Colby

Colby's metopic suture fused too early in his skull. The doctors are going to operate on September 30, 2008. They are doing what is called a cranial vault. The doctors are going to go in and make room for brain growth and circulation. Little Colby will go in the hospital on September 29th. Please keep this little youngster in your prayers. His parents, Katie (my little cousin) and Cole, brother, Cash, and Colby's grandparents need your prayers, too. They will be at the hospital for the whole week. And as a parent I know they need encouragement, support, strength, and calm nerves.

Charity - Sunday's 9-7-08 Relief Society's Lesson

Sunday's lesson began by each of us reading different scriptures. We read them as the teacher highlighted the major points by writing them on the chalkboard. We were to figure out the topic. It didn't take us long to guess Charity.

For example: my scriptures were

Matthew 5:44 But I say unto you, Love your enemies, bless them that curse you, do good to them that hate you, and pray for them which despitefully use you, and persecute you;

Matthew 19:19 Honour thy father and thy mother: and, Thou shalt love thy neighbour as thyself.;

Matthew 22:39 And the second is like unto it, Thou shalt love thy neighbour as thyself.;

I Peter 4:8 And above all things have fervent charity among yourselves: for charity shall cover the multitude of sins.;

II Peter 1:7 And to godliness brotherly kindness; and to brotherly kindness charity.;

D&C 88:125 And above all things, clothe yourselves with the bond of charity, as with a mantle, which is the bond of perfectness and peace.;

and

D&C 121:45 Let thy bowels also be full of charity towards all men and to the household of faith, and let virtue garnish thy thoughts unceasingly; then shall thy confidence wax strong in the presence of God; and the doctrine of the priesthood shall distil upon thy soul as the dews from heaven.

Yes, I agree with all of the above scriptures and the others that were handed out. We should have charity for all our family, friends, neighbors, acquaintances, and even enemies.

However, the following statement was said and I don't agree with it... "Charity is not an action word like so many people think but a feeling." This statement I can't agree with. I believe it is like the word Faith. Faith has two parts. The Bible states in James 2:14 What doth it profit, my brethren, though a man say he hath faith, and have not works? can faith save him? Not only do you have to have faith but you have to have the works behind it to back it up. I believe the same can be said about charity.

During the lesson it was said that nice things can be done for others but without the heart in the right place it is not actually charity. The example used was about a man that donated big bucks to build a hospital but with the stipulation the hospital be named after the man. I agree with this. That's not charity but an investment. However, couldn't one have feelings of charity but not act on them? I can care about my neighbor, maybe even see that they need help with something, but what if I don't act on my feelings for that neighbor? For example if my neighbor was an elderly widowed woman that I loved and cared about, I saw that her lawn needed mowing but did not act. I care for her, I pray for her, I love her but if I do not have the action behind my feelings, I can not say it's charity. Just like in James 2:14 will it profit? I would have to say, "NO."

Charity begins with a feeling but without the action it is not true charity. The feeling must have action and the action must be supported by the feeling. One without the other does not constitute charity.

Charity is the greatest love... Charity is unconditional love...

My favority Chapter in the scriptures is...

THE FIRST EPISTLE OF PAUL THE APOSTLE TO THE CORINTHIANS

CHAPTER 13
Paul extols the high status of charity—Charity, a pure love, excels and exceeds almost all else.

Though I speak with the tongues of men and of angels,

and have not charity,

I am become as sounding brass,

or a tinkling cymbal.

And though I have the gift of prophesy,

and understand all mysteries,

and all knowledge;

and though I have all faith,

so that I could remove mountains,

and have not charity,

I am nothing.

And though I bestow all my goods to feed the poor,

and though I give my body to be burned,

and have not charity,

it profiteth me nothing.

Charity suffereth long,

and is kind;

charity envieth not;

charity vaunteth not itself,

is not puffed up,

Doth not behave itself unseemly,

seeketh not her own,

is not easily provoked,

thinketh no evil;

Rejoiceth not in iniquity,

but rejoiceth in the truth;

Beareth all things,

believeth all things,

hopeth all things,

endureth all things.

Charity never faileth:

but whether there be prophecies, they shall fail;

whether there be tongues, they shall cease;

whether there be knowledge, it shall vanish away.

For we know in part,

and we prophesy in part.

But when that which is perfect is come,

then that which is in part shall be done away.

When I was a child,

I spake as a child,

I understood as a child,

I thought as a child:

but when I became a man,

I put away childish things.

For now we see through a glass, darkly;

but then face to face:

now I know in part;

but then shall I know even as also I am known.

And now abideth faith, hope, charity,

these three;

but the greatest of these is charity.

Charity beareth all things and endureth all things. In my book that is ACTION.

Sisters

Today was my Lil' Sis's Birthday. We are now the same age for 6 whole weeks. Figure that out! Yes, we have the same Mom & Dad! Grins! I called her today and sang Happy Birthday on her voicemail. I also spoke to her briefly. But sometimes I don't think enough is said.

I love her dearly. Growing up we shared a room. We spent many nights chatting as we fell asleep. I can't remember what we talked about but I can remember Mom yelling at us to get quiet.

A few funny stories - at least funny now but not at the time it happened.

1. Dad told me to get on one side of the backyard and Kristy on the other side. He put a kick ball in the middle of the yard. He told us to run and see who could kick it first. We took off running with our eyes on that ball... Then boom! We bumped heads and fell down crying. Mom was livid.

2. Mom was taking a bath and Kristy and I decided to play baseball in the livingroom. I pitched the ball and Kristy reared back with the bat. The bat went through the glass of a 10 gallon fish tank. That fish tank was on top of another fish tank (It was a double stand). You get the picture. The livingroom was flooded, glass was everywhere, and fish were flopping, grasping for air. Mom was out of the bath fast. It was not a pretty sight.

There are a few more stories when we were older but they are still secretive to this day. Smiles!

Even though we are close in age we didn't have much in common. Kristy is the youngest but the tallest. She was very athletic and musical. I remember her teaching her own self the keyboard. Kristy played the clarinet in the band and she could pick up our brother's trumpet and play it, too. Me, I struggled in choir just trying to learn the notes. I can say FACE and Every Good Boy Does Fine but that's as far as my musical talent goes. Later, I got into Drill Team but since I'm not musically inclined, I sat out on many games and I had to work extra hard to be able to dance. Kristy could try out for any sport and make the start up. I practiced all summer one year, hitting the dumb volleyball on the side of the house and didn't even make the team! Don't get me wrong - I was never jealous of her but proud. (An award I received in elementary during Field Day - Smiles!)

Most afternoons Kristy could be found in the woods behind our neighborhood riding her dirt bike. I, on the other hand, would be somewhere inside cozied up with a good book in my hand. I loved school and could ace almost any test. I am very creative and excelled in Art. I'm not even sure that my sister has ever tried to draw a stick figure. I loved crafts. I usually have several projects going on at one time. It's funny how later in life we aren't living anywhere near each other but we are starting to enjoy the other's talents more. I'm trying to get into walking/running and Kristy has picked up quilting. Who would have ever thought?

Today, when I sang her the birthday song, I replaced Kristy with Lil' Sis. It got me to thinking how she used to always sign anything she was giving to me with Lil Sis, Kris. We had rough teen years and sometimes we forget what we once had.

Don't get me wrong, we had our fights! Remembering back, I can mainly recall the arguments where I was the guilty one. The time we had bunk beds - Kristy slept on the top bunks - I got mad at something and pushed her mattress up with my feet. The bed frame got stuck and I had to hold the bed and her up with my feet until my parents came in to help. There was the time where we were arguing in the car and I scratched her arm and made it bleed. We frequently fought over who's turn it was to listen to the radio. If I liked rock then she liked country. If she decided she wanted to listen to rock then all of a sudden I was more in the mood for country. Of course she would do the same. (Sorry about the pajamas, but this is the only pic I found of our stereo - Remember the cool strobe light on top!)We rarely shared the same friends and we never liked the same boys! That was probably a blessing. However we both had a childhood friend that we all got along with and those were the fun times. We would stay up all night giggling. Since our birthdays were close we shared parties. We had the best slumber parties in all Sheldon! They were awesome.
I miss those times with my Sis! Now we live apart, have busy lives, and so much has changed. Every once in a while we get the time to have a long, interesting discussion but not often enough.

I just hope she knows how much I love her! Happy Birthday Lil Sis!

Classroom Setup

I redecorated my classroom. I have a Sports theme, now. I made curtains for our classroom and the lunchroom. We decorated the lunchroom as Got Milk? We are going to take pics of the boys with milk mustaches and pin them on the bulletin board.

My Journey...

This is part of a talk that I gave on 06-08-2008.

My Journey...

I am a convert to the Church of Jesus Christ, Latter-day Saints. I became a member in the summer of 2003. My conversion has been and continues to be an exciting journey. I was born into a family that had a strong testimony of the Savior. We went to church twice on Sundays and every Wednesday evening. We said prayers before we ate and we were encouraged to read the Bible before bedtime. When I was a pre-teen I attended Bible Bowls, competitions that were held around the state. Hundreds of kids would participate. A book from the Bible would be given to study for an entire year. The children would gather for a day and take strenuous written and verbal tests. I remember studying and learning. I remember praying every night for wisdom. I wanted to comprehend and understand what I was reading. I had a strong testimony during those years. I knew without a doubt that God was watching over me and that I had a friend, Jesus. (This a pic of my friends and I studying for a Bible Bowl.)

Around that same time, feelings were stirring up in my mother. She was no longer satisfied with our church. She began to investigate other churches and against my father's will, she would bring me along with her. It wasn't long until my mother and I became members of another church. This church had a youth program similar to Young Women. Unfortunately, due to my age I was only able to be in this group for one year. I was so hungry for knowledge that I completed the 4 year program in just one year. It consisted of service, reading and memorizing scriptures, and learning things such as sewing, cooking, and taking care of children. I thrived. I loved the challenge. I loved the learning and education. I gave my heart to Jesus, was baptized, and was confirmed. I had a testimony that I never dreamed could be taken away.

One day it seemed like my world turned upside-down. We were sitting in a church meeting. A missionary from Africa was speaking. At the end of the service, he stated that the Holy Spirit was telling him someone in the audience was hurting spiritually and emotionally. He hoped that person would come speak to him. I remember waiting in the foyer after the services. I assumed my mother was talking to whoever it was that was depressed; after all, my mother had her degree in psychology. In the car ride home, my mother let me know that she had been thinking of suicide.

From that day on life at home was different. My mom would go into hospitals for extended stays. My dad started working long hours to pay for the doctors, medication, and hospitals. My sister, my brother, and I were left alone to try and sort things out. Personally, I began to question just about everything.

When my mother wasn't in the hospitals, we would continue to attend church. One day that same missionary came up to me and said, "Kayla, I know God has something special for you. He only gives difficult trials to the young ones that he knows can handle it. He's preparing you for something great. Never forget that he loves you." It wasn't long until my mother became unsatisfied with this church, too. She tried a few more religions. I remember her taking me to classes on reincarnation, new age, vegetarianism, and yoga. By that time, I think she had given up on religions.

During this time I was a freshman and had found my first boyfriend. He went to a church in our neighborhood. I started going with his family. I attended Sunday and Wednesday's services. They had a youth sports program after school. I attended the summer camps. I really enjoyed it. I would invite all my friends; however, my testimony was beginning to fade. Church activities began to be more of a social outing than a spiritual one. I really started to have my own doubts. If my mom, the one person that I thought should know there was a God, no longer believed then what did I believe. I continued to attend church just because it was fun but I no longer had my heart in the right place.

Around my sophomore year, in high school I stopped going to church. I still claimed to be a Christian but my spirit wasn't into it. I started hanging out with non-Christians and before you know it I was acting like a non-Christian myself and I no longer had a testimony.
Through the years, I had glimpses. I think deep down I carried a small bit of hope. I would pick up a book here and there. I would read something that agreed with my beliefs. I would recall what that missionary once told me. I would have feelings that I knew someone was taking care of me.

At one point, I attended a New Age Church that stressed being quiet, meditating, getting in tune with the Spirit. They believed everyone was connected. They opened my mind and got me to thinking, again. I had a longing and wanted to know more. I attended this church off and on while I attended college. While in college I took classes in psychology, biology, chemistry, sociology, and many more sciences. I began to question if a God even existed. I became very depressed. Everything felt useless and I felt all alone. I was confused. My heart was telling me one thing while my brain was trying to tell me the opposite. That was probably one of the darkest moments in my life. I began to question my entire life. Why was I here? Why was I born? What was the purpose? If there was no God then what was all this for? It didn't make any sense.

But there were those small glimpses of hope that kept surfacing. The words from that missionary would not leave me alone. At the time I had a psychology professor that I looked up to and respected. I enjoyed her lectures so much that I took her for 3 more classes. Over the next few semesters, we became friends. She took me under her wing. We would have long talks about all sorts of things. We would talk about our mothers, our children, our beliefs, and everything in between.

One day there was a group of us hanging around talking after class. We were going to get a bite to eat. We had asked our professor to join us but she declined. Another student inquired some more and found out the professor was fasting. We then got into a discussion about religion. The professor stated she was Mormon. One of the other students asked several questions and the professor continued to answer her. I didn't say anything; just listened. I had always believed the Mormons belonged to a cult; at least that is what I was taught. After that day, I don't remember the topic of religion ever being brought up, again.

One day, when I was no longer her student, we met for lunch. I don't remember exactly what we were discussing but I remember telling her that I had given up on churches and I no longer believed in religions. That's when she asked me if I believed in many of the things we had discussed. I said yes. Then she stated that her church shared the same beliefs. I tried to let what she said go and dismiss the topic.

It would be another year and 15 years since I had first stopped going to church. July 4th, 2003 on a Friday night, my children were at their dad's. I was all by myself without any plans. I was bored and feeling all alone. I remember going to the movies without anything in particular to watch. I just wanted to get out and not be by myself. I remember sitting there in the theater surrounded by people and feeling so alone. That night, I kept hearing this voice telling me to call the professor and ask her more about her church.

The next day, I looked up her number in the phone book, called her, got the meeting times, and directions to her ward. She told me that there were churches closer to me. I told her that I would be happy to drive that far and that I would see her on Sunday.

I was so nervous that Sunday morning. I knew deep down that I was awakening something within me. I knew that I believed in God and I knew by going to church that I was admitting it. I knew by going to a church that I already knew someone, I would be held accountable. The drive was an hour long. I started attending her ward every Sunday. I began taking the missionary discussions at her house. I read the entire Book of Mormon in just a week. I knew what I was reading was true. It felt as real as the Bible and the other books that I had read and had based my beliefs on. I knew that I was being led to this knowledge. A month later, I was baptized and confirmed a member. I then started attending my own ward. Since then, I have had callings in the Young Women, Primary, and Relief Society.

I'm not going to lie to you and say that believing and having faith are easy for me. I often times struggle. Those are the days that I have to withdraw, be quiet, pray and meditate. The ancient prophet Jeremiah spoke of the law of God, the gospel, being written in our hearts. He quotes the Lord speaking about us, His people in the latter days: "I will put my law in their inward parts, and write it in their hearts; and will be their God, and they shall be my people." (Jeremiah 31:33) So often, life becomes so full and hectic with the worldly things that it's hard to hear that still, small voice that Elijah speaks about in 1 Kings 19:11 & 12. "And he said, go forth, and stand upon the mount before the Lord. And, behold, the Lord passed by, and a great and strong wind rent the mountains, and brake in pieces the rocks before the Lord; but the Lord was not in the wind: and after the wind an earthquake: but the Lord was not in the earthquake: And after the earthquake a fire: but the Lord was not in the fire: and after the fire a still small voice.

When did my conversion begin? My conversion began when I was just 12 years old lying on my bed with a small lamp reading my Bible. God saw to it that I have always had the inspirational books, the encouraging people, and the stimulating doctrine in my life at the right time. He introduced knowledge, thoughts, and wisdom at the appropriate times of my life. When did my conversion end? It hasn't. Conversion is a process; a journey, a path; one that I will continue to travel until I have become like the Savior. In 3 Nephi 27:27, Jesus states, "… Therefore, what manner of men ought ye to be? Verily I say unto you, even as I am."

I challenge you not only to take this journey with me but to be like my professor and encourage your brothers and sisters to join us. Let's be as King Benjamin's people when they declared, "The Spirit of the Lord Omnipotent, has wrought a mighty change in us, or in our hearts, that we have no more disposition to do evil, but to do good continually" (Mosiah 5:2).

We visited Jess' Favorite Drink - The Dr. Pepper Museum

Do Ya Wanna Be a Pepper, Too?

The museum showcases the different types of machinery used to make and distribute Dr. Pepper. They have a whole section on "Foots". To find out what or who "Foots" is - you must visit the museum. Did you know Dr. Pepper was the first to have 23 different fruit flavors? No one else had ever tried to mix so many unique flavors. I think we forget that mixing flavors and chemicals to make soda pop is actually science. The antique bottles were really fascinating. The museum has a gift shop and a soda fountain shop. You can experience an ole' fountain taste of a real mixed Dr. Pepper. Go to the website to learn more about the history of Dr. Pepper. To find the location, fees, and hours visit http//www.drpeppermuseum.com .

Texas Ranger Museum

On August 3, 2008, I took Kody to the Texas Ranger Museum. He loved it. Kody is a big fan of Walker, Texas Ranger. He got a Texas Ranger belt buckle and a Texas Ranger badge. He loved learning about all the weapons and how to make his own detective kit. The museum has a movie on the history of the Texas Rangers. It was very interesting. Check out their website at http://www.texasranger.org/.


Later, we went to Chuck E. Cheese. He finally turned in his tickets that he had been collecting for months. He got a door alarm for his bedroom that cost 1,000 tickets. For pizza and token coupons go to http://www.chuckecheese.com/.

Then we went to the movies to see "Journey to the Center of the Earth" in RealD 3D. It was awesome. I usually hate 3D movies. I walk away with a migraine and feel cheated. This movie is a must see and should only be seen as a 3D movie. Warning do not sit within 4 rows of the screen. The graphics will be too close. The graphics were amazing. If you have not seen this movie, I highly recommend it. To find a RealD 3D Movie Theater near you - Check out http://www.fandango.com/ .

Our Home

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New Home

We are finally in our new home. We got the keys on Sunday. The electricity, water, phone, DSL, and satellite are all turned on. The guys from church will move all my furniture tomorrow morning and I have a few ladies from church helping me unpack. I can't wait. I think it is going to be cute. We are renting a two bedroom, 1 studio, little country home. When we are done I will post some pics.

Breath of Life

The following is a excerpt from my talk on Sunday, July 13, 2008.

Genesis 2:7 ~ "And the Lord of God formed man of the dust of the ground, and breathed into his nostrils the breath of life; and man became a living soul."

A book called Peace is Every Step written by Thich Nhat Hanh has a section of the book titled "Breathe! You are Alive." The following is a page from that section...

"Every morning, when we wake up, we have twenty-four brand-new hours to live. What a precious gift! We have the capacity to live in a way that these twenty-four brand-new hours will bring peace, joy, and happiness to oursevles and others. Peace is present right here and now, in ourselves in everything we do and see. The question is whether or not we are in touch with it. We don't have to travel far away to enjoy the blue sky. We don't have to leave our city or even our neighborhood to enjoy the eyes of a beautiful child. Even the air we breathe can be a source of joy. We can smile, breathe, walk, and eat our meals in a way that allows us to be in touch with the abundance of happiness that is available. We are very good at preparing to live, but not very good at living. We know how to sacrifice ten years for a diploma, and we are willing to work very hard to get a job, a car, a house, and so on. But we have difficulty remembering that we are alive in the present moment, the only moment there is for us to be alive. Every breath we take, every step we make, can be filled with peace, joy, and serenity. We need only to be awake, alive in the present moment."

God gave us breath without it we would not exist as mortals. I believe even as mortals with the gift of breath sometimes we only exist. We forget that we are alive and that God has made us holy.

I Corinthians 3:17 ~ "If any man defile the temple of God, him shall God destroy; for the temple of God is holy, which temple ye are."

Unfortunately, I have witnessed those that have not esteemed the gift of life to be of much worth and they have trampled this sacred gift under their feet. There are those that have contemplated, tried, or even committed suicide. There are those that have chosen drugs and alcohol and those that have just given up on living, on being alive. Then, I have observed those that have learned how sacred life is but almost too late. Those that have merely existed to find out they have just a few months to live. It's sad to watch them try to cram a whole lifetime into just a few weeks. And I have been grateful to watch those that embrace life; those that know and understand just how precious and sacred such a gift is. They not only exist, they know and understand who they are. They are on a mission, God's mission. They spend almost every waking hour in thoughtful prayer, kind service, and much gratitude.

Not only has God given us the gift of life but he has blessed us with many talents.

D&C 6:10 ~ "Behold thou hast a gift, and blessed art thou because of thy gift. Remember it is sacred and cometh from above."

I believe that there are many ways to show reverence for the sacred gift of life. One is gratitude. We can always thank Heavenly Father in our prayers, but like I tell my own children words mean nothing unless we back them up with actions. We can show our gratitude by using our gifts to our greatest ability, by sharing, loving, and serving our fellow beings, by becoming the child that our Heavenly Father planned.

This past year, I have had the privilege of spending countless hours in a hospital room alongside my uncle, Joseph Parks Craig. I have witnessed the gift of breath. On April 6, 2007 his lungs collapsed. The doctors had to insert a tracheotomy. I have watched Parks when he was close to death while a machine breathed for him. I have been there when the doctors would take him off of the ventilator a few minutes at a time to try to strengthen his lungs. I have watched him turn blue when he couldn't catch his breath. I have been there when the nurses had to rush in and get him back on the machine. I was there to help Parks count to slow down his breaths and breath deeper. I have seen him fight hard for what we take for granted. In the past year he has taught me so much about life. He is grateful every day to be alive. Parks is grateful that he has a caring wife that will not leave his side. He is grateful to have nurses and doctors that went to school so they could serve him. He lets everyone know. I teased him just last week because Parks told a nurse "Thank you" after she poked him in the finger for a blood sugar test. He understands that life is sacred. He's one of a kind because this is a lesson he learned at an early age. He was diagnosed with Polio when he was just 4 years old and has spent his life in a wheelchair. He never gave up. He has never had self-pity. He has always lived life. Parks' has been a loving son, brother, husband, uncle, friend, and co-worker. He shows reverence by being grateful, by serving and putting others first. Parks has definitely become the child that Heavenly Father wanted.

This talk was supposed to be on "How has being reverent to sacred places and things blessed my life?" I have learned that keeping a reverent attitude each day and knowing that life in general is sacred is a blessing. I have learned to take the little things for granted such as breathing, looking at the clouds, and smelling the magnolia's on my aunt's tree. I have learned that small things like swimming on the 4th of July in the dark with Kody while watching the neighborhood fireworks is more satisfying than going to a party or watching a professional fireworks display. Spending a summer vacation in a small hospital room can be more rewarding then traveling the world. I have learned that relationships are a sacred gift from God. We have family, friends, and neighbors in our lives for a reason.

Proverbs 27:17 ~ "Iron sharpeneth iron, so a man sharpeneth the countenance of his friend."

We know the way to sharpen a knife blade is with steel. The way we can sharpen our characters is by having friends. I have several life long friends of all ages. They keep me on my toes. One day I'm explaining how breath is the first gift God gave to each of us and the next I'm singing "3 Little Monkeys Swinging in a Tree". You never know how God is going to use your life to bless others, but as long as you are awake and breathing you can be his instrument. I have learned that God has trusted me with talents and when I use them to help others he blesses me. But most of all I have learned that each breath is a gift.

Elder D. Todd Christofferson states, "When you develop a deepening reverence for sacred things, the Holy Spirit becomes your constant companion. You grow in understanding and truth. The scriptures speak of it as a light that grows 'brighter and brighter until the perfect day' (D&C 50:24)... On the other hand, those who do not appreciate holy things will lose them... They will grow increasingly casual in attitude and conduct. They will drift from the moorings that their covenants with God could provide. Their feelings of accountability to God will diminish and then be forgotten. Thereafter, they will care only about their own comfort and satisfying their uncontrolled appetites. Finally, they will come to despise sacred things, even God, and then they will despise themselves."

I have not always viewed life as a sacred gift. There was a time that I only cared about my own comfort. I have to admit there was a time that I was not happy with myself and I didn't even believe in God. That was a miserable time in my life. I am grateful that Heavenly Father placed friends and loved ones in my life to help guide and show me who I am. I'm afraid with out my sacred relationships that I would still be lost. I have been blessed with talents, relationships, and life. I have grown in understanding. I am learning more about the light and truth. The more reverent I am the more I am blessed.

I challenge each one of you to breathe! Live! Be grateful.

And as President Gordon B. Hinckley always said, "Stand a little taller, and work a little harder and value a little greater the marvelous blessing which you have as a member of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints."

I say all this in the name of Jesus Christ. Amen.

Momma's Birthday

My mother's birthday is today. We are going to my aunt's house to swim and grill hamburgers and hot dogs. I made my mother a Dr. Pepper Cake. It's delicious! Here's the recipe...

Cake:
Betty Crocker Germam Chocolate Cake Mix
Jello Brand Vanilla Instant Pudding, small box (not sugar free)
2/3 cup Crisco Vegetable Oil
4 Eggs
12 oz. Dr. Pepper
1 tsp. McCormick's Vanilla

Mix all ingredients with a blender. Grease and flour 3 - 8 inch cake pans. Pour mix into the pans and bake at 325 for 30 - 35 minutes.

Icing:
8 oz. Philadelphia Cream Cheese
1 lb. Powdered Sugar
1/4 cup Hershey's Cocoa
1 stick Butter
1 tsp. Vanilla

Cream all ingredients together and spread on cooled cake.

Enjoy!

Just Starting

I'm brand new at this. I have had a myspace page but I have never ventured out to anything else. My dear friend, Johnny Kay, writes frequently. I know when school starts I will not have much time to post, but currently I am on summer vacation. I would like to use this blog to discuss my beliefs and just to be free to write what I feel at the given moment. Hopefully, this will be like a journal into my mind. I give frequent speeches at church and will post them from time to time.