In loving memory of a sweet dear friend

Returned home in the early hours of the morning from Atlanta.

The funeral mass for a dear friend.

A beautiful southern lady inside and out.

Cindy was one of those people that could light up a room just by walking in.

Her smile was perfect.

We met in 1998, and became close immediately,

like we had known each other our entire life.

I received a text from her in early September

She had received the news,

Lung Cancer

Stage 4.

She had the best attitude and would text me her favorite verses

and always end with

God's got this.

I tried to plan a trip to see her

but she kept telling me to wait until she felt better....

so we could shop and get mani/pedis

We had plans to attend the Southern Living Fair in Atlanta in October 

It came and went and instead of feeling better,

she grew weaker

I don't live with "regrets" or "what ifs"

but I sure would love to have hugged her one last time

One of her last text to me was telling me of her plan...

Mark 11:23-24 the scripture that she was standing on.

She had so much faith and dignity

Walking into her beautiful, perfectly decorated home,

my heart completely broke in two.

Her sweet touches everywhere

Her monograms

Pictures of her and her husband

Her kids and 7 grand kids

Was almost more than I could handle

I met her sweet friend Lisa who served her communion the last 3 weeks of her life,

every.single.day

Lisa would go to mass, get the host, and then visit and serve Cindy

She gave me so many details of her last days on earth

because she had grown too weak to text

and I had so many questions of her end.

It is amazing how God brings people together and Lisa truly was

an angel here on earth for Cindy

I will forever be grateful for her and knowing that Cindy 

was at total peace when she passed to heaven.

The visitation Friday night brought several hundred people

to show their last respects

The funeral mass yesterday was perfect

It ended with her 13 year old granddaughter singing 

Amazing Grace...... just for her Nona

accompanied by her big brother playing the guitar

My heart is so heavy this morning but I know she is now out of the pain, rejoicing in heaven.

She was truly an angel on earth and I will miss her dearly.

I love you Cindy!

xo 

A Precious Treasure

In 2 Corinthians 4:7, Paul says, "We possess this precious treasure in vessels of earth, that the grandeur and exceeding greatness of the power may be shown to be from God and not from ourselves." God uses frail people to proclaim the power of His gospel.

He could send angels to preach the gospel, but He uses plain, ordinary, everyday people to demonstrate His power.  He fills us with divine gifts, inspired and brought to pass by the Holy Spirit, and distributes them throughout His body of believers.  Let us network with God's people today for the greater good, as we work together to accomplish His purpose. 

Today is Holy Thursday

Looking forward to Mass tonight

Good Friday tomorrow

and Easter Weekend

The Most Important Weekend of the Year

Jesus Christ has Risen

He has Risen Indeed!

Sunday

I am still so sad today

still watching CNN

still praying for the families

and those innocent angels

So happy to have both of my 

"babies" home with me

Robert is home from college for the holidays

Savannah is studying for exams this week

Went to mass early this morning 

came home and got back in my pj's 

doing a little of everything and nothing

Yesterday was family baking day

Cookies, brownies and pretzels oh my

A friend gave me 3 deer antlers last week

I used them to decorate the table on the back porch

I love them! 

My sweet dad made this cute little deer last week

I love him too 

Finally addressed my Christmas Cards today

My sweet girl helped

We saw this idea to address them on Pinterest

I think we all need a little "faith" today

Added these to my holiday decor this week

60% off at Michaels

score!

Did a little wrapping - nothing fancy at all

Re-using Anthro Bags

That's my Sunday

Didn't even watch football today

My heart is heavy 

I'm in awe of the dad that was able to speak on CNN

What a class-act of a man

A man of God

Praying for him and all the others

Psalm 127:3

Behold, children are a heritage from the Lord, the fruit of the Womb, a Reward

With a Heavy Heart

There are no words after learning of the tragedy in CT.

Heart Breaking  

Praying for the families today.

God Bless. 

Guess Who's Coming To Dinner

Steve and I are both part of a great group of people at our church.  We go to Nativity Catholic Church and we have both traveled The Road to Emmaus.

Steve and his friend Jorge had been talking about "roasting a pig" for a while now.  Friday night I get a text from my sweet friend Judy with this picture.

It's Steve and Jorge stuffing and seasoning their pig.  A real big whole pig.  Totally not what I was expecting.  

So, I call Steve and ask him exactly who is coming to his "pig roast"?  He told me only a couple of his Emmaus Brothers.  They were going to roast the pig in the back yard, have a bonfire and hang out.  

Savannah and I had plans yesterday to shop in Orlando which is about an hour from home.  I decided to make a orzo pasta salad and leave out some chips, salsa, cheese dip, plates, napkins, drinks, etc. before we left. Just in case they wanted something to go with their "pig". 

Sav and I hit the road and start doing some serious Christmas shopping.  Then I get a text..... "what should we bring to the party" - an Emmaus Brother's Wife.....

hmmmmm........ then I get another text asking the same thing.  At this point my heart is starting to race and I call Steve and ask AGAIN - who is coming to the "pig roast".  Well a few of the guys and a few families.  Now I'm in full blown panic.  

I am a total planner.  I like my tables set and decorated.  I like my menu planned.  I like to know when people are arriving.  I like details.

Savannah and I had already hit all the stores she was interested in so we cut the trip a little short and headed home.  

Arrived home AFTER people were already at the house.  So, I go in and see two small tables in the family room set up but NO tablecloths.  Outside he had set up a table with drinks and Ice in the Ice Cart.  A long table set up for food with NO tablecloth.  

I quickly put tablecloths on all the tables, set up the food table, cut lemons for the drinks, etc. etc. - just the little details.

All the other Emmaus families started arriving bringing TONS of food.  We had of course the "Pig" which was outstanding, Yucca, Black Beans and Rice, Mac and Cheese, Salad, Orzo Pasta Salad, and tons of desserts.

The menu wasn't exactly planned, the set up wasn't what I would have done if I planned, everything wasn't "perfect" but it was a wonderful night.  A few of the women found out about how the "party" was planned and they felt as "panicked" as I did.  Everyone joked all night about how we were having a party that I didn't know about.

God works in funny ways.  These friends from church are like family.  They didn't care if everything was set up perfect.  They didn't care if the menu was planned and coordinated.  We just had a wonderful time together with wonderful food.  

We all joined hands, my sweet husband led us in prayer and I had to smile at how his "casual pig roast" ended up.

“Is any pleasure on earth as great as a circle of Christian friends by a good fire?”

C.S. Lewis

Girlfriends and Bread Baking

Hi Sweet Blogger Friends

Hope everyone had a blessed first day of Advent

In the hussle and bussle of the season,

Let's all remember the 

REASON FOR THE SEASON

This weekend I had my annual girls night

Christmas Dinner

Year 16 with these sweet women

Always a great time

Today I made 4 loaves of Emmaus Bread

Another gathering this week

with my Nativity Church women

this was my first time making this bread

a little stressful I must say

Hopefully it will taste good

The two loaves on the right were first

The two on the left next, they look much better

Considering it had to rise, braid, rise again

it took me 4 hours to make it 

so I didn't have time to make more

fingers crossed that it taste like it's suppose to :)

Merry Christmas Season

xo

Happy Thanksgiving

Happy Thanksgiving

Give thanks to the Lord, for he is good, for his steadfast love endures forever.

Colossians 3:17

I Want to Live Like That

                                   This weekend I attended a wonderful Women's Retreat

through my church

Emmaus Retreat

I can't say enough good about it

Even the food was good and I have to admit here,

I cheated, just a little

I didn't gain any weight but I didn't lose any on my weigh in this morning

still down 11 pounds

back on  #operationszipthosepants today

The weekend was amazing but I'm not sure

that I can even put into words

yet

So, I will just share this song with you

that's in my heart and head all.day.long.

Live Like That

Sometimes I think
What will people say of me
When I'm only just a memory
When I'm home where my soul belongs

Was I love
When no one else would show up
Was I Jesus to the least of those
Was my worship more than just a song

I want to live like that
And give it all I have
So that everything I say and do
Points to You

If love is who I am
Then this is where I'll stand
Recklessly abandoned
Never holding back

I want to live like that
I want to live like that

Am I proof
That You are who you say You are
That grace can really change a heart
Do I live like Your love is true

People pass
And even if they don't know my name
Is there evidence that I've been changed
When they see me, do they see You

I want to live like that
And give it all I have
So that everything I say and do
Points to You

If love is who I am
Then this is where I'll stand
Recklessly abandoned
Never holding back

I want to live like that
I want to live like that

I want to show the world the love You gave for me
I'm longing for the world to know the glory of the King

I want to live like that
And give it all I have
So that everything I say and do
Points to You

If love is who I am
Then this is where I'll stand
Recklessly abandoned
Never holding back

I want to live like that
I want to live like that

xo

My friend is at peace.

A very sweet friend is now at peace.  After a long fought battle, she passed away last week.   Heading to the wake service tonight and the funeral tomorrow.   Please keep her sweet daughters and loving husband in your prayers.

In Memory of Antionette M Cuellar July 26, 1963 - May 4, 2012 Obituary CUELLAR, Antionette, 48, of Valrico, peacefully passed away May 4, 2012 after a courageous battle with breast cancer.  She was an active parishioner at Nativity Catholic Church in Brandon. Antionette is preceded in death by her brother, Theodore Lombardi, Jr. She is survived by David, her husband of 22 years; daughters, Alexandra, Alyssa, Olivia; parents,  Theodore and Rosa Lombardi; sisters, Mary Gray, Catherine Destein (Richard), Roseann Brown (Robert); brothers,  Francis Lombardi (Sandra), John Lombardi, Samuel Lombardi (Tammy); an extended family and numerous friends. A visitation will be held from 6 – 8 p.m., Tuesday, May 8, 2012 at Nativity Catholic Church. A funeral mass will be  celebrated at 10:30 a.m., Wednesday, May 9, 2012 at Nativity Catholic Church with interment following in Hillsboro Memorial Gardens. In lieu of flowers the family has requested memorial donations to LifePath Hospice,  www.lifepath-hospice.org and/or the Angela Musette Russo Foundation, www.russofoundation.com.

40 Bags in 40 Days

Happy First Day of Lent 

Borrowed this clip from a fellow blogger

 40 Bags in 40 Days

Why have I decided to do this? A few reasons
If you look at my house, it is very clutter free

that is until you look in the closets & drawers
They are not so organized & some are full of junk
It reminds me of how we all appear sometime

Good on the outside & messy on the inside
So, here is my own 40 bags in 40 days list

Open my eyes, Lord Help me to see Your face Open my eyes, Lord Help me to see Open my ears, Lord Help me to hear Your voice Open my ears, Lord Help me to hear Open my heart, Lord Help me to love like You Open my heart, Lord Help me to love I live within you Deep in your heart, oh, love I live within you Rest now in me My current favorite Song! xo

The Season of Lent

Lent is a 40-day preparation for Easter Sunday and one of the major liturgical seasons of the Catholic church. A penitential season marked by prayer, fasting, abstinence, and almsgiving.  Lent begins on Ash Wednesday and ends on Holy Saturday. 


This coming Wednesday is Ash Wednesday.  We will go to mass, receive our ashes and start our 40 day preparation for Easter. 

Every year, I not only try to "give something up" but to make a  habit of doing something good that will stick.

Steve and I are involved in the beginning process of a "mission" that will help hundreds of people in need in a nearby community. I am so excited to see the outcome of this project and see how God will lead/guide us to make this successful.  My goal is to use these 40 days working, praying and raising money that will benefit the people of this mission. 

I pray that this Lenten season will enrich my life, deepen my relationship with Christ, and strengthen my relationship with my world wide family of faith.

I used the color purple in this post because the color purple is used during Lent because the bible tells us that Pilate and his soldiers placed a purple robe on Jesus before his crucifixion. 

So it is written that the Christ would suffer and on the third day rise from the dead - Luke 24:46

You Are My Sunshine

sun·shine  1. a. The light or the direct rays from the sun. b. The warmth given by the sun's rays. c. A location or surface on which the sun's rays fall. 2. a. Radiant cheerfulness; geniality. b. A source of cheerfulness. Isaiah 55:12 - "You will go out in joy and be led forth in peace; the mountains and hills will burst into song before you, and all the trees of the field will clap their hands." Sending sunshine your way! xo (all pics via pinterest)

Never Judge Anyone

I saw this on Facebook the other day and decided to share!  Worth the short read.

HEART TOUCHING STORY:

A doctor entered the hospital in hurry after being called in for an urgent surgery. He answered the call asap, changed his clothes & went directly to the surgery block. He found the boy's father pacing in the hall waiting for the doctor. On seeing him, the dad yelled:" Why did you  take all this time to come? Don't you know that my son's life is in danger? Don't you have any sense of responsibility?"

The doctor smiled & said:
"I am sorry, I wasn't in the hospital & I came as fast as I could after receiving the call...... And now, I wish you'd calm down so that I can do my work"

"Calm down?  What if your son was in this room right now, would you calm down? If your own son dies now what will you do??" said the father angrily

The doctor smiled again & replied: "I will say what Job said in the Holy Book "From dust we came & to dust we return, blessed be the name of God". Doctors cannot prolong lives. Go & intercede for your son, we will do our best by God's grace"

"Giving advise when we're not concerned is so easy" Murmured the father.

The surgery took some hours after which the doctor went out happy, "Thank goodness!, your son is saved!" And without waiting for the father's reply he carried on his way running. "If you have any question, ask the nurse!!"

"Why is he so arrogant? He couldn't wait some minutes so that I ask about my son's state" Commented the father when seeing the nurse minutes after the doctor left.

The nurse answered, tears coming down her face: "His son died yesterday in a road accident, he was in the burial when we called him for your son's surgery. And now that he saved your son's life, he left running to finish his son's burial."

Moral -  Never judge anyone..... because you never know how their life is & what they're going through".

Photo via Pinterest

xo 

A Winner Of The Prayer Books

Thanks to everyone who commented on my little giveaway.

I'm excited to share these books and some Valentine goodies with the winner.

I'm not a tech savy blogger - so I printed the comments,

put them in a bowl,

and drew a name :)

Tara from Between You and Me
is the winner. 

Between You & Me

 
xoxo