Saying goodbye is never an easy thing to do no matter what the circumstances may be. My very, dear, sweet, friend, Gloria Sauer Ballard passed away yesterday, wayyy too young. It’s hard to wrap your head around something like this, even when you know it’s coming. She has been battling stomach cancer for almost a year now.  I can still remember getting that phone call last March that she was sick.  She is the kindest soul that you’d ever want to meet.

We became friends back in high school and have remained friends after all these years. What great “girlfriend” memories I have with her, concerts, boyfriends, cheerleading, football games and her & I drumming on the back of the couch at Steve’s house to “Fleetwood Mac” – LOL those were the days!  She is one of those friends that no matter how far away you lived or how much time passed since you saw her last, whenever you got together it always felt like you JUST saw her.

With all she had going on she still took the time to send me a birthday card last October.  When I called to thank her she just said “ahhhhhh sweetie of course” (always thinking of others). Gloria was a special soul and lived her life full of tenderness, strength and grace.

Dear Gloria – I will surely miss you and your sweet ways.  You have been a friend that I will always cherish and think of often.  I will do my best to keep in touch with your dear daughters.  Until we see each other again and we will, I love you!  Toodles

“Miracles start to happen when you give as much energy to your dreams as you do your fears”

Author Unknown

I’m READYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYY

I picked up my jar at Hobby Lobby.  Decided to go with the 64 oz. wide mouth mason jar, and it’s pretty big . . . feeling optimistic about 2013 and the wide mouth allows me to stick my hand in there to dig out alllllll of my blessings at the end of the year.  That’s the good thing about the new year, there’s always a renewed sense of optimism. So my jar is ready!!!!! Is yours???

Christmas is upon us so that means a New Year is just around the corner.  It’s that time of year when we take time to appreciate those around us, family and friends.  I can’t help but think about the families this year who have lost loved ones, especially those in Connecticut.  This Christmas is going to be unbelievably hard for them and I just can’t even imagine how hard.

As this year ends and a new one begins there is a sense of hope in me.  I am a Christian and I don’t know how people deal with what life can throw at us without knowing Jesus.  When I put my life in His hands 18 years ago He transformed me, one day at a time.   I am a better person, not a perfect person, just a better person.  I’m still a work in progress. Having Jesus in my life has given me a hope I’ve not known before.  I always use to be a “but what if” person . . . now I’m a “whatever” person because no matter what happens I don’t walk this path alone.

Jesus says, “I will never leave you or forsake you” and I believe it.  He has shown me in all of my circumstances especially the tougher times that He is there for me.  As we celebrate Christmas and the New Year, my hope would be that if you don’t know Jesus that you would get to know Him.  Life can be hard sometimes but you don’t have to walk it alone. Thank you all for following my blog this past year and for your fun & encouraging comments! I pray that this season brings you peace and joy.

Merry Christmas & a Very Happy New Year!

“YOU ARE SOMEBODY’S REASON TO SMILE”

 

Your journey has molded you for

greater good and it was exactly

what it needed to be.

Don’t think that you’ve lost time.

It took each and every situation

you’ve encountered to bring

you to the now.

And NOW is right on time!