Kelatlifepoint’s Blog

Veteran’s Day is this Wednesday.  November 11.  I learned something I had never known about Veteran’s Day.  The reason it’s on November 11th, is because back during WWI, a truce was called on the 11th day, of the 11th month, at the 11th hour.

Veteran’s Day is an important day to me and my family.  My grandfather was an Army Infantryman who served in WWII, and is a survivor of Pearl Harbor.  Yes, he was there that infamous day of December 7, 1941.  He was the biggest man in his platoon, so he was the one that carried the heaviest machine gun and artillery.  He’s been hit by shrapnel, and suffered malaria.  He is 87 today, and still runs circles around me!    I love my Pappap!  I’m so proud of him.

My brother served in the Air Force and went to Desert Storm/Desert Shield.  He was responsible for making sure the F15s and F16s stayed in the air.  Initially he was not scheduled to fight in the war; however, he chose to take the place of a fellow soldier (and friend) that had a family.  What a selfless act!  Today my brother is married and has given me two beautiful and precious nieces.  I’m very proud of my only sibling! 

Many other members of my family served in our United States Military.  I have another grandfather that flew the Berlin Airlift in WWII, for instance.  I’m so grateful and proud of my family, and their commitment, courage and sacrifice to this great Nation, and MY freedom.

If you are out, and you see a person wearing a hat that says he/she is a Veteran – make sure you go up to that person and let them know you appreciate them and what they’ve done for you!  That’s the least we can do for them!  Imagine what they’ve been through and seen.  It takes a special individual to do what our military personnel do, and I don’t take that for granted.  Please don’t you, either.

We had a wonderful turnout today at church of those who wrote out Thank You cards to our local Veterans.  111 cards were written!  THANK YOU LifePoint!! 

Until next week…. May God bless your eyes….

Back in 1980 my mother, brother and I moved to Orlando, Florida from Pittsburgh, PA.  (Go Steelers!!)  I had just turned 12, and my brother was 11.

I remember sitting in the living room of our 113-year-old house in the not-so-nice part of the city of Pittsburgh.  It was the three of us.  My father was either at work or at the local bar around the corner… I can’t remember which.  It was just another day in that time of our lives.  My brother and I would begged our mom to leave our father… to divorce him and take us away from him.  Being a child, we didn’t really understand what our mom was going through and all the impacts a change in her life would make.

My mom and her parents would take a vacation to Orlando, FL almost annually.  She would always make sure to bring something back to my brother and me from Disney World.  So we became very excited about going there some day.

One day in maybe July of 1980, mom asked my brother and I where we would like to live.  Naturally, we said with Mickey Mouse!  Little did we know that our lives were about to change!  One of my aunts showed up with her big SUV and started putting only our necessities in it.  Pappap (my mom’s dad) took my brother and me up to Eat N Park just around the corner, for a bear claw pastry (yum!).   Next thing I knew, mom and my aunt showed up at the Eat N Park and rushed us out of there.  Our father would soon be home!  My brother and I weren’t sure what was quiet going on yet.  We could feel panic and fear from mom, though, that was for sure.

We got in Pappap’s Cadillac, mom riding with Aunt Nancy.  Destination:  Aunt Barb’s house.  The three of us were moving in with another aunt, uncle and cousin.  Once we got settled in, mom took my brother and I aside and told us that we were finally leaving our father.  It was a weird feeling, even though that’s what we always begged her to do.

I don’t know how long we stayed at Aunt Barb’s, but it wasn’t too long… maybe a month, few weeks, not sure.  Pappap showed up in August with a red box truck.  We put all of our “necessities” in it, and then the four of us piled into the front seat of the truck and headed south.

I don’t remember a whole lot of detail during all that I mentioned above.  But I do remember it was August of 1980 that we arrived in Orlando.  We met our soon-to-be step-dad (who, in my heart, consider my father), and moved in with him.  I do remember he had this long bright yellow vinyl couch!

When we got to Florida, my mom and (step) dad said they’d take us to Disney World.  My brother and I patiently waited, because we knew money was always so very tight.  But after about 7 years of being in Florida and still not setting foot on Disney property, I took it upon myself to skip school and go there myself.  Oh yes, I did!  It was a blast, too!  As I walked around the Park, it brought back all the memories that I had of living in Pittsburgh, and why we were in Florida.  I know my mom didn’t move us to Florida because my brother and I wanted to live with Mickey Mouse!  But it was fun to think that… like a little childhood fantasy, if you will.  She moved us here because she met the man of her dreams, and she needed to get as far away as she could from her abusive situation.  Side note:  Hats off to my mother for having the courage to move her and her 2 small children far away from her family to start a new and better life for us.  And the good thing, we have a wonderful relationship with our family back up in Pittsburgh (minus that one individual that turned our lives upside down).

So why did I move to Florida… I wanted to live with Mickey Mouse!  Hee heee!    All in all, I wouldn’t change a thing!

Until next week, I hope you take a moment to daydream about that one childhood fantasy you had… and smile like that little kid that you were would!

May God bless your eyes…..

Oh my gosh!  What a wonderful few days I had with my nieces!  Madison (in the pink) and Kaitlin (in the green) were so much fun!

I started my visit off with them by picking them up from school.  It was SO precious seeing them holding hands when their names were called, as they walked towards my vehicle.  And to see their faces light up when they saw me… that just made my day!

I miss being a kid!  Kids have such an awesome imagination; and they laugh so much!  They just frolic (yes, I said “frolic” – ha ha!) around without a care in the world.  Well, I shouldn’t say without a care in the world…. The DVD of Casper is still in my truck.  I don’t know how to get it out of the DVD player!! Madison is so worried I’ll never be able to remove it from the DVD player in my truck.  Wish I had those worries.  HA HA!

My brother, the girl’s dad, is a Desert Storm/Desert Shield Veteran.  So, I thought it would be great to have them make a homemade Veteran’s Day card for him.  They loved the idea!  In fact, they made several cards… one for my Grandfather (Pappap is what I call him… Great-Pappap to the girls), even!  My Pappap was at Pearl Harbor the day is was bombed back on December 7, 1941.  I know he will be pleasantly surprised when he receives their cards!   They so loved making cards for everyone… and I enjoyed helping them.

So picking up and dropping them off at school was a breeze; watching Madison at soccer practice Friday night was a lot of fun (I got to meet some of the other mother’s of the kids that play soccer with her), and then witnessing Madison’s team win their game on Saturday was awesome!  Kaitlin sat on my lap, sipped on her water, as we cheered for the team.

I loved watching Madison and Kaitlin play so well together.  It was so sweet how Madison looked out after her younger sister (yet kind of bossed her around because “she’s in 2nd grade” – ha ha!  She kept saying she knew so much because she’s in the 2nd grade – how funny!).  They are both so very different.  Madison is very scheduled and has her plan that she needs to stick to.  Kaitlin just goes with the flow, dancing and skipping as she sings and has no worries.  They love to be silly; they love their picture being taken; they love being creative; they love their Aunt Kel (hee hee!! – had to throw that in there).  Oh, and how sweet was it that Madison put a note in my purse thanking me for watching them.  So sweet!!

I’ve never wanted to have children of my own (I think I’m afraid of the responsibility, or that I’d be a horrible mom!!), but I’ve always wanted to be an aunt.  And OH how rewarding it has been so far.  I just LOVE LOVE LOVE my girls!  I am so blessed!

Until next week, I hope you take a moment to be a kid again… look at all the colors around you, and put your cares to the side.  Sing, dance, skip around…. enjoy that child inside of you!

May God bless your eyes…

Okay, I have to admit, I’m not much of a reader. Don’t get me wrong, I like to read… but it has to be interesting to me… VERY interesting, or I won’t look at the book twice. Plus, I don’t have much time to read. However, I do have to tell you of a few books that I absolutely love and want to recommend to you. And these books I MAKE time for!

My most favorite book is called “Who You Are When No One’s Looking” by Bill Hybels. It’s just a little over 100 pages, with not too small print (my kind of book!). One of the things I love about this book is it talks about character. It says on the front of the book “Choosing Consistency, Resisting Compromise.” We know we have to be on our “best behavior” when we are around people, but what are we like when we are by ourselves? Sure, it may not matter if we are alone, but really it does, because this is where character is created in us. With God’s strength and guidance in our lives (and allowing Him to guide us!), we can maintain character that lasts despite temptations and troubles that we are faced with. This book, I feel, EVERYONE should read. I absolutely LOVE this book. In fact, I think I’m going to set it by my bedside and read a few pages each night. It’s worth reading more than once!

Another one of my most favorite books is called “Feminine Appeal” – Seven Virtues of a Godly Wife and Mother, by Carolyn Mahaney. It’s based on Titus 2. I feel as though this coinsides with the Proverbs Woman. I think every woman, young or old, should read this book. I also think it’s a wonderful gift for a young lady, or a soon-to-be bride or mother. And you don’t have to be a mother or a wife to read it. What a gift it is to be a woman, especially in this world today. Okay, I know… some of you are saying “a gift?!” – more like “a challenge!” Well, Titus 2 prepares us to be the woman God wants us to be; and that is good enough for me.

The other book I really love is called “The Worn Out Woman” – When Your Life Is Full and Your Spirit Is Empty, by Dr. Steve Stephens and Alice Gray. The back of the book explains it perfectly. It reads: Ther are more than 60 milllion worn-out women in the U.S. today. If you’re among them, this book will be like a retreat for your soul. With each chapter, you’ll find simple steps to bring back the joy and energy of a rich life. You will also finally understand and learn to manage the sources of your exhaustion – perfectionism, guilt, unrealistic expectations and difficult people – in a healthy way. PERFECT for me!! I recommend every woman that feels overwhelmed or too busy to read this book! And re-read it (like I am going to do). It’s very refreshing, and I finally feel like someone understands what I’m going through. Even more so, they know how to make me feel better and deal with all the stress… through God’s Word, of course.

That’s my book review for now. So 2 of them are for women to read, but one is for everyone to read. If you’ve read any of these books, I’d love to hear your opinion on them and how they changed your life or just dealing with the everyday hustle and bustle of this crazy, busy world we live in.

Until next week, I pray you pick out a source of negativity in your life and transform it into something positive.

May God bless your eyes….

I’ll tell ya, once I hit 40 things just don’t seem to be the same. I’m noticing gray hairs (too many to count!), wrinkles, health issues, and it’s so hard to lose the weight!

But no worries. One thing I’ll be sure to do is grow old gracefully. I don’t want to do the botox thing, get injections, tummy tucks, or whatever is out there to be done these days. God made me the way I am, and I am good with that!

Besides, every gray hair and wrinkle represents something I’ve gone through in my life. Whether good or bad, I like that it’s there to remind me of my past, the good stuff and the not-so-good stuff that made me a stronger person.

As I get older, I am finding that I am more afraid of things. Silly things, really. Heights, for instance. And I’m not really interested in getting on a tall tree top and jumping (with one of those safety ropes attached to me)… so don’t ask! HA HA!

The gray hairs, I believe, represent the hurt and pain I’ve been through. The loss of my grandmother (Me-mo), and dad 2005 and 2006. The scare with this economy, and other tribulations during my life on this earth, I’m sure are amongst all these grays, as well.

Then I have the laugh lines and wrinkles in my face… to remind me of what an amazing life I have… a wonderful husband and mother. Beautiful nieces that bring me so much joy, and a “bonus” son that I love like my very own. All the great people that I meet weekly at church… how they bring a big smile on my face.  And I certainly can’t leave out all my friends and family that have brightened my life. 

I’m happy for my grays and wrinkles. They represent who I am – and I like me! But, I didn’t like myself until I gave my life to the Lord and finally understood what it meant to give it all to Him… to let Him control my life.

Do you have grays and wrinkles? Can you contribute them to a life well lived, and great lessons learned? I pray that you take a moment to step back, exam your grays and wrinkles, and realize those are just little reminders of gifts from God.

Until next week…. May God bless your eyes…

Remember the saying you would always hear from your parents, teachers, and other adults who cared for you?… “Don’t take candy from strangers.” Well, though it holds very true, I did take candy from a stranger… or was he?

Growing up in Pittsburgh, in the little alley that I lived in, there were quite a few kids my age. We would play in the alley, ride our bicycles, play kickball and football, but we also took candy from what you would think was a stranger.

There was an old man who would walk up and down our alley maybe once a day. He was quiet and very nice. He probably lived in one of the houses nearby, but that was a mystery to us kids – kids don’t pay attention to that sort of thing. Anyway, we all named him “Ziggy,” because he looked like the Ziggy cartoon (remember that in the Sunday paper?). Ziggy always had a huge bag full of candy that he would give to us kids. I don’t ever remember hearing him speak… just holding out the bag for us to reach in and let us grab a handful of candy.

I have friends that still live in that little alley in Pittsburgh. I often wonder what happened to that sweet old man we called Ziggy. I’ve asked my childhood friends when the last time they saw him, but now that we are in our 40’s, well, you can imagine.

No one knows what ever happened with Ziggy. I would imagine he’s since passed away because he was an old man when I was a little girl. But, I’ll never forget that sweet old man, and his bag of candy! Ziggy wasn’t a stranger to us kids at all. In fact, I would have to say he was an angel to us. In the hard times in that part of Pittsburgh we lived in, it’s nice to look back and remember there were angels in such hard times. Ziggy will always be remembered by me and my childhood friends…..

May God bless your eyes….

Life sure has been busy.  But that doesn’t stop me from spending time with my mom.  Though I’d love to spend more time with her, I’m happy that I get to hang out with her when I do.  Friday was a great day.  She came up to visit with me.  It was perfect timing.  I finished my doctor appointments, ran a few errands, and made it back to my house just before she arrived.

Mom and I have always been so close.  I can honestly say she’s been a best friend to me all of my life.  She has always been a great mother.  But she is really great at balancing being a great mother, as well as a best friend.

We had dinner, talked about everything under the sun, and then retired to the living room to watch a really good movie.  I like that she and I can just hang out and not have an agenda. 

However, next time we get together, we are going to work on the scrapbook that I started to make for my brother.  Okay, you wanna hear something pretty sad (borderline “pathetic!”)?!  My brother was in Desert Storm/Desert Shield (back in 1990 – 1992), and I started making him a scrapbook back then… but have not finished it!  Oh my goodness!  Who does that?!  HA HA!  So my mom is determined to help me finish this scrapbook for him so we can get it to him.  I mean, come on… it’s been how many years?!  Do I dare type that number right now?!  NO!    I just embarrassed myself by telling you this!  HA HA!

I”m so blessed to have such a great relationship with my beautiful mother.  She is the most beautiful woman I know.  She is so lovely, kind, and precious.  She is a rare gem in the midst of all the stones, rocks and dirt.  She shines so bright, yet is so quiet and meek.  She is giving, caring, loving and non-judging.  She’s funny, and she laughs at my silliness!  Her love for me is unconditional; as mine is for her.

By the way, her favorite flower is the daisy (hence the photo above). 

Until next week, I pray that you have an opportunity to spend time with your mom or another family member, without an agenda… just enjoy each others’ company.

May God bless your eyes…..

Exciting times at LifePoint Christian Church!  I know… I always tell you how much I love working here… and it’s still holding true!

We’ve got some folks that have stepped up to take some lead roles in the church; and we are excited about all the changes taking place.  Thanks to Chandra, Joey, Matt, Elwood, John L., Mike, Tony and others for making everything come together as it has been.  We are so thrilled and pumped!

LifePoint is having a “Ministry Fair” – only more fun! It’s called LIFEPOINT SERVES SUNDAY.  You really don’t want to miss what we have in store for you that morning.  Surely one gets rewards from serving others.  Learn how you can reap the benefits of serving through the church, and learning exactly what and where your gifts lie.

The band will be jamming; the morning will be great; and the fun will be off the charts!

I DARE YOU TO COME!   I challenge you to find out what your gifts are.  Should you accept this challenge, be sure to stop by the Information Table to say hello to me.    Hope to see you all this Sunday at LifePoint.

Until next week… may God bless your eyes…

What busy lives we live.  It seems as though as we get older; and as our Country becomes so technically savvy, we seem to think we have to stay constantly busy.  That’s sure been the way it is for me.  Of course there are life situations that tend to keep us busy, too (family, work, unexpected events, etc. – and not all bad things… lots of them are great events in our lives.).  In fact, I have almost 2000 unread messages in my email inbox!  No kidding!

Several of my friends on Facebook often say “I’m so bored… what to do, what to do?” I don’t remember the last time I said that.  Don’t get me wrong, I don’t want to be constantly bored.  I can’t sit still (or can I?!).  And I really need to feel like I’m being productive, so as to not feel like I’m wasting my life away (not saying that’s what my friends are doing because they say that).  But what am I taking for granted by having such a busy life?…  My friends that say that obviously know the “secret!” What is it???

I know I’m taking for granted the beautiful surroundings around me… nature, walks, etc.  When I’m home, I feel like I have to do something productive, because there is ALWAYS something that has to be done.  Running a business out of the home contributes towards that, too. Besides that, I am currently overwhelmed with projects and I’m not sure where to start at this point.  Breath, Kel, breath!

Sometimes I get burnt out and I just stop.  I can’t do a thing.  I plop myself on the sofa; watch TV; and just lounge in a vegetative state.  Then I realize… what the heck am I doing?!  Must get stuff done….must get stuff done!!!

Well, I know that things will get done when they get done.  It’s okay.  I know that if I needed help, there are many people that would come over and help me.  I’m so blessed that way.  I just hate this overwhelming feeling that I have that I won’t be able to get it all done by it’s deadline.  I do believe that this is a temporary feeling (yea, keep telling yourself that, Kel! – HA HA!), and once I get a few projects completed I will be able to relax.  Though, I am seriously considering calling a friend or two to help me at this point… because I think I’m now in over my head with stuff that has to get done.

I think I’m ready to stop taking some things for granted.  Because when I get to experience the nature around me (the turtles in my backyard; the birds in my trees; the squirrels running across my lawn; the sun on my face and wind in my hair – okay, I heard the snicker… my hair is full of hairspray!  HA HA!!!), I feel at peace and it allows me to make a fresh start on my projects that are waiting for me.

Until next week, I pray that you take the time to not take yourself for granted.  Enjoy doing something fun, and allowing yourself to recoup so you can tackle your next projects wholeheartedly and rested.  And, if you think about it, will you please just pray for me to be rid of this overwhelming feeling and to get a few projects completed?  I, too, will pray for you.  In fact, if you have a specific prayer that I can pray for you, please let me know.  Praying for a friend is one of the greatest things you can do for them.

May God bless your eyes….

Snow Day

I remember when I was a little girl growing up in Pittsburgh.  In the winter, specifically… I remember when we’d have “snow days” from school.  My brother and I loved snow days, because it meant we didn’t have to go to school that day!  Instead, we got to go to the Boys Club of America… and we had so much fun there.  It was literally just about a block or two away from our house!

We were really young… elementary school.  My most favorite thing to do at the Boys Club was photography.  I remember taking pictures, and then learning how to development them.  I thought it was the coolest thing ever!  I loved the smell of the chemicals that you had to transferred each photo into, how it was so fun to turn on the red light, and just the outcome of what my photo turned out to look like.  It made me feel like a movie star or something like that.  How silly, huh?    I loved it!  Back then (and for the longest time), I just knew I wanted to be a photographer when I grew up.

Well, I never did become a photographer.  However, I was a picture-taking freak!   I loved taking pictures…. I didn’t care of what.  Mostly family, because when I moved to Florida, and we would go back to see our family in Pittsburgh, it was a perfect opportunity for me to snap photos.  Though I never personally developed pictures after the Boys Club, I still think it would be pretty fun.

If you were to take a journey through my bookshelves at home, you’d see a gazillion (well, not really that many – ha ha!!) of photo albums that date back as far as 1980 of pictures that I took. Memories of family, friends, school, “firsts” (like my Ford Pinto, and my first homecoming dance), animals and nature, cars, you name it!  I took a picture of everything!

I’ve always been fascinated with taking pictures.  I think I can pretty-much call it a hobby.  Though, I only know the basic stuff.  But I have fun with it!  And that’s what counts.  I hope to someday learn more about photography… a picture says a thousand words.  The memories are wonderful, too, because it seems as though over the years as I get older my memories seem to fade, and/or disappear about certain things completely.  I like to sit down and look through my photos from high school, especially.  That’s when life was really good – it was my mom, (step) dad, brother and me.  We had great times together; and those are the memories I cherish the most.

Until next week, I pray your eyes notice all the beauty and amazement around you, and it creates beautiful memories for you to hold onto for a lifetime.

May God bless your eyes….