's not good for us. We see it all the time with friends and family who go back into abusive relationships or never strive for something more. Change is dealing with the unfamiliar. I say to change, bring it on! I'm so ready to see what is going to happen next...smiles....

      In honor of those who have been writers for a while and are striving now to be writers, once a week for the next month or so, I'm going to review a book I've read. I love reading as much as I love writing. For anyone who wants to join in the discussion or have a book they want to talk about you can email me, send me a FB message or even post a comment. I want to be inspired by this just as much as I have been inspired by all the miracles. I believe writing is one of those miracles. It uses the imagination and takes you away to another world or another time.

      For those of you who are working on a novel or have just been published, this is the time to shine. Let me know so I can talk about it. Making it is hard. Those who are just starting out and have a deal inspire me all the time to keep writing. Those who are in the middle of creating, like myself also inspire me to keep going. There is so much talent out there and so many people I would like to give a forum to them this month. It might be a small one, but we all start somewhere....smiles...hugs...

      To finish this off, I want to tell you about a Marley and Me moment I had with my dog. I posted this on my FB wall the other day. It still makes me laugh. Laughter, oh such a wonderful sound.
     
      I had to run to the shop real quick to find out about the schedule. Mine never changes, but you never know so to make sure I thought I should check into it.


      When I went to leave my house, my little dog Kilo snuck out the door. As I have sai...d before, my dog is sure he is seven feet tall and can take on the world. So Kilo takes off running in the direction of the golf course. I hope in the van with the kids and go chase after him. We get to the golf course and the dog is in the middle of a game. I kid you not. He is chasing some poor old man's ball towards the hole. The old man is shouting, "Get the hell away from my ball!"

      I called out to Kilo who then looked at me and ran the other way. Luckily I had a dog treat in the van from a couple days ago when we went to the park. I pulled out the dog treat, which by the way is his favorite. He stopped dead in his tracks and turns around and looks at me. Here I am, with a dog treat in my hand, a dog wondering if it's a trap and an old man yelling at the top of his lungs for me to get off the grass. The old man takes a couple steps towards me. Kilo must think he is after the treat, because he comes running towards me and snatches the treat out of my hand. I grabbed his collar just on time, and he drags me off my feet. I'm telling you, it couldn't have been more funny if I had scripted it myself. I apologized to the old man and carried my dog to the van. wagged his tail when he got back in the van. The kids clapped and I got in thinking I really need a margarita...lol....I swear my dog is nuts.
 
      Thank you all for joining me on this journey. It has been a pleasure getting to know all of you...smiles...hugs and blessings to all....

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Miracles

      I quit my job today. Things reached a boiling point. I'm not a person who is quick to anger and for the most part, I'm pretty passive. I usually just say, "Ok," and give in to whatever is going on. Today, I stood up for myself. It's the first time I have ever said I refuse to be treated like crap. I have to say it felt good. The money wasn't worth the hassles any more.

      I think we are given chances in life to grow and overcome some of our own insecurities and flaws. This was my chance to say I have had enough. There are very few consequences to this change accept that I now I don't have to get up at three am to go to work. I liked the job I did. I even didn't mind the hours. It was nice having a little time to myself. What wasn't ok was a person thinking they are allowed to treat people bad. I know some will say, "She still has her job," and they would be right. She sure does. The longer she is there, the more people she will drive off. She has driven off many people. I'm sure I won't be the last.

      When I got home from work and opened my facebook, I received a message from a dear friend of mine. It was a miracle. It was just the positive thing I needed. Lynn Roberson is a person whose faith never waivers no matter the obstacle. I have learned a lot from her. I told her everything that happened and of all things for her to say, she said she was proud of me for taking the step I needed to get out of a bad situation. What a great feeling it was to have someone say they were proud of me for quitting a job...lol...

      The following is another miracle from Lynn Roberson. If you ever get a chance to read her poetry, you should. It's beautiful and always makes me smile...

Long years ago I attended a Christian Yoga retreat and exchanged addresses with a lady there who wrote poetry. Some time passed and neither of us wrote. One day I lay down to rest and was overwhelmed by an impulse to write Jackie a letter and simply tell her that God loved her. I couldn't rest until I obeyed the impulse (which I believe was God). I sealed the envelope and laid the letter on the counter. Not having a stamp, I didn't get it in the mail that day. Then it was gone. I asked my husband if he had mailed it. He had not. He didn't have stamps either, and hadn't mailed anything at all. He laughed and said, "I don't mail my own letters, you have to mail them for me."

We both looked around the area, on the floor....no letter. Puzzled, I put it out of my mind eventually.  
About four months passed, and one day I received a note from Jackie. She thanked me for the letter I had sent her. She said she noticed that it had been written three months before she received it, but that it came "at exactly the time she needed it the most."


What she didn't understand, she wrote, was that my letter showed up in her mail box (out of state) with no stamp and no postmark!

I read her note and had chills. Then I knew for sure it really was God who told me to write the letter. Even now, a few decades later, I am SO grateful to Him for sending Jackie and me such a tangible miracle of His love.

      Lynn said she would pray that I found the right thing for me. I have to say that with her praying for me, anything is possible...smiles...Thank you Lynn...hugs...

      The miracle is this: I stood up for me. I never do that. It was a freeing experience.

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Miracles

      I have to go pay bills today. I hate having to go pay bills. It's not so much that I hate having to pay bills, it's more like, I hate the fact that I have nothing left over after they are paid. There are times when it is down to the last penny.

      I believe I've mentioned before that I have five kids. My fiance has three, so together we have seven. It's a yours, mine and ours thing. It seems like everyday I'm hit with a new thing one of them needs or wants. I find it difficult at times because the word no is said a lot when it comes to things they want. I know I give them all the love they will ever need as a child. I don't feel like I'm always able to give them all the one on one time they want, but they know I at least try.

      When I look at the economy today and speak to my friends who are unable to get a job, or have to move because there isn't any work, I feel like it's a miracle I have one. Granted, it isn't a lot of money, but I'm thankful I have one. There is an area in Kentucky that has been flooded. People have lost their homes and they don't have power in some parts. I look around at my little house that barely holds four kids and two adults and am thankful I have it.

      There is something to be said about being able to pay the bills. I may not always like that John and I don't have a lot of money, but at least we have what we need. My fiance' John is a sub contractor for a company called Timber Siding. It's a miracle that he has work every week. Not because he is bad at it, actually he's great at his job. He loves what he does. I have seen him take something that looks old and dilapidated and make it into something beautiful. He's very proud of what he does. The miracle of all of this is that we make it. Even though, every month we have to empty the piggy bank to do it.

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Miracles

      I have a little wire haired terrier named Kilo. I'm almost positive he's a little nuts. This is a dog who would rather chase a rock then a ball. When I take him for a walk, he always goes towards the biggest rock he can find.

      Kilo was named by his original owner. The man was a police officer who raised and trained drug dogs for the police force. Kilo's entire name is "The Panhandle's smallest Kilo trackers."  Pour dog, his name is bigger than he is. It's no wonder he has a complex. So Kilo came to my family because he was given to my parents. My dad loved him, my mom, well, not so much.

     I instantly loved Kilo, but like I said, I'm pretty sure he's a little nuts. We have a couple of huge trees in our yard. In one of these trees lives a family of squirrels. One of their favorite things to do is sit on a branch and look down at Kilo.

      I don't know if it's because the squirrels are there or if it's because they are constantly teasing him by just sitting out of his range, but Kilo is positive the squirrels are planning an invasion of our house. He stands out there under the tree and barks to no end. I swear when I watch the whole thing take place, I can see the smile on the faces of the squirrels.  A couple of times, I was sure they gave each other a high five.

      My dog is loyal, funny and a little nuts. I sometimes wonder if it's rubbing off on me. The miracle of it is the small dog who has managed to bring such a  great amount of laughter into my life. He is a small four legged creature with a lot of personality.

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Miracles

     The following miracle touched my heart so much that adding to it, would be disrespectful to me. I hope that you all are touched by this as much as I am. Thank you Jean....hugs...


Jean Johnson's miracle.


On Dec.16th 2004 my baby daughter wrecked and killed my middle daughter. She was life flighter to the hospital and stayed on life support and everyone except me thought that we were going to lose her too. The funeral home even told me to not go all out on my daughter's funeral because there was little chance for my other daughter to live. Amanda my baby daughter was driving. Melissa was a passenger in the front seat. A guy T-Boned the car on Melissa's side. The officer at the scene told me that no one could have lived from this wreck,the only thing that saved Amanda was when Melissa saw the car coming she reached over and wrapped Amanda her baby sister in her arms and because Melissa was a heavy set girl she was like an air bag for Amanda. It is a miracle that Amanda lived and I'm reminded of that everytime I look at her today. I know in my heart that Melissa did not die in vain. She saved her sister and that was her last thought to do so. They had to remove Amanda from her arms.
 
 
Thank you again Jean for sharing this with us. Hugs and love to you.

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Miracles

      The miracle of children's imagination always amazes me. They don't see the world through guilded eyes. They are pure in all they do and all they see. That's why today I want to share some poetry and a few things that have been written and said by children. If only we could see the world though their eyes. The following is two poems by a young girl named Samantha Weil. Her dad is a writer, so it doesn't surprise me that her poems would be this good. I hope you enjoy them.

CITY

Busy, noisy
Rushing, driving, shoving
Sky scrapers, trains, dogs, pigs
Farming, slowly moving, horse riding
calm, quiet
COUNTRY

SUMMER
I hear people screaming and shouting at the beach.
I hear sand swifting in the air.
I see pople on the diving board at the pool.
I see water parks all around me.
I smell chlorine in the pool and saltwater on the beach.
I smell BBQ food burning.
I taste juicy, hot ribs and juicy fried chicken.
I taste hot brown rice with beans.
I feel the waves splashing over my head
and the sun heating my back.
I feel the grass brushingy feet.

Both poems were written by a child named Samantha Weil.

Her child like observations paints a picture for all adults. She sees more than most of us.

I also received an email that simply asked a question, "What is love."  The children that were asked were between the ages 4 and 8. Some of the answers blew me away. This one is my favorite.

'When someone loves you, the way they say your name is different.

You just know that your name is safe in their mouth.'

Billy - age 4
 
 

Sarah has her own since of style and since of self.

      I have 5 children, each one of them is special in  a different way. My oldest is quiet, he speeks when he has something to say. He has been given the gift of patients. My 14 year old is ADHD. Some parents see this as a curse. I see it as a part of him. His thoughts and ideas know no bounds and his creatitvity is the same. My ten year old loves fashion and she has her own since of style. My 4 year old has a heart of gold and I'm still waiting to see what my youngest comes up with. They have given me more reason for everything I do in life. The one thing I always hope is that I don't disappoint them. I want them to see that when you have a dream, no matter what it is, that it's ok to go for it. I want them to see me succeed. I want them to know that each one of us is put here for a reason. In truth, I think they teach me more than I will ever be able to teach them. Their honesty and creativity and the way they view the world around them is such a miracle. They see the truth in things that I miss all the time. What a thing it would be to see life through the eyes of a child.    

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Miracles

      The state I live in right now is flat. Just about anywhere you go if you stand still and look around you can see for miles. The vivid colors of the plains is something painters have tried to capture for generations. About five miles outside of town there is a valley. It's a small gem in the middle of the vast empty space. There are stone pillars with layers of browns, golds and brick red colors that have been forming over centuries. There are marvelous trees that have been around for centuries. If you listen close enough, you can almost hear their stories.
  
      The valley is one of those untouched parts of nature that gives the whole area balance. I like to go to there and walk around. I'm pretty sure that I could visit that valley everyday for the rest of my life and that everyday I would see something new. Last week I went to the valley to walk around and came across a hawk. It stood a few feet away. We looked at each other. Neither of us moved. It was as if we had a silent understanding. This was his home, but I could visit as long as I respected it. I have never been that close to such a beautiful majestic animal without there being some sort of fence or cage.

      To see this animal up close and personal in the wild was something that I will never forget. He flew away with grace and beauty, never once looking back to see if I was following his rules. I'm pretty sure he knew I would.

      This is one of the reasons I love going to this valley. I keep hoping I will see him again. So far, I haven't, but I'm pretty sure he has seen me.

      When I go to this small valley, I'm reminded that we are all in a balance with each other. There is a balance in all life. Where there is life, there is death. Where there is love, there is hate. We live in a constant state of change. Those changes are all about balance in life. I have never understood the reason why good things happen to bad people or vice verse. I do know that there is a reason for all things in life. I may not know the why or even the how. All I know is that it is a blessing on a daily basis.

      The miracle is the valley in the middle of the flat lands. It is a place the people here seem to respect. They haven't tried to make it into some sort of tourist attraction nor have they tried to make it into something else. It has been allowed to grow and flourish. What a beautiful thing that is to me.

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Miracles

      I have been exrtemely lucky when it comes to walking away alive and uninjured. When I was pregnent with my first son, Jacob, I rolled a truck and killed a cow. It was the dead of winter and I wanted something to drink. In truth, I really was hormonal and needed to get out of the house.

      It was snowing that night. I had never driven on snow, let alone on a dirt road in the middle of no where. I grew up in San Diego, CA,  home of fun in the sun. The whole idea of living out in the country never crossed my mind. I loved the city with all it's paved roads and the energy of all the people who were just going about their day. The thing is my now ex, hated living in the city. That should have been my first clue that things weren't going to work out.

      So, here I am; in the dead of night during a snow storm on a dirt road. I went around the bend doing about five to ten minles an hour, when the truck decided it was going to fishtail. My now ex, told me when this happens to head to the grass because there is more traction, and that's what I did. What I didn't know was there was a cow in the tall grass trying to keep warm. the nesxt thing I know, the truck takes a tumble of it's own.

     By chance, luck or miraculously, the truck landed on all four wheels. I was so scared, I'm pretty sure I peed my pants. I got out of the truck in the dead of night, scared, crying and alone. I was sure I heard a mountain lion or something. That was when I realized I lost my glasses. For those who don't know, I can't see a thing without my glasses. I'm like Velma on Scooby Doo when she goes to the floor looking for her glasses. Looking back now, I know it was just another cow, but at the time, I was positive it was a wild animal out for blood. I mean after all, I was in the middle of the country.

      I somehow managed to get the truck started. I pressed on the gas and let out the clutch. I really believe the truck drove itself back to the house. When I reached the house, it stalled in the yard. Everyone came running out wanting to know why I parked the truck in the middle of the yard.

      It was a miracle Jacob survived, unharmed and a miracle I walked away with out a single bruise.

The following is a miracle from a friend of mine named Cheryl Tidwell

      Cheryl Tidwell


      Hi Joann I have a great one, my brother got a brand new kidney Christmas day 2005. He fought long and hard to keep it, but it was rejected, so he's back on ghe waiting list. But that was a true Christmas miracle.
          
      I'm sure your wondering what one has to do with the other. The answer for me was simple. Either way you look at it, they are about the miracle of life. It is a miracle that her brother was able to get a kidney on Christmas. It was a miracle that Jacob was born without a single problem because of my accident. Life is prescious. It is the "it" thing that makes us fight everyday for a better way. It's the one thing we should all cherish. I don't know about you, but to me, you only get this life, one time, so live it well.

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Miracles

      John and I met three times in our lives before we went out. The first time was in the middle of winter. I drove this old beat up cougar my now ex bought for me. The car was so bad, it didn't have any heat. The driver's side door would fly open when I drove down the highway so I had to hold it closed with a hanger. I look back now and wonder how I didn't fall out of the car and die.

      It snowed about 12 inches the night before we met. In the early morning, the snow storm turned into an ice storm. It was so bad outside, I probably shouldn't have even been in my car. I had to go to work though. I didn't want to miss any days. I save those for when one of the kids gets sick. So, I got in my car and drove about 6 blocks and got stuck. The funny thing is that I wasn't stuck in the middle of a snow bank or anything like that. I was stuck at a stop sign next to a curb. The car wasn't going anywhere, no matter how hard I spun the tires. Little hint for you; if you get stuck in the ice and snow, don't spin your tires, it only makes it worse. I didn't know that at the time. I grew up in San Diego. We don't get snow there...lol...

      So here I am. It's freezing cold out. I'm late for work and the car is not moving. John pulled up beside me in his 1990 dodge truck.

He got out of his truck and walked up to my window and asked, "Are you stuck?"

      I really wanted to say, no, the car is waiting for the stop sign to say go. I didn't though. Instead, I looked up and saw the kindest sweetest prettiest eyes I had even seen in my life. I paused, I'm pretty sure I even blushed, and said, "Yeah. Can you push me out with your truck?"

      He got back in his truck to push my car out of the snow, however, my car had other ideas. No matter how much he pressed down on the gas, the car wasn't going to move. When he pulled back. I got out of the car and saw a bunch of plastic on the ground. He had accidentally broke the marker lense on the back. I shrugged it off. I hated the car anyways.

      "Sorry about that." He said.
 
      "It's ok. I hate this car anyways. Another thing broke on it isn't going to make a difference." I said.

      "Can I give you a ride?"  He asked.

      "I have to go to the bank. Can you take me there then home?" I asked. After all, he broke my marker light, it was 4 degrees out and the wind was blowing. If he couldn't take me home, at least take me to the bank so my bills don't bounce.

      "No problem." He said.

      That's what he did. He drove me to the bank and then home. We had a little small talk during the ride. He told me his mom had just died. We ended up sitting in the parking lot for about a half an hour while he talked about it. We had never met before, I didn't even know his name, but it didn't matter, I listened. A while later, he dropped me at home where my then husband was waiting for me.

      We didn't talk again after that for about six months. By this time, I had learned so many things about my now ex that we were no longer together. He ended up in jail for a year. I moved into low income housing and decided I was finished with men.

      A few weeks later, my daughter ended up in the emergency room because of the flu. She was so dehydrated they checked her in to make sure she was ok. Thank God she was. I went outside to call work, and smoke a cigarette. When I got in the elevator, there he was again. His face looked familiar to me and so did those beautiful eyes. I couldn't place him though, so I just smiled and said nothing.

     It would have sounded cheap and sleezy if I would have said, "Don't I know you from somewhere?"

      Instead, I stood in the elevator in silence while we exchanged smiles. The elevator dinged, and I said, "Bye."

      The last time we met, I was just starting to meet the neighbors. John's long time best friend was one of them. I walked over to see if I could borrow a wrench. I needed to put the kid's bunk beds together and didn't have one. Turns out I didn't have the right screws for it either.

      John was at the house and said he would come over and help. I was really glad he did, because I had no idea what I was doing wrong. John got a kick out of it and went to the hardware store to get the right ones. He came back and put the bunkbeds together without charging me a single dime. Later that night his best friend invited me over for a drink. At this point, I really wanted a beer. It had been so long since I had enjoyed anything. In truth, I needed to laugh and needed the friends. When the kids fell asleep, I told my son who was almost 12,  I was going across the street. If he needed me for anything to let me know. I was gone for an hour.

      I was suprised that John was there. I sat in a seat across the room from him. I really did like his eyes, but there was no way I was going to get mixed up with anyone.  John and I talked and we both realized we had net two other times. He tells me now that he always remembered, he was just waiting for me. I think he always had been. God knows I was.

The following is a miracle from my soon to be father in-law. his name is James Buchanan.

Miracle:


When I was a 16 year old high school Junior, a new girl came to our school. She was a 14 year old Sophomore.

The first time I saw her I said, "WOW!!!!! Who is that pretty tall blond girl? As time passed we became acquainted & eventually friends. I was in awe of her beauty & she became the girlfriend of one of my best friends. Later that school year, my friend's mother would not let him take her to our Junior Prom, so he asked me if I would take her. I guess you can imagine how I jumped at this chance! I was kind of shy & since she was my good friend's girlfriend, I suppose I stifled myself, although I thoroughly enjoyed the evening & have never forgotten it. Sometimes we would hang out with mutual friends, but alas, nothing more. After graduation I went out of town to college & she finished her Senior year of high school. By then I was aware that my good friend had a different girlfriend, so upon my return home I asked this beautiful young woman to go out with me on 2 occasions and she said, "Yes"! , so we did! Why I didn't pursue her more ardently, I have no idea! Then I enlisted in the Navy or I would have been drafted into the Army. When I returned home again on leave I called her & we met for lunch where she told me that she was going to be getting married. After that we neither saw nor heard from each other for 48 years! A few weeks ago I received an email from facebook that I had 3 friend requests, so I went to see who they were. One of them was another girl who had been in our high school. When I clicked on her picture I found that one of her friends was the pretty, tall, blond girl who hadn't been on my mind all of those past 48 years, but whose image had crossed it more than a few times! She hadn't posted a picture or a request to add friends, so again I was hesitant, but within several days she had posted a picture & a friend request. Finally, I worked up enough courage to send her a message, to which she messaged me back & we resumed our friendship. After several weeks of facebooking each other we decided that we had to be face to face & that I would come to visit her! So we spent a wonderful 2 weeks together & now this story of 2 "auld" friends who had absolutely no contact with each other for 48 years has turned into the most amazing love story that you could ever imagine!

That is "our" miracle!



      Love is one of those miracles that transends time. It guides you when you least expect it. It can make you feel like you're on top of the world one minute and break your heart the next. Real love lasts a life time. Real Love is when a person knows everything about you, and loves you inspite of yourself, or maybe because of it. All I know is this; never block it out. you never know what will happen.  

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Miracles

      Science has a way of taking the wonder out of the world. I wrote that in a journal one day. I don't know why. It was scribbled on the edge of the page. That single phrase has stuck with me throughout my life. It makes me realize what a great and awsome miracle faith is. Everyone has some sort of faith. It can be faith in a higher power or in yourself. It can be faith that the sun will rise the next day and that the stars will come out to play at night. Faith. What a small word. It has as many meanings as there are people on earth. The following is a miracle sent in by Rober Wilson. It's about how he came by his faith. I want to thank Rober for sharing such a wonderful miracle that happened to him.


Robert Wilson

I have had miracles happen in my life. The most astounding one

that really woke me up was when I was 14 years old.  I went to a summer
program to study college course's. They had an in ground Olympic
swimming pool. I swam the shallow end for awhile but then I started
swimming the deep end edge to edge, bad mistake, I go to the middle of
the deep end and was wore out.  I just couldn't go anymore. I gave up I
held my breathe as long as I could but then decided that this must be my
time, so I proceeded to breathe in water. A peacefulness came over me.
with my eyes wide open I seen a tunnel and at the end of that tunnel was
Jesus with his arms outreached for to welcome me. The next that I
remembered was my guidance counselor getting the water from my lungs.
This is why I preach to everyone. They can believe me if they want or
they don't but I know for a fact that they best get right with God and
start having faith for he is real and praise the Lord I can testify to
that.
 
      I have a lot of friends with a lot of different beliefs. I'm very thankful for that. I enjoy the conversatioins and listening to the different perspectives when it comes to this one word...FAITH. There isn't a single person on the planet that will be able to convince me that there isn't a higher power. There is a different name for all the different belief systems out there. The one common denominator in all of them is faith. 
 
      I'm sure you're wondering what the first sentence has to do with this whole blog. Here is a question for you to ponder. If science is able to take the wonder out of the world, then how does it explain faith? I have never met a person who hasn't prayed for something at one time or another. I wonder, have any of you?

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Miracles

     For those who don't know, I have a part-time job on Sat and Sun as a donut maker at a little gas station called Casey's. I get up every weekend at 3:00 am and get ready for work. It's not that I like my sleep being interupted and it isn't the pay that keeps me going back week after week. There's not a single benefit, unless you count the ones I make up as I go along.
    
      I arrive at work at 3:30 in the morning. The whole town is quiet. I like to stand there for a minute and just listen to the silence in the air. It's the only time I actually get to "hear" silence. To be honest, my mind is still unaware that I'm even moving around at that time. I'm pretty sure I'm on auto pilot for another hour.

      I go inside and turn off the alarm, clock in, and it's off to the kitchen. For the first hour, I'm taking stuff out of the freezer, loading donuts into the oven and frosting them as they come out. At 4:30, I take a small break to let the mixture temp for the next batch. Here comes one of the benefits I was talking about.

      When  4:30 hits every morning, I get to watch the last of the stars disappear from sight. Everything in the world is gold and the birds begin to chirp. It's like watching the world come to life. The lights go from blinking red to normal stop lights. The sky is brushed with a soft glow and there is a certain feeling of newness all around. This is one of the benefits. It is one of the reasons I like my job. For me, the house is almost always choatic. Everyone has their own agenda and I always have to make sure that things go smooth. In that single moment, the world is mine. I can think without interruption and that in and of itself,  is a miracle.

      Truth be told, I'm sure that it's the silence of the time that draws me. It's one of those rare little miracles that goes unnoticed on a daily basis. There is an old saying, "Silence is golden." I have to say whoever said it first, knew what it was like to have a house full of kids and a few pets wondering around. Throughout the week I look forward to that time on the weekends even though there are times when I wish I didn't have to get out of bed. When 4:30 am hits, I'm glad I did. 

  

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Miracles

      I love to sit on the porch and write in my journal. I have a porch swing that hangs from the roof and it's nice and cool in the evening, at least most of the time. I live in a small town. That much, I'm sure you have guessed. For the most part, it has everything every other small town has. We have a main street packed with small two story buildings. Among those buildings there is a coffee shop, a couple pharmacies and a diner that serves alcohol called Waudby's. There are a couple antique stores and people love to visit them to see what new little treasures the curator has found for them.

      A couple streets over there is another street called Lincoln. That's my street. It goes from one end of the town to the other. I like my street. It's filled with all kinds of different and unique people. A couple houses down from me, there is a woman who goes outside and checks her flowers everyday. I 've seen her even get out there and weedeat. There are a lot of people in this town that love to walk their dogs. Some of them act like they are racing the dog to see who will win. While others, pretend they are on a casual strole. I always get a kick out of the ones who act like they are racing their dogs as I'm pretty sure the dog wins everytime.
    
      One of my most favorite people in this town to watch is who I like to call the cat lady. She isn't a traditional cat lady. Meaning she doesn't live alone in a house full of cats. She lives on the otherside of town. About 5 blocks down the street from my house, there is a railroad track. Beside the railroad track there is a small closed down antiques building. Attached to the building there is a fence and attached to that, there is an old cattle call ware house.

      There has to be hundreds of cats that live in this abandoned building. Everyday, the cat lady brings food and water. She also makes sure that they have their shots. The cats are so familiar with her car, they come running to eat and rub her leg to say thank you. She is the only person any of the cats will come to, and believe it or not, she is the only one they will not attack when the gate is opened. She is the Cat Whisperer of Russell county.

      I have spoke to her a couple times. My impression was simple, she loves the cats and has this need to take care of animals. According to her, her husband would be upset if she brought all of them home. So she keeps the building to make sure they all have a place to live. This put a smile on my face. She is not an odd woman in any way. She is funny and sweet. Since her children have grown, she needed something to take care of and love. The cat population is huge, but they are her children and that really is all there is to it.

      Animals are another one of those biggest little miracles I have been talking about. From my understanding, a dog loves you unconditional. A cat although independant is playful and cute. The birds love to sing and the turtles and fish like to swim. The one thing all the animals have in common is they don't seem to have the ability to hate. They can be affected by fear, and even protective in nature. Hatred and revenge don't seem to be one of the traits on their list.

      The following miracle is for all the animal lovers out there. I happen to be one of them. This one gave me the laughter through tears emotion I love to experience.

      Lynn Roberson's miracle

      Hi Joann! I have a miracle to tell you. Once we had mixed puppies and one evening one of them got strangely sick, lethargic, swollen and finally fell unconscious. We had him on a blanket in the kitchen. I prayed and prayed for him to get well, touching him and praying. At some point I felt it was past the possibil...ity of his recovering. I had been so grieved over him. I decided to stop grieving and just fill his last hours with all the love in my heart. I kept petting him and I let go of my intense "agenda" and quit praying for him to get well and instead prayed for a gentle passing and just loved him peacefully. I think that allowed the healing God wanted to do to happen. The puppy woke up, urinated blood, and then started walking around. Soon he was a bouncing healthy pup again. The remarkable power of simple creature love offered to God. Would you consider that a miracle? It sure felt like one to me!! (smile)

      I have to say first, Thank you Lynn for sharing this. I thought it was funny that at the end of the post, she asked me if I would consider this a miracle. My answer was: OMG Of course...smiles...

      Lynn is a very talented poet. I keep telling her to put them together. They have touched my soul and so has her story...smiles...hugs...

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Miracles

      Laughter is one of those best little miracles that exist. I don't know about you, but I love to laugh. One of my friends has the biggest most contagious laughs that exists. Her name is Sutton. When she laughs, it doesn't matter what it's about, I can't help but to laugh with her. One of my favorite things about real laughter is that it can pretty much be about anything.

      You can laugh at yourself for all the silly things you do, for example, one time I put my keys in the freezer. I don't know why or even know when. The one thing I do know is that I looked everywhere for them and was late getting to work because of it.

      People love to laugh. I get these emails all the time with various little pics that make me giggle. I thought since today is Monday, and most of us hate Mondays, I would add a few of the pics that have brought a smile to my face...

I love Off the Mark. They are always so funny and quirky. They always bring a smile to my face.

I know that I'm talking about Miracles for the next couple weeks. I'm sure that you are wondering why I have decided to add a couple cartoons to the post. the answer is simple.

Laughter is the best medicine in all times. Laughter brings hope. It inspires people and can even be used to make us think.

Comedians do it all the time.
 I also love the emotion laughter through tears.
 
The other day, John watched the kids while I took a nap. I had to work that day and I had been up since 3:00 am. I like my job. I make donuts part time at a store called Casey's . I have to get up at 3:00 am in order to have everything ready to go by 6:00 am. For the most part, I work with the best people. They always make me laugh. What could be better than that?
 
      So, when I went to lay down and take a nap, I was sooo tired, I could hardly see straight. Out of the blue, I woke up because of a nightmare I had. I dreamt that I wasn't able to find my family. For those who don't know me, my family is everything to me. When I came out to the livingroom, I hugged John and told him I had a nightmare. To which he replied, "Wuss," Then hugged me back.
 
      I busted a gut. That single comment took all those emotions and turned them into laughter. The rest of the day was great because of that. When it comes to laughter, it's one of those miracles that is given everyday. The thing is we don't even know how much a differrence it really makes in a person.
 

I hope that you have received a giggle from this one today. I know I have...smiles...

Laughter is the most fun of all the biggest little miracles....smiles...

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Miracles

     The Lord said, " See, I am sending an Angel ahead of you to guard you along the way and to bring you to the place I have prepared.  EXODUS 23:20

     About 7 years ago, I began a new spiritual journey. The journey I began wasn't based on a single religion per say. It was more of a combination of different ideals and thoughts as to what I thought religion was all about. Truth be told, I discovered that there is a difference between religion and spiritual awakening. If the question is do you believe in God, then the answer is yes. If the question is do you listen, then I'm sad to say that more often in my life than not, the answer was and still is, no. No I don't always listen.

      Listening is one of those biggest little miracles I was talking about earlier.

      The thing that started me on my journey was when I had a near death experience. To those who don't know, I get blood clots. In 2003, I developed what was called a puliminary embolism. That's a fancy way of saying I had a blood clot in my lungs. I couldn't breathe and I was sure that I had somehow pulled a muscle moving the sleeper sofa in the living room so I could clean behind it. The longer the day went on, the more I was unable to breathe. It was about eleven pm when I decided I needed to go to the emergency room. They drugged me up so I could relax and I fell asleep.
      I remember coming to in the middle of a cat scan. For those who don't know, if you fall asleep before you enter a cat scan, and wake up in the middle, the whole thing can be terrifying. I woke up and thought they were burying me alive. I'm not sure how loud I screamed, or even how long it lasted. What I do remember was saying that I was alive and pleading for them, whoever they were, not to bury me. I look back at that now and laugh.
      A voice on the speaker sounded and I was told that everything was ok, and I passed out again. I didn't wake up again for three days. During that time, I died for about 3 minutes and. That might not seem like a lot, but to me, it was an experience that made me realize without a doubt that we are not alone. I don't remember any white tunnel or any other thing, but I do remember seeing the most beautiful beings I had ever seen. It was a peace I had never known and to this day, the memory of it brings me joy. I know that there is purpose to life, not just mine, but all life. The last thing I remember before waking up was a voice telling me that it wasn't my time yet. A second later, I was awake.
      My encounter with Angels is not a unique one. It is my firm belief that when we take the time to listen, not just to others, but to ourselves, that we can hear the messages being given to us everyday. Angels exist. They are all around us. They are the little voice in our hearts that make us go left when we were going to go right.

      The following story was sent to me by a friend named Angela Morrell Arnold.
     
      Angela Morrell Arnold's miracle:

      On 8-7-87 I picked my kids up from the babysitter. Had an appt in an hr so I took them to my neighbor. My 4 yr old son cried! I miss u mommy! Guilt! I had a feeling not to take him. Debated back & forth. Kept hearing loudly in my heart DON'T TAKE HIM (maybe my gut?) I left him. Drove 5 blocks & was hit by a Chevy Blaze...r! My son always sat on the arm rest. He would have been thrown into the windshield & killed instantly! My miracle!!

      While some people will call it nothing more than intuition, I call it angels. They are sent to us to guide us and send us messages. They minister to our needs and tell us about the future. There are those who will say they are a figment of my imagination and that the chemicals in my brain caused the event to happen. Angela's story can't be explained away quite so easy. She was sent a message and decided to listen to it.

      For this reason, listening is another one of those biggest little miracles I have been talking about. Listening to each other allows us to relate from the heart. It changes our prespective about life. It saves lives. Listening to our own little voice, means that we are listening messages from a higher power. For me, that higher power is God. For others, perhaps it's Buddah or Yewah. I don't know. What I do know, is that listening is a miracle that can be either given or recieved.

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Miracles

     Today, I wanted to share a miracle with you that a friend sent to me. This was sent to me by a fellow blogger. I'm feeling very privilaged to have it shared with me. I have been asked not to use the person's real name. However, I'm allowed to share the blog name. Thank you for sharing.

From DagTag:

Here's my little Miracle for today.


      Today I remembered what happened in Tokyo. My marriage was just about over, my husband a raging, alcoholic lunatic..... and I was having panic attacks regularly. It was intensified by living in a country where I didn't speak the language well.... or know anyone. During these attacks, you just feel like you're going to explode or die. You want it to stop, and even think about ending your life......not because you want to die....you're just in pain.

      I had a lot of fantasies in Tokyo, about how I'd end it if I lost control.. One day, I was in the subway. The trains in Tokyo are very fast, and the crowds are worse than NYC. I toyed with the idea of jumping....not really seriously, just as an option.....I was having a bad attack.

      The family structure in Japan is much different than the US. Children are allowed to run around crazy. There are no kidnapping worries, and kids are encouraged to 'discover' their world while young. After age 13, it's serious, study, and work..

      I was standing on the platform... fists clenched, heart pounding, in full panic mode.. A train was coming. For a moment, I thought of stepping off that platform, until I saw a little boy..., about age 4, running around wildly. His parents were ignoring him....a common sight. The Conductor at the end of the platform was watching the lights changing, and the oncoming train.

      The little boy ran to the edge of the platform, and was losing his balance. I snapped out of my mood , ran over, and quickly picked up the child before he could fall........ just seconds before the train entered the station. I know I saved his little life. His parents glared at me like I was crazy. I just gave the child to them, pointed to the train and shook my head. They finally understood me, and bowed. I bowed in return,

      I ran out of the station.to get some air, and process what had happened. I thought of my fantasy...what I almost did......and the child I had saved. My panic attack was gone, and I never had another dark urge again.......even though my personal situation in Tokyo became worse. In saving that boy, I learned to control my panic.....I'd saved us both.

      You can use that story, but please use my blogger name...... DagTag.
 
      I chose this one because it was an act of kindness that saved her and the boy. I love that this person no longer has dark thoughts like this. I have been lucky to have this person as a friend. The conversations we have with eachother are always fun and make my day...smiles...I will be posting this blog in my links, I'm pretty sure that you will all love it as much as I do...smiles...
 
DagTag, thank you for sharing this with me and allowing me to post it...smiles...hugs...

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Miracles

      "For kindness is indeed sublime and worth the trouble anytime. Sincerity is all we need to help us do a friendly deed." Quoted from a poem by Jo Petty in the book Wings of Silver.

      To me, kindness is the biggest little miracle there is. It is a smile to someone who wears a scowl. A word or a tender touch that is given in a time of need.

      The reason I ask if kindness is considered a miracle is this; I have said it before and I will say it again, a smile saved my life.

      I had a miscarriage six years ago. It was one of the hardest things I have ever been through. I had already heard the heart beat. I went into my next doctor's appointment, thinking everything was ok. The P A brought in her little fetal monitor, and nothing happened. No sound. Nothing. I was confused. I thought that maybe the thing was broke. She stepped out of the room for a few minutes and then came back with the doctor. He listened to the fetal monitor, and again, nothing. Silence. There is nothing worse than silence when you are in a room like this. The doctor and the P A left the room then returned a few minutes later with a portable ultrasound machine.

      I remember thinking, " Cool, I get to see the baby." I was so niave to what was happening.
    
     That was when the doctor spoke. "I'm sorry, but you are having a miscarriage."
     
     I didn't understand. I wasn't bleeding and I didn't have any cramps. So naturally I was confused. I remember the words echoed from his lips. I began to cry and I asked him if he was sure. The answer was yes. He checked me into the hospital for a D and C because I have blood clotting issues. Truth be told, right now, I'm glad that it happened this way. I was put under and woke up without feeling a single thing. At least physically that is.
     
      For the most part, I felt numb inside. A dark hole had formed in my soul. The hospital kept me over night so they could monitor my protimes and make sure I was going to heal ok. The next morning, I woke up and I couldn't stop thinking about all the things that I had or hadn't done to cause this to happen. Just about the time I had decided that it was my fault, a woman from the gift shop came in. In her hands was a small vase of flowers. She had a smile on her face.

      It turned out, I wasn't the person who was suppose to receive the flowers. It didn't matter though, because she stayed and talked with me for hours. When we were through, I felt ok. I no longer blamed myself. Her smile and small act of kindness lifted that moment and changed how I felt. I didn't end up holding onto the guilt. I was still sad, but the despair was gone, all because a nice woman entered in the wrong room wearing a smile on her face.

      I don't know what would have happened if I would have carried around the guilt from that day. I'm thankful I never have to find out. Kindness is a miracle that can save a person's life.

      I bet you're wondering why I'm posting such a personal time in my life. The answer is simple for me. The personal tragedy taught me that the simple act of kindness can make the biggest difference in a person's life. They are small everyday miracles that usually go unnoticed. I'm hoping that what happened to me, will inspire others to do a single act of kindness. You never know what will happen and how it will affect that person's life. It is the biggest little miracle there is...smiles...hugs to all...

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Miracles

     Miracles are little things that happen everyday. Most of the time we don't take the time to see them. In the previous post, I told you about a miravle that happened to me when our house burned down. I would like to share another miracle with you.
     
     My daughter, Sarah, who is now 10 is a miracle. When I was in college I was taking the Depo shot. I was on the second shot and went in to get my third when I found out I was pregnant. "Oh shit." was my first reaction. "There is no way," was my second. I thought long and hard about all of this. I even remember having dreams about her when I was three months along. I knew what she looked like and even what she was going to be like. The only thing I can think to say about this, is that I knew her soul before she was even born. 

      As if getting pregnant while I was on the shot wasn't enough of a miracle, Sarah was born a month premature with the cord wrapped around her neck. She came so fast, the doctor didn't have time to get there. The nurse, I'll never forget her name, Nurse Michelle Lawrance, went from having 2 normal arms and hands like the rest of us, to 8 arms. She was doing everything all at once. She was on the phone while resuscitating Sarah, cutting the cord and well, you get the picture. Panic set in. I was sure that she was not going to make it. I cried in my pillow and prayed to God. "Please let her live. I want her so bad," I said.

      A couple seconds later, but to me it seemed like forever, Sarah took her first breath and screamed. It was the most wonderful sound I had ever heard. Today, she is 10 years old. She had long beautiful copper colored golden red hair with freckles. She loves to dance and sing. She loves to make people smile and she is a perfectionist when it comes to her school work.
 
      Her soul is beautiful. I knew her before she was born.

      I bet your wondering why I told this story. The truth is that there are so many miracles around us that happen everyday. We just don't know about them. When the sun comes up and we have all had a good night sleep, that is a miracle. When the mail comes on time and there isn't a bill in it, that's a miracle.

      As for me, I look at everything in my life and wonder how I ended up so lucky. I may not be rich, but...then again, maybe I am. I would love to hear about the miracles in your life. We all need a little inspiration. What better way to start the day then by sharing a good thing that you noticed?

Hugs to all!!


     

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