Give-Away Number 1

I have become a blog fan. I love reading all kinds of blogs. There is this great blog that sends you a knew enjoyable blog everyday. It is called the Secret is in the Sauce. Now if I knew how to do it I would put a button to get you there but since I don't I will just tell you about. I do want to send you a link to this blog that is giving away this really neat organization treat for the week:

http://craftycarey.blogspot.com

Go check it out and enter. Oh yeah and tell them I sent ya!!!!

Blessings;
Gina Hartley

Imagination

Imagination is more important than knowledge.........
Albert Einstein

I have just finished auditions for my upcoming musical. It was so much fun watching the kids audition. The whole basis of Dr. Suess books are to use your imagination. I believe in the Dr. Suess theory that if we can imagine we can do. Then I read this quote today by Albert Einstein one of the smartest men that ever lived. It reminded me again to imagine.

As we get older we tend to lose our ability to have an imagination or dream. We get so caught up in the details that we lose the focus. We all need to take time to imagine much more.

I like to think of some of the great stories about dreams in the Bible and how they lead to change and great events. One of my favorite stories as always been about Jacob's Ladder. What change it lead to.

I challenge you today to use your IMAGINATION. Take a moment and think of something and see what it leads to.

Masks

At Halloween and other times we buy and wear masks. Some are scary, some are funny, some are of characters. However I have determined that we all wear masks everyday of our lives. Right now I have been wearing the mask of happiness when I have been at the door of a deep depression. I have fought depression for years and medication, prayer, and God have all keep me functioning at times. Depression is something that is very hard to admit. The fact that it is more present in our life, at times, than God is even harder.

In depression we feel that God is not hearing us. That alone, we face the struggle of whatever is weighing most on us. In Habakkuk we read of his struggle There is a verse that stuck with me in Habakkuk:

Fig trees may not grow figs, and there may be no grapes on the vines. There may be no olives growing and no food growing in the fields. There may be no sheep in the pens and no cattle in the barns. But I will still be glad in the Lord; I will rejoice in God my Savior.

Habakkuk 3:17-18

So this reminds that God never turns away. I can Go to God with my questions and my struggles. I may not have all the answers, but in finding God, You know the one who does.

Auditions Day 1

Well..I am a Day late but this is my Sunday post. So while technically I failed at getting a post a day already...I am going to count this as my fourth post for the fourth day of 2009. Yesterday I wasn't able to post because between church, laundry, kitchen duty, a well needed and deserved nap....I had auditions for Suessical the Musical. I saw 30 folks that wanted to sing, dance, and charm their way into the musical I am directing. What a whirlwind of activity. I so enjoyed the audition process and was blown away with some of the talent and now nursing a bruised lip from biting my lip, so as not to laugh at some other talent. It was interesting to say the list.

Some people have bucket list before they die....will I had a before I am 40 bucket list. I have done some of the things. Others I have moved to a before I die bucket list but two things still lingered. First...I wanted to run, at least, a half marathon. Ok to be honest it was a marathon but I am much more realistic now. Second....was to direct a major musical or play. So this year is my last chance and I plan to do both. My mother always said no one died from work...so I will see.

My quote today comes from Magic Johnson:

When you face a crisis, you know who your true friends are.

Hope you have no crisis today and you have lots of true friends.


Blessings;
Gina

New Year....New Start...New Me-Day 3

With my goal setting for the year I am faithfully reading the Bible everyday. Right now I am focusing on two things-Reading the Bible in a year and reading a chapter of Proverbs a day. Today I read two of my favorite verses:

Trust in the Lord with all your heart. Lean not on your own understanding;
In all your ways acknowledge him and he will make your paths straight.

Proverbs 3:5-6

I really needed to hear (or read) that verse. I often want to control things when God is already in control. Thank you for that reminder.

Oh the Thinks You Can Think.....

I am not sure what I was thinking but I am about to direct my first musical. Suessical the Musical will be staged by Nite Lite Theater on April 2nd-5th and I am the director. I am committed to making it a great musical. Lots of hard work and focus will be involved. I am looking forward to seeing what I can do and what a cast can do with their imagination and hard work.

I found this quote I wanted to leave you with:

A successful marriage requires falling in love many times, always with the same person.
Mignon McLaughlin

New Year....New Start...New Me

Welcome 2009!!! What an awesome adventure we have before us. One of my goals (notice I didn't say resolution I said GOAL) is to blog daily. Therefore I am kicking off the year. I wanted to share a Bible verse I am choosing for the year and a quote. In the coming days I will share the important and the mundane. Please join me on this adventure of 2009.

Verse for the year:

The fear of the Lord is the beginning of knowledge.

Proverbs 1:7a

Quote for the Year:

Take care of the minutes and the hours will take care of themselves.

Lord Chesterfield