Recess

Barb Roose, Today's Teaching Pastor

There were endless possibilities, not out of reach.  – John Maynard Keynes, economist

In 1930, John Maynard Keynes predicted that Americans would only need to work three hours a day, and probably only by choice. That sounds like crazy talk, right? We couldn’t imagine a scenario where an American employee could earn enough to support themselves, much less a family, on only three hours per day. However, 85 years ago, Keynes observed our country’s rapid economic progress and technical advances and assumed that Americans would experience tremendous access to leisure...
and rest.

 Except, that isn’t the case. How many of you would use words like “tired”, “stressed” or “busy”, to describe your lives? Don’t be ashamed because if you do, you’re in good company. Lots of us feel like we are losing the battle to get it “all” done. For all of the time-saving advancements like smartphones, carryout, Evernote, text messaging, etc., we’re still feeling rushed. And each day the pressure to complete our never-ending to-do list mounts, filled with items that overflowed from the days before. One task after another, after another, after another…

We heard the story of one Creeker mom who worked part-time, but felt her schedule was overrun by her kids’ ballet, basketball and travel sports schedule. Her husband worked fulltime and coached one of the travel teams. As much as she loved watching her kids engage with activities they enjoyed, her mind was always moving and planning out how to manage their nonstop schedule. Maybe your family situation is different, but have you ever felt like you were hostage to a nonstop schedule?

This weekend, Barb’s message was titled, “Recess”, where we had a conversation about the importance of rest. Here is a reminder of one of her main ideas, “If you want to be blessed, then prioritize rest.”

In Genesis 2:3, we read how God shows great love for us by modeling rest. Remember, God created the universe. THE UNIVERSE. While God doesn’t need rest, He set aside one day of the week and rested from His work. What does that mean for us? If God set aside a day for rest and called it “holy”, then we need to integrate that practice into our lives as well.

Yes, we’re busy. Time is precious. But, we are more precious to God than time. Our human bodies were designed by an Almighty God to operate within a healthy rhythm: meaningful work followed by a period of rest. This weekend, Barb talked about how rest realigns us with God’s purposes. When we work and then we rest, we create space for God to do a miracle within our hearts, our minds, our bodies and our souls. Think about your spine and what happens when your spine gets out of alignment. Our lives can get out of alignment. We can lose track of God’s priorities by being too busy. But, when we rest, we give God space to do a miracle in us! He can revive our hearts, our minds, our tired bodies and our weary souls. Is your life out of alignment? If so, then you need to make plans to rest!

THIS WEEK’S STUDY IS ABOUT PRIORITIZING REST AS A NECESSARY GOD-HONORING RHYTHM OF OUR LIVES.

What is Sabbath?

Big Point: The Sabbath was made and demonstrated by God first.

If you rest, you rust.  – Helen Hayes

Why don’t we rest? Ask anyone around you if they want to have a day to rest this week, and while their initial reaction is usually an enthusiastic yes with the body language to follow — shoulders losing their tension, maybe even a wistful smile — it’s quickly followed by the list of reasons why that won’t happen. Why don’t we rest, really?

1)  We don’t think we NEED rest. Sometimes it’s because we’re control-freaks and can’t let anything go. Some of us have endless ambition while others of us really like to work. Sometimes it’s a Superman or Superwoman complex going on, “I can do everything- you can count on me!” And if we’re being honest, there’s currency in being busy, an air of importance that we believe is real.

2)  We don’t know HOW to rest. We have prioritized certain activities above other activities and rest isn’t even on the list.  In Genesis 1, the very first thing we see God doing is work. He created. In contrast, on the seventh day, He rested. In between is a week filled with meaningful, creative and necessary work, but the order is important—He started with work and ended with rest.

The Sabbath is one day a week when we don’t work. It’s when we rest our bodies, rest our minds, rest our hearts and rest our souls for God’s purpose. This kind of rest demonstrates that we trust in God’s provision for our lives. Simply put, it reminds us that there is a God and it is not us.

READ and THINK… What does the Bible say?

In the very first verse of the Bible, God already establishes the importance of His ways in our life.

Question: What did God model to us first in Genesis 1:1?

Genesis 1:1 (New Living Translation)

In the beginning God created the heavens and the earth.

Answer:

From Genesis 1:1 to this verse in chapter 2, God is creating the world in an orderly fashion. For example, light before vegetation, the fish in the sea and livestock before humans.

Question: What did God create on the seventh day? Why?

Genesis 2:2-3 (New Living Translation)

² On the seventh day God had finished his work of creation, so he rested from all his work. ³ And God blessed the seventh day and declared it holy, because it was the day when he rested from all his work of creation.

Answer:

God provided written instructions for His people, known as the Ten Commandments or the law, to help lead them to a life that would be pleasing and holy to Him.

Question: What is the definition of Sabbath that God provided?

Exodus 20:8-11 (New Living Translation)

⁸ Remember to observe the Sabbath day by keeping it holy. ⁹ You have six days each week for your ordinary work, ¹⁰ but the seventh day is a Sabbath day of rest dedicated to the Lord your God. On that day no one in your household may do any work. This includes you, your sons and daughters, your male and female servants, your livestock, and any foreigners living among you. ¹¹ For in six days the Lord made the heavens, the earth, the sea, and everything in them; but on the seventh day he rested. That is why the Lord blessed the Sabbath day and set it apart as holy.

Answer:

LIVE… What will you do now?

What does Sabbath mean to you?

Read Genesis 2:3 again, this time noting all the verbs in the verse. For example, rested, finished (there are a total of 5). Looking over this list, does this match what you described?

Now, take that same list of verbs from Scripture and line up what each of these could actually look like on your Sabbath day. (A couple of examples have been done for you.)

Rested—

Finished—celebrate project reaching first goal

Blessed—

Declared holy—journal my prayer

Imagine if God didn’t model rest or a Sabbath day – would that be loving? What are you modeling for the people around you when it comes to rest? What do you want to model?

PRAY… God, what do you want me to know and do?

Use these words or your own: Dear God, thank You for work and thank You for rest, for a day to declare as holy. We were made in Your image and right from the start, You have shown us how we need both. You have shown me how deeply You know me and can meet my every need. God, I’m asking You to help me see the area where I need to pay the most attention and seek You the most this week. In work or in rest, lead me to first desire knowing and following You more. Amen.

Digging Deeper with this week's teaching Pastor:

Click here to go deeper using the Life Group DVD by the teaching pastor or view the message, including bonus discussion questions.

Thank you for reading today’s LivingItOut! We encourage you to take it one step further by participating in a Daily Bible Reading plan. There are thousands of individual reading plans available and there is ONE that is just right for you!CLICK HERE to download a basic “Bible in a year” plan. Customizable reading plans available at Youversion.com or Biblegateway.com.

Outward

Make your requests known to Him in prayer and pray for others.  Prayer is simply the key to everything we need to do and be in life.  – Tim Keller

Jesus taught the disciples to pray for their needs each day. Paul said we should pray for God to take away our...
anxiousness. It is right for us to pray for God to meet our needs or take care of our concerns because it shows dependence on Him. But if we’re not careful, we can get stuck there and forget that prayer should also move us outward.

Prayer that moves us outward refers to both asking for help to do His will in the next steps we take, but it’s also about praying for others.

There are many different kinds of prayers to offer for every person in our lives. Furthermore, we can pray for people who indirectly affect our lives. For instance, we can pray for the hospital staff when a loved one is having surgery. In the same way, we can pray for our government leaders to be wise and discerning.

Other prayers may not be about specific people, but groups of people. Some examples are to pray for opportunities to spread the Gospel, or to see others as God sees them. Praying for Muslims and other religious groups to come to know Christ or just praying for your neighbors in general are further ways of having your prayers move you outward. The bonus: prayers like this often help us to recognize how God is working in and through our lives, too.

READ and THINK… What does the Bible say?

John has talked about the assurance believers have of eternal life through faith and now turns to how when we pray for others. We should pray that God’s will be done in their situation, so that they can have assurance of the same thing.

Question: When should we have confidence that God hears our prayers?

1 John 5:13-14 (New Living Translation)

¹³ I have written this to you who believe in the name of the Son of God, so that you may know you have eternal life. ¹⁴ And we are confident that he hears us whenever we ask for anything that pleases him.

Answer:

In this passage, Jesus is talking to the apostles using a metaphor for the connection between a vine and branches. He goes from talking about the consequences of not staying connected to the rewards of remaining connected.

Question: What does Jesus tell the apostles to do? What is the reward, or what will then be the outcome of their prayers? (Note that this is what is referred to as an if/then statement, so by their action, if they do what Jesus says, then they will experience the outcome he teaches.)

 John 15:7 (New Living Translation)

But if you stay joined to me and my words remain in you, you may ask any request you like, and it will be granted! 

Answer:  Paul is writing about the importance of prayer in the Christian’s life. He tells us that not only should we pray for ourselves and our friends and family, but for everyone in the world.

Question: Why should we pray for people we don’t know? Why does it matter?

 1 Timothy 2:1-5 (New International Version)

¹ I urge, then, first of all, that petitions, prayers, intercession and thanksgiving be made for all people— ² for kings and all those in authority, that we may live peaceful and quiet lives in all godliness and holiness. ³ This is good, and pleases God our Savior, ⁴ who wants all people to be saved and to come to a knowledge of the truth. ⁵ For there is one God and one mediator between God and mankind, the man Christ Jesus.

Answer:

LIVE… What will you do now? Review the verses today. What would you say is the common link between them today? How do they together demonstrate how prayer moves us outward? 

Who do you know—perhaps a family member, coworker, neighbor or friend—that you need to pray for? Whom can you pray for that you don’t know directly?

PRAY… God, what do you want me to know and do?

Dear Father, I thank You that I was born in this country. I am so grateful that I live in this city where I have the ability to worship You freely and openly follow Your will. I pray for every neighbor and person living near me today. I pray that they know you, Lord, and if they don’t, I pray that something would bring them to know You. If there is something You would have me to do to be a part of that, I am ready to serve You in any way I’m asked. In Jesus’ name, Amen.

Digging Deeper with this week’s teaching pastor:

Click here to go deeper using the Life Group DVD by the teaching pastor or view the message, including bonus discussion questions.

Thank you for reading today’s LivingItOut! We encourage you to take it one step further by participating in a Daily Bible Reading plan. There are thousands of individual reading plans available and there is ONE that is just right for you!CLICK HERE to download a basic “Bible in a year” plan. 

Customizable reading plans available at Youversion.com or Biblegateway.com.

Inward

Prayer opens our heart to God so that we can make a personal connection with Him.  We don’t change the message, the message changes us.  – Unknown

While upward prayer focuses more on honoring God and reflecting on who He is, inward prayer is more about...
self reflection. It is about becoming transparent before God and sharing with Him our innermost selves, what’s really going on. While He knows us and what is going on in our life, He still wants us to come to Him willingly and share with Him what is really happening in our lives personally. Richard Foster, in his book Prayer, says to “bring ourselves before God just as we are, warts and all!”

When we pray, we are reminded of who we are in relationship to God and what we need most inside that only He can supply: hope, help, faith, strength, joy, love and the like. We talk about prayer as a time of building our relationship with the Lord because when we share everything with Him, we make way for Him to work in us.

After all, what kind of relationship would we have with our friends and family if we only asked them for things? Learning about someone requires spending time in their presence where we listen as much as we talk.  As one Bible teacher shared, “Prayer is open, honest, and forthright conversation with God, who has more to say to His people than His people have to say to Him.”

READ and THINK… What does the Bible say?

1. During the reign of Solomon, he prayed for wisdom and guidance and fulfilled the rebuilding of the temple that was his father, David’s, dying request. Once it was complete, God spoke to Solomon telling him how His people could maintain a relationship and deep connection with Him.

Question: What does God say we should do? What is the role of prayer?

2 Chronicles 7:14-16 (New Living Translation)

¹⁴ Then if my people who are called by my name will humble themselves and pray and seek my face and turn from their wicked ways, I will hear from heaven and will forgive their sins and restore their land. ¹⁵ My eyes will be open and my ears attentive to every prayer made in this place. ¹⁶ For I have chosen this Temple and set it apart to be holy—a place where my name will be honored forever. I will always watch over it, for it is dear to my heart.

Answer:

Fast forward to the New Testament, where we find Paul imprisoned, writing about the plans of God and his prayers for spiritual growth for believers.

Question: Where does growth and strength come from?

Ephesians 3:16 (New Living Translation)

I pray that from his glorious, unlimited resources he will empower you with inner strength through his Spirit.

Answer:

LIVE… What will you do now?

Take an inventory of your prayers. Are they mostly asking God for things? How many of your prayers are self-reflection?

What keeps you from becoming transparent before God? Is it fear? If so, how can you combat that fear? How does opening your heart to God increase your connection to Him?

PRAY… God what do you want me to know and do?

Take some time to sit quietly and tell God what you really want Him to know about you and what is going on in your life right now. Talk to Him candidly and then listen. Allow Him to reveal to you what He loves about you and even what changes you can make to grow spiritually and become closer to Him. Close with a Psalm.

 

Digging Deeper with this week’s teaching pastor:

Click here to go deeper using the Life Group DVD by the teaching pastor or view the message, including bonus discussion questions.

Thank you for reading today’s LivingItOut! We encourage you to take it one step further by participating in a Daily Bible Reading plan. There are thousands of individual reading plans available and there is ONE that is just right for you!CLICK HERE to download a basic “Bible in a year” plan. 

Customizable reading plans available at Youversion.com or Biblegateway.com.

Back To School - Writing

This is pure grace, that God tells us how we can speak with him and have fellowship with him!   Dietrich Bonhoeffer

      Have you ever been in one of those mid-afternoon meetings or classes, just after a larger-than-necessary lunch, where the temperature of the room was a tad on the warm side? Despite the caffeinated beverage in hand, your shoulders start to...
drop, your eyelids are heavy and you find yourself fidgeting your leg or tapping your pen just to stay awake! The truth is, many of us experience the same thing when we pray; we begin with the best of intentions, but in the midst of our prayers, we get distracted, our mind wanders, we find it boring and we even get lulled to sleep.

     If you have ever fallen asleep while praying, you are in good company. Consider what happened to the disciples while Jesus went to the garden of Gethsemane. While Jesus was gone, he asked his disciples to keep watch and pray. When he returned, he found them all asleep not once, but twice, and his disappointment was evident: “Then he returned to the disciples and found them asleep. He said to Peter, “Couldn’t you watch with me even one hour? Keep watch and pray, so that you will not give in to temptation. For the spirit is willing, but the body is weak!” (Matthew 26:40-41)

    So while Jesus understands our physical exhaustion and limitations, he also desires a vibrant, open, full connection with us that is anything but boring and only possible through prayer. Prayer is our time to connect with God on a one-on-one basis that awakens our spirit! Just like reading and writing go together in school, so does prayer and Bible reading for a connection to God.

     Our word for prayer is based on the Latin word that means to ask earnestly. For most of us, the asking part of praying feels pretty natural. You may have been told as a young child to ask God for what you want. Interestingly, the Jewish word for prayer is rooted in the word connection. That Hebrew word, Tĕphillah, means a time of self-evaluation, self-judgment and introspection where you pray to acknowledge God’s will and purpose for your life. As Ben shared this weekend, prayer is not about getting something from God, but about connecting with God to move us upward, inward or outward.

• Upward towards God’s true nature. He is holy, true and powerful.
• Inward to our heart that is troubled, sad, upset, fearful, joyful, content, etc.
• Outward to take action with God’s help.

    But, like the sleeping disciples, we may give up on prayer when we don’t feel successful. Or perhaps you’re not sure of the right words to use or feel strange asking for specific requests. Maybe you don’t feel instant responses to requests and feel disappointed or bored. Maybe you grew up believing prayers needed to be memorized and only recited before meals or bedtime.

     The great news is, when it comes to prayer, there are no rules. If you’re stressed at work, pray. If you’re confused when reading the Bible, pray. If you have difficult relationships you’re trying to navigate, pray. And if you want a deeper connection with God, pray. It’s easier said than done though, so let’s see how we can jumpstart or reinvigorate our connection to God with prayer.

THIS WEEK’S STUDY IS ABOUT HOW PRAYER IS OUR CONNECTION WITH GOD.

You Don’t Have to Have the Words

Big Point: Use Scripture to pray.

What seems to have been forgotten by some of today’s generation is that the Bible can also become the very prayer we need to pray.  – Judson Cornwall  

Praying the Scriptures 

     Our prayers can sometimes feel mundane, like a broken record repeating the same petitions of safety, good health and thankfulness for our family and friends. One way to breathe new life into our prayers and strengthen our relationship with God is through praying the Scriptures. To ‘pray the Scriptures’ simply means to take a section or verse as you read from the Bible and turn it into a prayer.

     As one author put it: “Your confidence in your prayers will be strengthened when you pray God’s Words. Praying the Scriptures allows you to use the words and emotions of the Bible to gain more confidence in your prayers.” This can easily be done with parts of the Bible that are already prayers of the author, like the Psalms, or the Lord’s Prayer in Matthew 6:9-13. Over time this practice can become natural and it turns our Bible reading into a conversation with God and gives us the words to pray.

     Another way to develop our prayer life is through writing. By writing out the passages as we read them in the Bible, or writing out our prayers, something happens deep within us. The Word of God goes from our minds to our hands and it can provoke thoughts that turn into prayer in a meaningful and personal way.

  

READ and THINK… What does the Bible say?

1. Ben talked this weekend about how prayer should move us upward, inward and outward and challenged us to pray this portion of Psalm 25 this week. In this Psalm, King David writes about his confidence and hope in God’s love for him and while David writes about enemies, keep in mind that an enemy is anything that opposes God’s way of living.

Question: Can you pick out which of the verses are turned upward in prayer? Inward? Outward?

Psalm 25:1-10 (New Living Translation)

¹ O Lord, I give my life to you.

² I trust in you, my God!

Do not let me be disgraced,

or let my enemies rejoice in my defeat.

³ No one who trusts in you will ever be disgraced,

but disgrace comes to those who try to deceive others.

⁴ Show me the right path, O Lord;

point out the road for me to follow.

⁵ Lead me by your truth and teach me,

for you are the God who saves me.

All day long I put my hope in you.

⁶ Remember, O Lord, your compassion and unfailing love,

which you have shown from long ages past.

⁷ Do not remember the rebellious sins of my youth.

Remember me in the light of your unfailing love,

for you are merciful, O Lord.

⁸ The Lord is good and does what is right;

he shows the proper path to those who go astray.

⁹ He leads the humble in doing right,

teaching them his way.

¹⁰ The Lord leads with unfailing love and faithfulness

all who keep his covenant and obey his demands.

Answer:

LIVE… What will you do now?

While there is no right way to pray, this week’s LIO is filled with tips and practical how-to’s to help you get started or add to what you are already doing. Are you willing to participate in the “homework assignment” Ben gave, to pray through a Psalm every day for 30 days? List at least two reasons why you want to commit to doing this.

Let’s get started (you can use this method with any Psalm or portion of Psalm):

Step 1—Write out the Psalm, or portion of Psalm. For today, use Psalm 25:1-2.

Step 2— Say this portion of the Psalm out loud.

Step 3—Take a few minutes and read it again a few times.

Step 4—Answer the question: What feelings of praise come up for you? What confessions? What requests? List them below.

Praise:

Confession:

Requests:

Step 5—Turn it into your own words and then offer it as a prayer.

(Source: ChristianityToday.com)

PRAY… God, what do you want me to know and do?

Pray Psalm 25. Thank God for the words given to us in the Psalm and throughout Scripture that initiate and deepen the connection and relationship with Him. Pray that His Word would move you. 

Digging Deeper with this week’s teaching pastor:

Click here to go deeper using the Life Group DVD by the teaching pastor {Cedar Creek's Ben Snyder} or view the message, including bonus discussion questions.

Thank you for reading today’s LivingItOut! 

We encourage you to take it one step further by participating in a Daily Bible Reading plan. There are thousands of individual reading plans available and there is ONE that is just right for you!  CLICK HERE to download a basic “Bible in a year” plan. 

Customizable reading plans available at Youversion.com or Biblegateway.com.

It Rained So Hard - See For Yourself

This storm roared in...hung around, dumped alot of rain...made alot of noise, as in Thundering and then after about 20 minutes it moved out of the area.  While it was pouring, I grabbed my camera and took some shots from my office window.  The water was just pounding against the window.   Normally, I can see way beyond the 2 houses you see here...where it looks like fog, it isn't...that's the RAIN!  The rain makes a horrendous sound when...
it's falling down on my Skylights.  I have 2 of them in the Kitchen and 1 in each bathroom.  Rosie, in particular, doesn't like the noise at all.  It gets so loud, if I'm on the phone or watching TV, I have to go to another room...one where there are NO skylights.

Here, you can actually see the raindrops...and the big puddles the rain created on my patio and in my wall garden.  If the hydrangeas weren't already gone, I would have been watching them getting smashed and pelted by the heavy rain and then seen them flat on the ground afterwards.  I'm so glad they're gone.

Here's another look between the 2 neighbor's houses.  See the trees, there are several other homes beyond those trees, that, normally, I can see quite plain.

Stay safe.

Part 4, No Hydrangeas

These two guys from TLC Landscaping Solutions {call Josh if you need work done and you live in the Toledo Ohio area}, worked hard, in rather warm conditions, to get all 16 of these Hydrangeas out of my Wall Garden.  They did a really good job!  {they broke 2 shovels digging}  Can you imagine?  And they hauled all 16 bushes away to the dump for me, too!   The courtyard looks so different...so empty.  Next summer, things will be changed, if I have...

enough time and money to get everything to make the changes.

These are my Endless Summer Hydrangeas...not blooming much more than last year.  They used to be FULL of flowers...so much so, that you didn't see much green on the bushes.  {Photo below is from Summer 2013 - quite a difference}  These bushes, if they don't bloom next year, they will be taken out, too!

Hostas...looking a bit bedraggled.  I'm not happy with these either.  This is the 2nd year in a row that they've look pitiful...so they will be gone in 2016.  You can see a trend here, can't you?

Below, if you look at the bed under the tree, you'll see it's empty.  It used to have Day Lilies in it...not anymore it doesn't.  I never liked the color and they were just too much trouble. 

Now...here is the Nekked {like my friend Shelia means Naked} Wall Garden now.  What you see are twigs and a few roots that need to be raked up and thrown out.  In fall or spring, I will add peat moss to the dirt as I plant the new plants.  I still haven't entirely decided what I'm going to plant, but I'm pretty sure there will be some Lavender out there.

The blocks that are on their side on this front wall will be removed and the solid cement "cap" will sit one block lower, at ground level. 

This is the Pup's Pen that I built...and added a gate to.  It's inside the courtyard, at the bottom of the porch steps and that's where they go potty at night.  The porchlight is right at the top of the porch stairs and I have a great view of them from inside the door.  When they had free run of the entire 800 square foot courtyard, I couldn't always see them, because of things being in the way and the other end of the courtyard...near the front gate...is quite dark at night.  This works out much better.  It's a concrete patio that measures about 10' x 12' and it never has standing water on it...and with the blocks on their side, air is able to circulate well in their "Pen".  

Here's another thing I have to take care of this year...the porch and stairs.  It needs LOTS of help.  I've never liked the porch because the railings are waaaaaay too high and too flat, with nothing to grab ahold of.  The patio table is a typical dinner table height - 30".  And the railing all the way around the porch towers a good 7-8" above that!  When I sit in the chairs I have on the porch, I can't see OVER the railings!  None of my neighbors have railings that high.  Ridiculous.  I'd love to take a saw and cut them down...but, then what would I do?  LOL!!  The Pups all love sitting and lounging on the porch.  We usually spend some time each day out there.  I was trying to get the Pups to pose...but they were just doing their own thing.  Jasper's way on the left, you can just see a portion of his face...Rosie is on the left and Angel is on the right at the top of the stairs.

As you can see, I've already accomplished alot outside {you can read about that HERE}...and still have alot more to do.  You should see my list for INSIDE the house.

HELP!!

How Do Your Dogs Travel and Sleep at Night?

Jasper, my oldest Pup will be 7 years old this month.  He was 9 months old when I got him.  He is a Maltese.  {see my sidebar for photos and a link to posts about all of my Pups}  I'd done alot of reading and studying on being a good Pup Mom!  And since I do have nice furniture, rugs and carpeting as well as other things around the house, I decided that Crate Training would be the way to go.  I opted for the black metal crate, just big enough for Jasper to get in, turn around and lay down.  He seemed to like it too.  He'd run and lay down in it...
throughout the day, too, after his initial training was done.  And he slept in it too.

These are my PuppyKids

***Prayers for Angel today would be appreciated.  She isn't walking on one of her hind legs.***

Three weeks after getting Jasper, I headed back to the Breeder in Indiana, to get a companion for Jasper...and that was Benny.  I put the crate in the car, with a soft bed in it and Jasper rode comfortably and quietly all the way to Indiana in it.  After a walk outside with Benny,  I put him in the crate with Jasper and headed home.  Even the 11 week old Benny, a Havanese, enjoyed the crate.  {Benny passed away in December 2013, when he was barely 4 1/2 years old}.  It was settled...any and all Pups would be crate trained - to travel and sleep in the crate.  Until potty training was done, they had a small crate they were in to nap during the day...and between potty breaks.  It worked out great.

Jasper and Benny shared their crate at night and on trips...well, anywhere we went, for about 7 months.  Then along came Rosie, who weighed only 3# and was 12 weeks old.  She's a Toy Poodle.  The "boys" graciously accepted her into their crate and she has loved having the boys around her.

Throughout the following following years, there were many beds that came and went - shared by all 3 of the Pups.  And finally, I decided to try a different kind of crate...a soft-side.  Jasper had gotten his paw stuck in the metal crate and also had gotten his nose hurt, when I had to slam on the brakes to avoid a collision...so I thought a soft-side might be better.

While there are many things you can purchase as beds for your furry kids...I'm happy to say, there are quite a few selections for crates too.  See the metal crate below...and the fabric "Tents" you can purchase to decorate them?  Oh how cute.

But here is the Soft-Side Crate I purchased for all 3 Pups - Jasper, Benny and Rosie...both to travel in and to sleep in.  And, yes, I close the openings {which zip} when they go to bed at night.  I don't want my Pups getting up and getting into anything they shouldn't...especially while I'm asleep.  This is the Noz2Noz 36"x24"x31" crate.  All 3 have plenty of room to stretch out in it...and they don't have any hard bars that could injure them.  And...since Jasper gets paranoid when there is a fly in the house...the crate is a "safe place" for him when they're around.  I always have a nice, semi-soft bed that I put inside the crate.  They thoroughly enjoy the time they spend in it.  One end, one side and the top all have a zipper to open the screen.  I wondered, since my Pups like to scratch at the screen when they get excited, how it would hold up.  I've been using the same crate for nearly 4 years...and while you can see marks on the "screen", it does not affect the use of it at all.  It just make a dark mark if they scratch it too hard. 

And when Angel came along 2 years ago, she was potty trained and then she joined the "Crew" in the crate for travel and sleeping.

I have tried on occasion, to have them sleep with me at night.  They love laying down on my bed for a nap during the day...but as soon as it's dark outside...at night...and I turn off the lamp on my bedside table, they start whining and fussing, wanting to go in their bed and get tucked in {or zipped in}.  

The only problem I had with the crate, was the size - when I was driving and travelling.  I couldn't see out the back window, making it difficult to see traffic behind me.  It interfered when backing up out of a parking spot too.  So, this year, I ordered the size slightly smaller...and it's no longer a problem and the smaller size is OK with the Pups too. 

Somewhere in between purchasing the large crate and the slightly smaller crate this year, I also purchased the small crate...for one dog.  It makes transport of my most nervous little girl, Rosie, to Vet appointments and she loves getting into it if it's storming during the day.  Calms her right down.

These crates are washable - I use a sponge and soap and water.  The crate bottoms are waterproof, which is a good thing, in case of an accident or very wet paws.  They are easy to open and close.  They have velcro and the roll-up screens...the smaller crates also have a carry handle.

I just thought I'd share this information with you here...in case you've been thinking about crate training, travelling or sleeping arrangements or changing crates.  I haven't received anything from anybody for posting this.  These are my own feelings about this product.

New Photo of Me

Here's an updated photo of me...taken by me on my Computer yesterday...after my massage...without any make-up!  I've just been feeling so good...more energetic and more calm than ever.  A couple of people have remarked that I look so good.  Thank you!  

I've experienced much more healing from Bell's Palsy, which I got hit...
with in May 2012 and then again in August 2014 {this time on both sides of my face}...as you can see from my photo.  I'm so thankful for every little bit of restoration.

I'm also eating better, getting more sleep, praying more, turning the rough stuff over to the Lord to take care of {so worrying less}, enjoying my pups more...and the 49# weight loss I've had in the past 4 months.  Yes, Monday will be 4 months already since my husband left me.  Other than talking to him on the phone ONE TIME, the day he left, I haven't spoken to him since.  He doesn't contact me at all.  And of course, his family won't contact me either.  So, I don't know how he is or anything...just so you know.

Here is a Collage of photos of me that date back to 1981...34 years ago...they are all dated.  The 3 photos down the left side are all from my Bell's Palsy Videos...quick snapshots.  What do you think?  Not bad for a 31 year time span, if I must say myself.  Certainly GREAT for being 65 years young!

The Lord has shown me that I have to look after myself and the Pups.  I must move on with my life.  How do I know that He has shown me these things?  I prayed for direction.  He gave it to me via my new Church I-Campus...through Joyce Meyer, TV Evangelist...Bible verses and I feel when I step out in faith, doing something that He tells me to do...a calmness, assured that it is the right thing to do.

While I never wanted to be alone...this is what was decided for me by someone else.  I could have curled up and decided to become a hermit...I could have allowed myself to have pity party after pity party...I could have become depressed...but I chose to ask God for help.  And help, He did.  He loves and cares for me and is ALWAYS there for me.

I have developed some new habits in the past 4 months: 

Instead of complaining about something, I list at 3 things I'm Grateful For instead {thoughts from Joyce Meyer TV Show}

I'm hardly on my computer {Huge change}

I spend alot more time with God - Reading & Praying

I've been attending church - ICampus and In Person

Reading more...especially Joyce Meyers books as well as others

Snuggling with My Puppies More

Getting Ready for the Day by 8am every day

Following a House Cleaning Schedule

Getting my Decorating Finished

Eating Well

Sleeping Better

Exercising via Heavy Lifting

Losing Weight - 49# and 33" in 4 Months

Enjoying My Life

Thank God for His Love and Faithfulness