Showing posts with label grandkids. Show all posts
Showing posts with label grandkids. Show all posts

Tuesday, October 22, 2013

A Dear Friend I Finally Met Face to Face - Picture of the Day

 
Kimberly Thompson has been a Facebook friend of mine for years. We met through the Christian Author's Marketing Strategies group I started with Laura Eckroat, another author friend of mine. Kim is a Louisiana native and I love her to pieces. She recommended me to share a speaking engagement in a town not far from her home. The educators group was amazing and very encouraging. I was blessed to meet Kim and also another member of the Facebook group who has become dear to me as we have had conversations on Facebook, Linda Niemeir. She was another speaker at this lovely event. Kimberly Thompson has written a number of books. Search her name on amazon.com and it will bring up a list of her books. I especially love the legends of the swamp series. They are terrific love stories wound around historic detail as well as current times. You must read them!
 
Linda Niemeir and her mother wrote a biography of her mother's life in Louisiana in the dust bowl days. It is entitled "Sharecropping in Northern Louisiana". I recommend this book as well. The stories in this book are true and reminded me of stories my mother and dad used to tell all of us. Sometimes details of oral stories grow fuzzy, so I used this book to remind me of things that were done to survive in those days in some of my books. Terry has pictures from that event in his phone. We just have to learn how to put them on my computer. lol

 
This is Keith Thompson, Kim's husband and their sweet little granddaughter Raegan.

 
Kim, my friend and the author of some of my favorite books.

 
Terry playing with Kim and Keith's grands, Julian and Raegan


 
Being in Louisiana with Kim and Keith was relaxing and fun. We attended church with them on Wednesday night. Kim made file gumbo from scratch. It was sooooooooo good. I think she considered our non-Cajun stomachs and didn't add things we weren't used to. The flavor was the best. We went with her to look over her rabbits, garden and chickens. We laughed, told stories, and became forever friends. Isn't that the best kind?

Sunday, August 4, 2013

Not Perfect but Loved

This is Maci, Devon, Sierra, & Zach

This picture is from July 2013
Devon, Eli, Zach, Sierra, & Maci
 
A few years ago, before our latest grandson was born, we had family photos taken by Terry Peak. One of my favorite shots of the grandkids is the imperfect one I have posted here. I have used this picture in most of my speaking engagements for an introduction of myself. As you know, grandmas are defined by the people they love.

Even though there are tears on one, scowls on a couple, and indifference on the other; I still see my precious grands. In fact, every time I look at this picture I pause and smile. Most of the pictures I take of them that are posed are all beautiful smiles and I love those, but this one... well...I love it.

It makes me wonder if God looks at me in my imperfections and smiles. Ladies, you know how we struggle to hide all the little spots and blemishes on our face, cover and camouflage excess pounds. Sometimes I just throw up my hands and decide I have done all I can do and give up.

Jesus looks at us and sees his precious child when we give up the 'cover up' and just offer ourselves as we are to Him. There is nothing like the embrace of the Holy Spirit to let you know you are 'accepted in the beloved'. "Beloved"... I am loved!

Next time you see your imperfections, realize this...YOU ARE LOVED by the Lord!