Spending time with family is heart warming........

I spent the last three weekends with family and I want to say that it was the best time ever.  The weekend of August 25th I spent it with my oldest son and his family in Arlington.  I had a wonderful time and really enjoyed all the grandkids and just being there.  I laughed and just loved on them so much.  I am very blessed to say that my oldest son Ken who has 4 awesome children is getting ready to retire from the Navy this year.  He is a pilot and has served our country in the most trying of times after 9/11 and Afghanistan.  We are so proud of him and I continue to thank God for all the protection he has given to my son during those times.  So my time with them was so precious and now my oldest grandson Kenny is getting ready to join the Marines.  I am in awe at how grown and how he is such a wonderful person inside.  He is a hard worker and I just know in my heart that he will be the best Marine ever!!.  Of course the other grandkids in my son's family are also wonderful, and I love them all dearly.  Thank you Jesus for my family and for this awesome job of being a grandma....it's the best.

The following weekend I went and spent time with my daughter Michelle in Seattle.  What a blessing that was.  Her and I spent a lot of time talking and sharing stories of politics and the like.  She took me to church on Sunday to a beautiful old church right in the center of Seattle then we had brunch at a local cafe.  I cooked my fabulous ribs for her that evening and she loved them.  We spent a lot of time just talking about things and her work.  She is a Designer at Amazon and loves it.  She is very thankful to have such a wonderful job while so many are out of work.  That is another blessing from Almighty God which I am so grateful for.  All my children have great jobs and are so blessed beyond measure.

The last weekend which was the weekend of Sept. 8th was the funeral for my brother in law Steve.  It was held at Harborview Park in Everett overlooking the water.  What a gorgeous day it was.  All the boating activity in the background and then sitting there at the funeral services with his picture on the table while the Pastor read scripture was truly a special time.  Steve's friends from Boeing went up and talked about all the pranks Steve was always pulling on his fellow workers.  It was funny and of course sad.  When the Air Force gentleman played taps on the bugle is when I lost it.  It felt like a knife just entered my heart and all those feelings of anger, and hurt come in play because I would never see my dear friend Steve every again.  I am sure it was double that for Marsha my sister in law and my husband Larry.  But all in all it was a time to reflect and remember how beautiful of a person he truly was.  Afterwards we went to Marsha's and had a potluck dinner where we spent time with their friends. 

So this completes my last three weeks, in between I am always creating, writing and just loving Larry.  Blessings to you!

Ever been at the right place where God needs you?

Hello friends,
I am an Avon Representative and deliver my Avon books and products to my very loyal and awesome friends on Tuesday. This Tuesday I met with my girlfriend Carolyn at our local coffee shop and had our mocha and jalapena bagel, which was awesome. We talked about everything that happened in each of our lives and about family all that happened in the past week.  I always cherish this time with her.  She is my best friend from Almighty God and I love her so much.  Anyway, we talked and laughed and talked some more.  When I left there I had a few deliveries of Avon orders to make, which takes me around town.  When I delivered a specific order to a photography shop owner I found myself feeling that God really needed me there.  By this I mean when I walked in the door my friend Ryan was sitting at this computer and with tears in his eyes he was very worried.  So I asked him what was going on.  He proceeded to let me know about his new computer and how he was attempting to retrieve a lot of photographs onto this new computer, and so far it wasn't working. 

Well, at that moment my faith kicked in, and I told him it was going to work, we serve an awesome God and he just needed to remember that.  We chatted for a bit and while we were talking he would look at his computer and then at me, then with a smile on his face, he said it's working, the files are uploading onto the computer.  Praise God is all I had to say.  We had a wonderful conversation and I have to say that my faith in God has been strengthened from this encounter. In the fact, he will place us at the right place when someone needs a little confirmation and reminder of what God can do when we place our trust in him.  I was so encouraged and uplifted that I believe in my heart I was supposed to have been there at the exact moment, only God can create and orchestrate these type of situations and I grateful he can use me anytime he wishes. 

Bless you all and have a wonderful week.......let us keep in our prayers the families of those who lost loved ones at 9/11. Also for the families who had loved ones at the Embassy in Cairo, our heart and prayers go out to each of them as well.  

Mary's Faith Nuggets: A prayer for our nation and my niece.........

Mary's Faith Nuggets: A prayer for our nation and my niece.........: Today I would just like to lift up our country to God.  We are now more than ever in need of his blessings in so many areas of our lives. W...

A prayer for our nation and my niece.........

Today I would just like to lift up our country to God.  We are now more than ever in need of his blessings in so many areas of our lives. With so much happening, the economy, joblessness, our national debt sky rocketing out of control, oh do we need his guidance and direction.  So today wherever you are take a few minutes to just reflect on His goodness as to what he has done in your life.  I also want to pray for my niece Audrey, who has been fighting this cancer in her body.  The latest results after a scan show the tumors in her liver as actually having grown.

Dear Heavenly Father, today we come as a people who have been not so great at giving you the Glory that you so deserve. We have elected leaders in our past that do not even believe in your existence.  This is shameful and for that we ask your forgiveness.  We ask that you once again bring that amazing blessing onto America and our people.  We bow down to you today on our knees and ask that you come back into our lives, our work place and our schools.  We know that you are our creator and that everything and all things comes from you.  So today and every day we want to give you the Glory, praise and blessings as we live the lives that you want us to live.  Be gracious unto us and our families and friends and heal those that are sick, lonely, abused, discouraged because they have no jobs and can't take care of their families.  We ask that you place your healing hands upon my niece Audrey, that those tumors are shrinking and will no longer be there the next time she goes in to the Doctors office.  We believe you are a miracle working God and we are releasing our faith like never before for a victory in her life.  For a victory in our lives as we live the life that your son Jesus died so we could have.  Blessed be your name - Amen. 

Good bye Steve - see you in heaven!

This was a very sad weekend for our family.  Last Friday we went to visit our brother in law Steve at Virginia Mason where he has been for over 2 months now.  The chemo did not do it's job to fight off that dreadful leukemia unfortunately.  It was good seeing him, of course we could hardly recognize him because of how much weight he had lost.  But, all in all he knew who we were and even commented on how funny we looked wearing the yellow gowns we had to wear in order to see him. He was in good spirits considering all he has been through.  When we said good bye we basically knew in our hearts that was our last good bye and so it was.  The Drs. had already told Marsha what was happening.

Steve passed away peacefully Saturday evening.  We will miss him dearly and pray for Marsha who now has to pick up the pieces and move forward without him.  She needs a lot of strength right now and comfort during this very hard time.  I will forever remember Steve with his funny sense of humor always making us laugh.  See you in heaven Steve - you are in the best of hands now.  Love you!

This was Steve's 60th Birthday party only a few months ago - he got a gag gift of a walker with all the bells and whistles!!!!

My Beautiful Wooden Crosses now for sale!!!!

Hello everyone,
I hope you are having a fantastic summer out there wherever home is for you.  We are having some pretty warm days here on Whidbey, it's so nice.

I wanted to take a few moments and share my newest craft, which is the wooden cross.  The cross symbolizes our Lord and Savior and what he did for us, so displaying it in our home or office brings such a blessing.  It shows we are not ashamed of Christ and that we believe in a higher power Almighty God.  So, I have made a few some have been orders from my family,  and I have to say they are amazing.  The wooden crosses are approximately 15" high by 9.5" at the widest tip.  I have different themes and colors of course and my newest one is a "Patriotic Cross" with an eagle photo in the center and lots of red white and blue stars.  Here are a few photos of the crosses, and remember you can go to my Etsy shop to purchase some of these and other cross stitch items.  Some of these will not appear on Etsy, because I have not made them yet, so please email me if you are interested in a cross.  They are selling for $20.00 so what a deal, just email me at: gainesmary@hotmail.com if you would like a custom cross made to your specifications. Some can have your initials in the center like in the two zebra stripped crosses......:, or any inspirational phrase or words of scripture, totally up to you! Get your order in now to have your cross by Christmas.

Enjoy the photos and happy summer!

God will give you double for your trouble!

I am often awakened in the middle of the night thinking of the things that have been done to me and I realize there is nothing I can do about them now.  I have forgiven and have moved past those pains and trials, but there is something that I also think about and that is - God is going to give me double for my trouble.  In other words whatever you have been through in life that was unfair, unjust and hurtful, if you stay in an attitude of faith God will give those years back in double portion.  What others meant for your harm, God can turn around for your good - to me that is awesome news!

There are also things that I wished that I had done with my kids, spent more time with them, took them to church more, etc. Also relationships that have gone by the wayside because of one reason or another, not enough time spent on keeping them alive. In reading Joel Osteen's new book "It's Your Time", he explains that is the enemy trying to make me feel guilty for those things in my past.  But instead of giving in to the guilt, I need to do something far more constructive, which is to ask God for another chance, which I have.  I have prayed for God to restore the relationships, for me to put more into the time and effort and feelings required to heal it.  That if there was anything that I missed out on, he would allow me to make up for in lost time.  If we are bold enough to ask that God will restore the time we have lost.  So today I want to encourage you to do those things, pray bold prayers and your faith will be released and move God, because when we release our faith that is what moves God to act in our behalf.

Well it's a beautiful day here on Whidbey Island, it's supposed to be in the 90's - that is very warm for our area so gotta go and get my work done so I can enjoy the afternoon in the sun. Blessings to you!!!!