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Light, Love, Hope

Light in the Darkness Surrounded by Love with Hope for those in need.

My Grandma’s Bible

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The book with the worn cover sat beside her favorite overstuffed rocking recliner in the living room.  Picking it up, she would run her long fingers over the curled edges, then flip it open to reveal vibrant colors of yellow and pink along with cursive writing along the sides.  I’m referring to my grandma’s bible.

After my grandmother’s death two years ago, this bible was given to my dad.  It took him a while to be able to open it to read what my grandmother had written.  When he felt strong enough, he ran his long fingers over the same cover, just as my grandma used to do, before he opened.  He paused to gather his composure as he saw her “chicken scratch writing” as she used to describe it.  Tucked inside were slips of paper in the form of notes that her grandchildren had written when they were little.  One such note was written by me as a child.

As my dad carefully turned the pages of his mother’s bible, he found notes along the sides and in the back that she had written about her family.  Some were even prayers about her family, pleading with God for His hand of protection and safety over us all.

My grandmother probably never realized the greatest gift she was leaving behind for her family; the gift of her thoughts as she pondered God’s word and highlighted her favorite verses that spoke to her through the years.  Now she continues to speak to us through the words she wrote in her bible.

Long before there was even a notion of creating a journaling bible, my grandma created her own.  Now that this generation has realized the value of such, they’ve created a place for your notes and thoughts in the form of a journaling bible!

Having just received my very own journaling bible, I’d like to share with you how impressed I was and still am with it!
Journaling Bible FB ad
The bible came in a protective case. Once I carefully slid the bible out of the case, I couldn’t help but run my hand over the cover as it felt almost like suede.  It does not have the traditional bible cover.  Instead, it looks just like a fancy journal.  I opened it and carefully turned the cream colored pages to find two inch margins to write thoughts and prayers of my own!  My thoughts immediately turned to my grandma and how she would have LOVED to have a bible like this!

Is there someone in your life that would appreciate a journaling bible?  Or, would you like one yourself?  If so, please be sure to enter our giveaway below!

 

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A special thank you to Fly-By Productions/Propeller for the opportunity to review this journaling bible.

Faith of Our Fathers

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Recently, we settled in for the night with hibachi takeout, popped in the DVD Faith of Our Fathers, and sat back for an enjoyable family night together with our 11 year old daughter.  One thing I especially love about these types of movies is that they are Christian movies.  You do not have to worry about the content or if anything will be inappropriate for little eyes to see or hear.

This particular story line began with John Paul and Wayne searching for answers to questions they had for years about the fathers they never knew.  Sadly, both of their fathers died 25 years before in the jungle of Vietnam.

As the plot thickens, the two young men decide to embark on a journey together to the Vietnam Wall in Washington, DC.  Along the way, John Paul and Wayne learn about who their fathers really were and what they believed in.  They were afforded this opportunity by reading letters their fathers had written years earlier.  They became to understand that their fathers both struggled, just as they did.  Thankfully, the fathers turned to God for help.  A very interesting fact John Paul learned is that his dad wanted to be a preacher.  In fact, John Paul actually lead Wayne’s dad to Christ before they both died while serving the Lord and their great country.

Toward the end of the trip, the story unfolds into the young men unexpectedly meeting both their father’s platoon leader who served with them in the war.  The story line will keep you on the edge of your seat as you travel along with them on this journey!

We encourage you to see this movie.  In fact, here is your chance to enter our giveaway below for your very own copy of Faith of Our Fathers!   Be sure to enter, and best of luck to you!

A special thank you to Fly By Productions/Propeller for the opportunity to review this DVD.  I was given a copy of the DVD; however, it did not influence my review.  The opinions expressed here are our own.

~Dusty, Shirley’s husband.

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A Christmas Wish

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I am sure some of you may be thinking, it’s not even Thanksgiving and you are posting about Christmas already. I am posting this now because I would like to introduce our little holiday contest. We have a gift bag full of surprises to give away during the holiday season and we just couldn’t wait to get started.

So here is how this works. Christmas is the season of giving. We run around looking for the perfect gift for those important people in our lives. Then we run some more for those office gift exchanges or Secret Santa’s we always seem to get into. What we here at Light, Love, Hope want to know is what do YOU want for Christmas; what do you REALLY want for Christmas?

We have a bag full of stocking stuffers to give away. So post your Christmas wish as a comment on our Christmas Wish page or on this post on our Facebook page. We will be picking random winners throughout the next several weeks. You have until December 15th to get your wishes posted.

Click here to post your wish to our “A Christmas Wish” page.

To get things started, I will share with you what I really want for Christmas.

Over the years, I have been told that I am a very hard person to know what to get for Christmas. I can see how people would think that as if I see something I want I just get it for myself. My family rarely asks what I want. They know that I have a passion for popcorn, but that is the one thing they never buy for me. That is a mystery to me. I will admit much of the time I tell them that there isn’t really anything I want. That is not really a true statement. There is something that I have always wanted, but it is not something that you can buy in a store. It is something that I missed greatly from my childhood.

Each year during the holidays, we would decorate the whole house with lights and candles. We had a very nice fireplace that we would decorate with holly and lights. Each Saturday night we would light a fire in the fireplace, have only the Christmas lights on, and have Christmas music playing on the stereo. We would sit there with our Advent calendar and read the passage of the day in front of the fire. We then just sit by fire for the evening listening to all the wonderful Christmas melodies playing softly in the background. I miss that a lot.

So here is what I would really like for Christmas. I would like to spend an evening with someone sitting with some music playing (a fire in a fireplace would be nice but not necessary ) who would let me lean my head on their shoulder and hold their hand. That is it. That is all I want.

So what do you really want for Christmas?

ChristmasBear

Mountain Days

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My family and I traveled to Barnardsville, North Carolina the weekend of October 23-25, 2015. We were very impressed with this historic 1900s cabin which has now been modernized to include a bathroom!

Pisgah

The owners, Ann & Jay, were wonderful! They were very accommodating and helpful during our stay. One of our horses is an escape artist and got out of the paddock the first night, which gave us a heart attack when I was laying in bed and looked out the window to find she was missing. Thankfully, though, she didn’t go far and was actually beside the cabin when I flung the cabin door open to look for her! Whew! She also escaped another time to visit two neighbor geldings in the next paddock. She stretched the fence, which we felt badly about and offered to help fix, but Ann did not seem upset at all. She fixed the fence in no time flat!  The reason behind her escape adventures was due to someone turning the electric fence off in the barn.  This was quickly remedied, and our horse remained in the paddock throughout the remainder of our trip!Pisgah1

 

Our first ride there was actually just up the road and toward Ann’s house. The view is breathtakingly beautiful, and we appreciate that Ann allowed us to ride to her house to use the round pen. It was rather steep so our mares took several resting breaks, but it was so worth it when we reached the top!

Pisgah2

Saturday we explored Pisgah National Forest’s Big Ivy. We walked our horses from the cabin right into the forest where we rode for hours near creeks and around the mountains!

This was my daughter’s first time in the mountains with her Pinto pony. She was nervous and excited all rolled into one! They both did a great job crossing the creeks with ease, though. Several times our horses stopped right in the middle to drink the cool mountain water from the creeks. I’m sure it was quite refreshing after traveling many miles up, down, and around the mountains.

Creek Crossing In Pisgah
On our last day there while traveling up the mountain, we encountered a portion of the trail that was rather steep and narrow. We hated to turn around because we were so close to the very top of the mountain, but safety won so back down the mountain we went. We didn’t feel so bad when two other equestrians attempted it behind us yet turned around for safety’s sake as well.

The view was breathtaking with splashes of vibrant reds, yellows, oranges, and greens on the horizon. We timed it just right for the changing of the leaves this Fall in the mountains!

Pisgah3

We had a great time during our mountain days and highly recommend this mountain getaway! While we’ve ridden in Dupont before, we fell in love with Pisgah!

 

Halloween Adventure

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Wow, what an absolutely beautiful Halloween weekend!  We stayed at the Saddle Pad just outside of Camelot Farms in St. Helena, SC, with our 11 year old daughter.

The cottage was warm and welcoming.  We loved the horse bedding as well as the entire horse theme they had in the cottage.

They had nice sized paddocks for the horses, and we really loved that they were right next to the cottage where we could check up on the horses.  It was really nice having them that close.  We could literally look out the living room window and see them.

This is the first time our daughter has taken her Pinto pony to the beach, and she had the BEST time!  We enjoyed having the opportunity to walk to the semi private beach any time we wanted on our horses.  Thursday night we timed it just right as the sun was setting on the way back!

beach3

Friday we rode to the beach again where we had a fun time trotting and loping our horses!  We had lunch on the beach as well and enjoyed the sounds of the waves crashing against the shore.  Shortly thereafter, we took the trails around Camelot Farms.  That evening, we went into Beaufort for a haunted carriage ride put on by CAPA.  They were dressed in costumes as ghost stories for the Beaufort area were told, and on the streets different characters would startle us as they told their version of the story or appeared at just the right time during our tour.  This was the BEST ghost tour we’ve ever been on, and we’ve been on several in the Charleston area.

beach

Saturday we took the dirt roads that lead to the plantation house that was used in Forest Gump!  We enjoyed the moss covered trees and had a really nice ride together.  The weather was perfect hovering around 70.  The people we encountered along the way were friendly and respectful to us on our horses, too, which is always nice.

While we were there, we visited the Old Sheldon Church Ruins as well as The Chapel of Ease.  That was a really cool backdrop for our Halloween pictures, too!  Chapel of Ease

We took our daughter trick-or-treating at the Hunting Island State park also, which she loved!  She was a hit with all of the little children as she was dressed as Mal from the Disney “Descendants” movie.

Mal costume

We had three beautifully amazing days on horseback!  We loved that we could vacation as a family and take our horses with us!   We had all of the accommodations from home with good quality time spent together as a family and on horseback!

We highly recommend this horse lover’s vacation!  While we enjoyed the beach access while staying at the cottage, Hunting Island allows horses on their beach December 1 – February 1 as well.  We took our horses last year and recommend it to anyone that has ever wanted to ride their horses on the beach!

Thank you for allowing us to share our Halloween Adventure with you!

Almost Through

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As our Write 31 Day Challenge comes to a close, we’re reminded, too, that the year is almost through!

Where, oh where, has the time gone?

In September, many agonized over what topic they could possibly talk about for 31 days straight.  Others opted to take the easy route with prompt words, just as we did here.  While the words made you think, you still had the hard task of getting those thoughts out of your head and into a post that made sense and sounded decent before hitting the “publish” button.  A great many others were super excited to participate in this for the very first time.  Our “first” was last year, and while it seems like a lot of pressure, it is worth it!  You’ve accepted the challenge, and as you fulfill the task, you feel a sense of accomplishment when you’re written every single day for those 31 days!  For me, I’ll admit that this year I had help!  I am thankful and very much appreciative for the help Greg has provided in writing when I was out of town several weekends.  He carried the blog, and my heart is grateful.  I did not want the vision and desire to die off when I did not have the ability to type my heart out … so he did, instead!

For all of you that completed the challenge, congratulations!!  YOU DID IT!!  And for those that fell off early on or maybe even late in the game, you gave it a shot, and you can try again next year if you desire.  The point in the whole thing is to get your creative juices flowing so that you’ll share your story, your heart, and your soul with the world.  What you have to say MATTERS!  Your story needs to be shared because some one out there needs to hear it.  They need your light, your love, and the hope that you’re offering through your words.

SHARE IT!

Long after these 31 days of October have come and gone, continue to share your story.  Continue to write.  You are leaving a mark on those in your path and in the world around you.  Yes, you CAN make a difference by what you write, and you ARE an encouragement to others struggling … your light helps to fill the darkness they may be feeling inside.

Share …

And share some more!

You have so much to offer!

Change-the-World

 

Bacon

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I have never understood men’s fascination with bacon. Where I live it is an obsession with some. So much so, that we have a bacon fest each year. Restaurants gather and make some of the most, in my opinion, obnoxious combinations of foods with bacon. Who would want to ruin chocolate mixing it with bacon?

We all have family members that embarrass us from time to time. I have a family member that makes it his life calling to be embarrassing in public. This past mother’s day, I took my aunt, my cousin (her son) and his girlfriend for a nice Sunday brunch buffet/cruise on a local paddle wheel riverboat. There is a massive crowd that day and it takes us an hour just to get our tickets and on the boat. My cousin is in one of his “moods.” We sit down and he proclaims loudly. “I am not hungry!” He sits at the table watching the three of us eat grumbling and mumbling under his breath about this thing or that.

As the buffet winds down and most of the guest head out to the deck, the kitchen crew comes to clear off the buffet table. In steps my cousin. He walks up to the serving table as the servers are begging to put away the remains of the buffet and blurts out, “Gimme that bacon!”, and proceeds to fill a plate with bacon. He piles it at least six inches high. There has to be a good pound or two of bacon on his plate; nothing else. He comes back to the table and sits down to “munch.” The waiters begin to remove the plates from the table. There is alarmed look in my cousin’s eyes. Someone is going to take his bacon. There will be none of that! He loudly blurts out, “Don’t touch my bacon! Don’t anyone dare touch my bacon! It’s my bacon!” By now the entire ship knows it is his bacon.

Me? I just want to crawl into a hole and hide.

By The Sea

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This afternoon we will rush off to our favorite place; by the sea.

Laughter will fill the salty air as we stroll along the beach hand in hand.

As the waves crash in and lap at the shore, all of our cares and worries will fade away.  It is as if the rushing water comes toward us allowing us to release our burdens.  The sea foams, and our troubles are carried out into the ocean, calming and soothing our souls.

This time our four legged companions will accompany us on this journey.  We will gallop and play along the sandy shores with our magnificent horses.  My daughter will ride her black, brown, and white spotted Pinto pony as she smiles deep within her soul as she asks, “Can we do it again?”  And then we’ll gallop some more down the beach, inching our way toward the water.

We’ll take pictures … lots of pictures … and savor every single minute we are together.

With Halloween upon us, we’ll take pictures of the pirates by the sea; my husband and me.  My daughter will twirl around as Mal from Descendents with her bold purple hair and evil laughter as she skips down the beach.

Daylight savings time will be upon us Sunday.  We are not ready to lose an hour here on the East Coast.  That will mean darker days, less evening rides at home, and soon, the cold Winter winds will blow.  We will try hard not to think of that during our time by the sea.  This last weekend, we will enjoy the sandy shores until the sun is swallowed by the sea and the moon emerges to light up the night sky.

We will make more memories by the sea.

beach2

There Is Hope

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In the mist of the chaos and turmoil, there is hope.

When it seems as if all is lost and there is no where to turn, there is still hope.

If you’re wondering what the next step is and are unsure of what to do, call upon the name that gives hope.  Jesus Christ.

I’ve been in the mist of chaos and turmoil crying out in agony, feeling low and as if there was no hope at all.  I know the pain of feeling as if all is lost and overwhelming feelings of hopelessness all but consumes you.  Likewise, many times I’ve said that when I’m unsure, I will just be still … be still and know that He is God!

My hope is in and comes from the Lord.

May you find comfort in the below bible verses that speak of hope:

Hebrews 6:19

We have this hope as an anchor for the soul, firm and secure.

It enters the inner sanctuary behind the curtain,


Psalm 38:15

LORD, I wait for you; you will answer, Lord my God.


Psalm 71:5

For you have been my hope, Sovereign LORD,

my confidence since my youth.

Romans 15:13

Now the God of hope fill you with all joy and peace in believing, …

Psalm 38:15

For in you, O LORD, do I hope: you will hear, O Lord my God.

World Suicide Prevention Day

Perhaps

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Perhaps if I wasn’t so afraid that I wasn’t good enough. Perhaps if I wasn’t so self-conscious about how I look to others. Perhaps if I could see what others say they see in me, I would not be and feel so alone.

Perhaps I should look inside of myself and take God’s hand. Perhaps I could help spread a little love to others that feel like me. Perhaps I could share a bit of kindness to those that feel as lost as I do. Perhaps I can make a difference by spreading God’s love.

Perhaps if I give a little kindness, those that receive it will spread a little bit of kindness of their own. Perhaps that will spread even further and become a flood of people giving a little of God’s love. Perhaps that is what this world needs; more giving of God’s love.

Whisper

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Though you are not here, though you may be far away, I hear you whisper my name during my deepest times of trouble. That whisper brings me comfort when I feel sorrow. That soft voice touches my heart. It brings warm to my soul. Though just a whisper, the words dance upon a melody that resonates within my heart.

Just a word or a single phrase of a whisper can turn help turn an inner gloom into the hope of daylight. To whisper in the ear of those in our heart, “I love you” will touch them with the power of love that they won’t forget. It will be a memory that stays in their soul to be treasured across time.

Yes. A simple little whisper has that kind of power. Touch someone that means the world to you with a little whisper.

Crash

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For someone in my profession, “crash” has a special meaning; someone is having an anxiety attack because they can’t get on Facebook. It may not always be like that, but when your computer suffers a “crash” it can be a trying experience. I have spent many an hour helping out those that I know, and some that I don’t, recover use of their computer and saved files.

It is very important today to setup your computer with a system to back up all of your data. On my home computer, I use a great program that is easy to use called Acronis True Image. I have an external hard drive that I use that backup feature in Acronis to backup my entire pc every night. I even have a special backup that handles my email. It is a reasonably priced setup to guarantee that you won’t lose those files that are important to you.

I do get a special bit of joy in helping people with these types of problems. I tell them not to feel bad when things like this happen because it is a normal occurrence and can be fixed. So it you are not backing up your computer, consider setting something up so that you can be back up and running in no time.

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