Where Are You Christmas?

Where do you find the joy of Christmas? Faith Hill sings, "Where are you Christmas? Why can't I find you?" Later in the song she gives the answer, "If there is love in your heart and your mind, you will feel Christmas all the time."

Psalm 16:11 says, "In God's presence is fullness of joy." We all have that joy deep inside. To bring it to the surface, we must smile. Even if we don't feel it yet, smile anyway, and your joy will follow. If we are frustrated and harried, the best thing we can do to calm ourselves is to stop and breathe; then smile to turn on the light switch inside that allows us to express kindness, friendliness, caring, and respect for others as well as our own selves.

We need to stop looking for Christmas and just realize that it's not out there somewhere, it's within. To quote the lyrics of Faith Hill's song again, she says, "Christmas is here everywhere, oh. Christmas is here if you care, oh."

The more we pursue it, the more we forget how to really celebrate it. Slow down. Stop being so busy and in such a hurry and simply start accepting and allowing the joy of the season to happen. Merry Christmas!

Love & Light,
Patty

Leave It to God

Thanksgiving is Thursday! I'm so grateful this year for our many blessings. Our children are all gainfully employed, and we are going to have another grandchild in three weeks. How blessed are we!

The joy of the Lord is my strength! John 16:22 says that "no one will take away your joy." God is still God, and God is still good has become my mantra. I know that whatever happens in life, I have a choice about how I react to it. Recently, my oldest daughter Teresa lost her job. It was an unjust situation, and I was worried about how things would work out. A baby was coming into that family, and she was the sole provider. I just prayed every day about it. I tried to remain hopeful and even joyful, but it was challenging. I am happy to report that she regained her job with the promise of back pay. I am so proud that she didn't give away her power when she lost her job. She contacted corporate, and after an investigation, they realized that she had lost her position unfairly and restored it to her. Wow! Talk about an answer to prayer.

I am pleased to say that for the most part, during this trying time, I kept my inner peace and confidence that things were going to work out for good. I did what I could to alleviate the situation, including an offer to let her and my granddaughter move in with us. I knew in the long run, though, that I could not control the situation. Only God is in control. As long as I am a child of the Most High, everything is going to be OK. As long as I stay on the high road, God will fight my battles for me if I allow Him to do so. In Luke 10:5-6, Jesus told His disciples to speak peace over people and "if they don't receive it, then the peace you're offering will come back to you." No matter how much I wanted to fight Teresa's battles for her and how upset and frustrated I was over her job loss, the only thing I could really do is pray and try to stay peaceful and calm.

I was concerned that Teresa was too meek and mild to fight a big corporation, but I was wrong. She documented what occurred and presented her case and won. It brought new meaning to the verse, "Blessed are the meek, for they shall inherit the earth" (Matthew 5:5). Joel Osteen wrote about this in his new book when he said, "Meekness is not weakness. It's strength under control." I was proud of Teresa for not giving away her power and for standing up for herself. She showed strength under control. She met the challenge with the right attitude.

This kind of thing gives me faith and brings me joy. It restores my inner peace and gives me a sense of well-being. I guess the whole point of this message is to stay in the Light, no matter what happens. Have faith and be grateful. Most of all, leave your concerns with God and don't give away your power or your joy.

Love and Light,
Patty

Christmas Letter 2011

Dear friends and family,

Frank and I decided that this year 2011 would be our slice of heaven, and it has been. Our reality usually follows our expectations. We enjoyed a wonderful trip to New York City last year during the holiday season where we saw the Rockettes, the Broadway musical Wicked, and the David Letterman show live. In late March and early April while Frank taught insurance agents we took in the Gila Cliff Dwellings and the Carlsbad Caverns in New Mexico, the Guadalupe Mountains in Texas, and Vegas. June was a test of endurance as we attempted the Bike Across Kansas. We made it 100 miles before running into mechanical difficulty with our bikes. The end of June and first of July we visited Colorado and Utah while Frank trained. The end of July and first of August we enjoyed the Black Hills and the Badlands on another business trip. Labor Day Frank's brother David and his wife Sherry came to spend the weekend with us. We went to Liberty Memorial Museum in KC and to the lake. Late October found us in Eureka Springs enjoying family and the beautiful fall foliage.

Our family is doing well. We celebrated milestone birthdays with our moms this year. Frank's mom Alice turned 75 and my mom Joan turned 80. Chad graduated from Pitt State Suma Cum Laude in May. He is now teaching in Jasper, MO. Tori became a naturopathic doctor so she is busy with her practice in both Fort Smith and Eureka Springs, AR. Sierra is in junior high and receiving straight A's. Tori and Caleb's other two children are growing up quickly. Kaya is in kindergarten and Samson is three already. Caleb opened a drum shop and sells beautiful drums that he makes himself. Teresa and Jess are still in Kimball, NE, although we want them to move closer. Jess painted two beautiful murals for the library and sold her art in the park this summer in Eureka Springs, AR. She in involved in One Acts and won the Outstanding Actress Award this year. Dustin and Mandy live and work in KC as CNAs. Mandy is taking classes in hopes of becoming an LPN.

Our big news is that we are going to have a new grandbaby by Christmas. Jess and her boyfriend Alex are expecting a baby girl. I hosted a shower for them. They are young, but I know they will be good parents.

Merry Christmas and Happy New Year!

Come out and visit our Video Christmas Card!

Love,
Pat & Frank

The Joy of the Lord is Our Strength

"This is a day that the Lord hath made. I will be glad and rejoice in it," writes David in Psalm 118:24. It's pretty important that we believe that in spite of the economy, in spite of family situations, in spite of the political situations, and in spite of health issues. If we really believe that God is bigger than our problems, this allows Him to do amazing things. We have a choice every single day to be depressed or to be joyful. We have to make a decision upon awakening to be thankful and in love with a beautiful day. We have what we need to be happy. Joel Osteen in his new book Make Every Day a Friday writes, "I know people who are perfectly healthy, but they are never really happy......if they were to lose their health and then suddenly regain it, I'm sure they would be thrilled." We can say the same thing about our spouses, our children, our jobs, our houses, and our leaders. It's all a matter of perspective. Thank God we have what we have.

Matthew 6:26 says, "Behold the fowls of the air, that they do not sow nor reap nor gather into barns, and yet your Heavenly Father feeds them." Maybe that's why they sing so early in the morning! Their joy is in the Lord. It wouldn't do any good for them to complain. They would then just remain where they are instead of flying away to a warmer place for winter.

When David became discouraged, he reminded himself in Psalm 43:5, "Why are you cast down, O my soul?.....Hope in God." Regardless of the news, that is what I want to do. It's over a year until elections take place. I will hear so much stuff from the politicians that it will make my head spin. I'll have to wade through all kinds of information, and it's important that I do so that I can make a good decision. However, there comes a time when I say, "Enough is enough." I think I'll turn this stuff off awhile and gain perspective. I need to find my garment of praise and put it on at that point like it says in Isaiah 61:3. This land will be restored and our futures will be bright again. Get ready for that! "Count it all joy when you fall into various trials," is what James 1:2 advises. Now that is not an easy thing, but restoration doesn't come from discouragement. Joy in the Lord is where our strength is. God bless!

Love and Light,
Patty

Set Your Mind on the Things Above

"It's not what happens to you or what you have or don't have that is important; it's how your mind is arranged and the choices you make," writes Joel Osteen. If we would wake up every day, grateful for a brand new day full of blessings, we would surely have more positive experiences. Then if we would fully occupy the day, we would be aware of our thoughts and be conscious of whether we are letting in the light or dwelling in darkness. Colossians 3:2 says to "set your mind on the things above." I think I'll do that. Hope you will too.

Love and Light,
Patty

Make Every Day a Friday

We just celebrated my Mom's 80th birthday, and it was quite a shin-dig. My brother Doug shared a childhood story with all of us.

"When I was a kid,
I did my chores, fed the chickens
and milked the cows.
My mom gave me a quarter a week
and that was my share.
She always did what was fair.
I saved my quarters till at last
I had almost enough to buy a bike
I was so excited. I could hardly wait,
but that night I lost it all
To Ma's five card straight."

I'm not sure those were his exact words, but in the excitement of the crowd at Mom's birthday party, I could hardly hear. I loved the memory, though, so I decided to record it here in my blog.

Mom is a remarkable woman. She reminds me of the title of Joel Osteen's new book, Make Every Day a Friday. I love my mama. When we drove over six hours to her house and were worn to a nub, she was ready to go to Sylvester's and dance to karaoke. She has so much energy. She may be 80, but she still knows how to have a good time. Every day she chooses to be in a good mood and make the best of it. Wow! I love her optimism and am motivated by it to make every single moment a moment of pure happiness.

I hope you too make every day a Friday because researchers have done a study that shows a 10% increase in happiness on Fridays. Even though today is Monday, I have decided to make it a Friday just so I can be 10% happier. God bless!

Love and Light,
Patty

Expect Miracles

Stuff happens! We know that life brings challenges. I hear about so many things that seem so heart-breaking, yet we only see the small picture. Only God knows what is in store for us in our future.

Alice Caldwell Rice wrote, "Life is made up of desires that seem big and vital one minute, and little and absurd the next. I guess we get what's best for us in the end." I actually know the truth of this statement. I remember on July 18, 2004, that I had just completed a bike ride with my husband when I got a phone call that changed my life forever. I had just been wrapped up in my own little world and thinking about biking and unpacking from a recent trip to Canada. Then one of my daughter's friends called and told me that my daughter Tori had been involved in a serious accident with a motorcycle. What seemed big and vital before DID become little and absurd at that moment. All I could think about was getting to the hospital to see my daughter. We drove fast to Fayetteville, AR, to see her. It did not seem real. When we got there, we went to see her and came out of her room in tears and praying for her life.

God spared Tori, and everyday we thank God that we have been given another chance to enjoy our daughter. It is a miracle. Even more miraculous is the fact that even though the doctors told her that she would not be able to have any more children besides her five-year-old daughter Sierra, she gave birth to two more precious, healthy children.

This experience has taught me to expect miracles and to remember that God is still God, and God is still good. No matter what happens in life, God is in control, and thank God for that. I might mess up but God never will.

Love and Light,
Patty