I know pretty soon all of you will be tired, or at least weary of reading about my excitement, but I just can't help it!  Our local newspaper for our community and those surrounding us printed an article about me and my little devotional book!  The goal was to get the information about the book signing into the community and those lovely women from The Almanac did exactly that!  My grateful thanks to PJ Rittiger and Patty van Horn for assisting me with this goal!

I'm totally aware that if ten people come tomorrow night I'll be a happy lady.  This book belongs to God and He will determine what happens to it.  Just wanted to share my excitement with my faithful

 
 
Each Wednesday I remember the phrase "Hump Day".  As kids we always referred to the middle of the week as "Hump Day" simply because it symbolized (in our visual minds) we had climbed to the top of the hill and was sliding toward the fun we had planned for the weekend.  Although it might sound crazy I still think of that phrasing each and every week when Wednesday rolls around!

Last evening I got the opportunity to see a lot of my "teacher friends".  Unfortunately it was at the funeral home for the father of one of the teachers.  This same gentleman (great adjectives for this truly "gentle man") was also a member of my church.  It was good to gather and reflect upon memories and see so many of our dear friends.  This was a happier occasion than most since our dear friend had suffered with health problems for many years.  We know he is enjoying the beginning of his eternal dwelling with our Lord.

Hope each one of you have an awesome day and, as school begins for many students and teachers, please remember to pray for our nation and the learning that takes place within those institutions.  Pray for the hearts and minds of the teachers, administrators and students that are being entrusted to them for hours each day.  May God be honored and glorified in each lesson and action.  And may the children come prepared to listen and learn.   God bless, my friends! 
 
 
Today I had the opportunity to help my daughter set up her classroom for another year of fourth grade.  It brought back a ton of memories.  My favorite part of the school year when I was teaching full time was the initial setting up of the classroom and decorating all the bulletin boards.  Yep, I'm the artistic  type and I wanted the room to be functional and inviting.  I was able to revisit that love today as I made lots of red apples and wrote the names of all Kimberly's students on each one.  There's even a nice, big tree on her bulletin board where all the apples have been attached.

The temperatures have cooled off here in Cleveland where Kimberly and Luke live and it further enhances the thoughts of a new school year complete with buses.  So we head back to Pittsburgh tomorrow after one more trip to the elementary school to put the finishing touches on a great  looking fourth grade classroom.  Mrs. Adkins is almost ready for yet another year of teaching math!  God bless, my friends!
 
A fast Sunday 08/23/2010
 
Sundays are usually days that are restful and worshipful.  Today was worshipful, but afterwards we were unusually busy.  It was good to spend time with some of our friends this afternoon and evening by attending an outdoor concert.  It was a concert of country music and being from the south, it was a taste of "down home" for me.  There is something about guys and girls showing up for a concert riding in trucks and on motorcycles wearing cowboy hats and boots that brings back memories of individuals from my past.

We had a great time and the night was wonderful....cooler temperatures and an opportunity to sit around with friends before and after the concert socializing while the traffic thinned out a bit.  All in all an evening for the memory books!  God bless you all with a wonderful week!
 
 
Hey there, friends.  In case anyone is reading today (which being the weekend, and one of the last before school begins might have most of you out and about) nothing much new is happening at The Whites' House.  We are headed to a family reunion and I'm not all that excited to be in the heat all day.  Yep, those dear old flashes of heat will be a main staple as I try to eat, relax and socialize today. 

Need prayers.....have a ton of things on my plate and I need time to get them all completed.  Satan is having a good time trying to distract me from the goal!  God bless all of you with a relaxing and refreshing weekend.
 
And it's Friday! 08/20/2010
 
Hi friends...sorry this is posted so late in the day, but it's been a busy one!  First if all, I slept in a bit....the windows were up and the air was cooler this morning.  In fact, I had a sheet pulled up around my neck which doesn't happen often at this stage of my life!  Then I enjoyed three, yes three cups of coffee out on the deck with Gary.  By the time we finished up with coffee and started partaking in our daily allottment of cereal, Kimberly joined us. 

We began the rest of our daily activities and headed to the mall to look for a dress for Kimber to wear to an upcoming wedding in St. Louis next weekend.  By the time we returned it's late in the day and I'm just getting around to posting....hope each one of you have a wonderful weekend.  It's still pretty hot around the Pittsburgh area, but I hear it's going to begin cooling down next week....we'll see!  God bless, my friends!

 
 
The man of my dreams, my best friend, the one who lights up my life, holds me when I cry and supports me when I need to lean....Happy Birthday to my husband of thirty years, Mr. Gary A. White, CPA!

Can't wait to go miniature golfing, out to dinner, catch a softball game and finish the night with a birthday cake.....it's gonna be a good, good night!
 
 

Since my children are full grown adults and living on their own, there aren't many times I'm needed for the everyday, routine activities that I had grown accustomed to doing for them.  But, when they happen to visit our home, they automatically become "my kids" again....and I love it!  

When Kimberly hit the door she immediately commented she was hungry (something about coming into mom and dad's house, I think, starts the hunger monitor) and I headed to the kitchen to fix lunch for both of us.  Later in the evening, Nicholas stopped by to say hello to his sister and since he missed dinner due to a softball game, it wasn't long before I heard, "Mom, how about fixing me up a plate of food?"  I glanced at Kimberly and we laughed....I was in my glory.

I enjoyed becoming a mother from the moment I learned I was expecting Nicholas and I still relish in being the "mama" to these precious gifts from God and providing a warm, loving and food bearing home.  For my children to realize that  Mom and Dad are readily available to sit and listen to what's going on in their lives is a blessing.  Something Kimberly said as she enjoyed her lunch with us on the deck when she arrived said it all, "Mom, it's good to be back."  Yes 

 
 
As we were given a break overnight with cooler temperatures, I began to reminisce about the oncoming season of Fall.  With those memories came activities of my youth as the anticipation of another school year dawned. 

So it was last evening as Gary and I took a walk on our local trail.  We passed several groups of individuals walking at a slower pace and as we would pass them, conversations were overheard.  I especially enjoyed the conversation of three young girls as they conversed about boys they were interested in meeting.  My, what memories flooded my mind!

I can still remember those same excited tones in my voice and those of my friends as we talked about guys we wanted to meet once school had begun.  We anticipated what we would say and how we would react to possible encounters.  Would these guys be at the first football game?  Would we have classes with them?  Would their lockers be close to ours?  It was a time of life full of opportunities and adventures yet to be experienced.

Life continues to be full of opportunities and adventures yet to be experienced.  I'll admit, the guy thing is one that I'm glad has been settled.  But those times with my girlfriends are priceless.  They are forever in the memory bank of my life never to be forgotten. 

May all our spiritual experiences be embedded so deeply with lessons of growth that  they, too, will be remembered with a smile.  God bless, my friends!
 
 

As a young person growing up in the Bible Belt, our youth choir sang a song entitled, "Pass It On".  It was a great little tune and I remember a lot of the words.  It began with the line, "It only takes a spark, to get a fire going, and soon all those around will warm up to its glowing.  That's how it is with God's love, once you've experienced it....you want to pass it on."

Why should I remember that particular song?  Because I'm reminded that it's not as easy as you might think to pass on what you believe about God's love, especially to the children God bring into your life.  I have talked with many friends that have raised their children to know and love the Lord Jesus.  As those same children have gone out into the world, they have stopped attending church on a regular basis, or they have dust collecting on their Bibles or they have gotten into various religious beliefs that have baffled their parents.  How does that happen?

I guess if I knew the answer I'd be a popular voice to be interviewed on national talk shows; however, I do know that God's Word does not return void.  When we plant the seed of God's Word and the habits of Chrisitan living with the hearts and souls of our children, that seed will begin to grow.  The amount of growth is determined by the spiritual watering that our children allow into their lives.  That flame that I spoke of at the beginning of this writing is found within the soul of each life that has asked Jesus to come into his/her heart.  As the flame, like the seed, is given the necessary "fuel" to grow through study, worship attendance and singing the songs of the faith, that flame will fan into a fire burning brightly for the Lord Jesus.  It will then spill over into the lives of future generations.

I'm thankful for every prayer that has been said on my behalf by grandparents and parents that have loved the Lord and served Him with all their might.  I pray that I will be worthy of those spoken words and that I, too, will continue to pray for my children and future generations.  To love the Lord Jesus with a fire in your soul that will not stay contained and demands to be fed and spread is "passing it on" as the Lord has required.  God bless, my friends.  Never be discouraged, but always encouraged that the Lord Jesus loves your children more than you and He will use the necessary means to bring them back to the foot of the cross.