I Have the World's Best Daddy!

My daddy took me out to Dinner on Sunday at Applebee's, so we could have special Daddy Daughter Time. We call it our "date time." We left right after 11am and were gone until about 1:30pm. That was a wonderful time of just talking and laughing together. We got the special which was 1 appetizer and 2 entrees. For our appetizer, we got Honey BBQ Wings which were the best wings I've ever had. Then we both got the steak with garlic mashed potatoes and steamed vegetables. It was a good meal, but the company made the food pale in comparison. My daddy has so much love for me.

You know someday I want to marry, but as a good friend put, "Jocelin, there aren't many men out there like your dad, so I don't know if you will find one like him." Well, Yahweh, I'm holding out for the "younger version of my Daddy!"

Nana's 86th Birthday

Thursday was my grandmother's 86th birthday. We had a wonderful time celebrating with her - spent time with her and took her out to eat at Cracker Barrel's. Here's a picture of my dad presenting her with roses for her special day.

Swinging...

What a way to dig in...today at work, I was working on numbers...and in a declining economy...and most things being on the downturn, my department's numbers were compiled for April and May, and we saw a respective upturn of 53% and 26%. That just about had me swinging from the chandeliers!

Then tomorrow, Mommy and I are going to slip off for some Mother Daughter time which is much needed! Yeah!!!!!!!!

Shavua Tov!

Shavua Tov (shah-VOO-ah TOHV)
Hebrew.

Literally, good week.

This greeting is used after Havdalah (the ceremony marking the conclusion of Shabbat), to wish someone a good forthcoming week.

Techie Stuff Week

This week has been full of "Techie Stuff." We're implimenting a new computer system at work, and this week has been full of computer related meetings. I've really enjoyed them and am excited about the new changes.

On top of all that, I've also finished up a website. Please check out the Abilene Torah Group's website at www.abilenetorahgroup.com.

Yesterday, we had a Neurologist visit for Gaga. He confirmed that his official diagnosis is "Mulit InFarct Dementia" which means that his memory loss is caused by mini-strokes and has a very slow progression compared to Alzheimer's. This is why he's still considered "functioning" after a 12 year long diagnosis. It helps to understand a bit more what causes this memory loss and why certain pieces (such as all sense of time and self control) are gone...yet others (such as math skills) are still here. Please continue to pray as we deal with this day in and day out.

Gotta Listen to This...

Have you ever done something really dumb with money, and then wondered, "How in the world did that happen?" Too often, we make emotional decisions about money. All of us have done it, so today Chuck talks about some of the dumb things people do with money and gives us biblical insights so we can avoid repeating them in the future.

http://www.crown.org/media/relatedcontent/061510.aspx

Walking by Faith - What it Means to Me

Walking by Faith by Jocelin Boutet

Walking by Faith is not easy
the Father didn't promise a life of leisure
only that He would always be with me.

Walking by Faith can be a test
people can be a pain
but my Father's faithfulness knows no end.

Walking by Faith can mean a dark journey at times
with the wind and rain buffetting me
but the Father's cloak keeps me dry and His candle lights my path.

Walking by faith can mean being alone
with the world against me
but with the Father on my side, I'll win, and I'm never alone!

Walking by faith is worth it!
"He'll never leave me nor forsake me!"

Closing the Execution Gap

I just completed a training module at work called Closing the Execution Gap by Franklin Covey which was great! I realize why what I'm doing is working, and some areas that need improvement. This was a great way to end my week...and now to look forward to Shabbat...sweet Shabbat.

If you want to see more about the training I just finished and would recommend for anyone, visit this link - http://www.franklincovey.com/tc/solutions/leadership-solutions/modular-series-closing-the-execution-gap

Finish Strong

An Excerpt from
Finish Strong
by Dan Green

It was a perfect day for surfing off the coast of Maui. A 13 year old surfing protege had just finished riding a twenty foot wave and was lying face down on her surf board. Preparing to paddle out to catch another wave, her thoughts of becoming a professional surfer shifted in an instant. Without warning, she felt a tug on her left arm and in a split second she realized that she'd been attacked by a shark.

As she struggled to gain her composure she realized something even more horrifying ? the fourteen foot tiger shark had bitten clean through her board, taking her left arm in a single bite. At that moment in time, survival and not surfing became a priority.

Bethany Hamilton learned to surf at the age of 4. When she was 8, she entered her first contest and won both of the events that she competed in. At the age of 10 she placed 1st in the "11-under girls," 1st in the "15-under girls," and 2nd in the "12-under boys" division at the Volcom Puffer Fish contest. She was determined to become a professional surfer and was certainly on track to make it happen. Then, in one violently swift moment on that fall day in 2003, it seemed her dreams would be shattered.

However, Bethany was born with the heart of a lion and the competitive spirit of a thoroughbred. She was determined to return to the water to surf. Leaning on support from her friends, family and her faith in God, Bethany recovered rapidly and within ten weeks from the attack was surfing again. Convinced she could overcome her physical challenge, she worked hard to learn to surf around her disability. But she also had to overcome the psychological fear of another attack. Bethany would face her fears by singing and praying when she was out on the water.

Incredible as it seems, less than a year from her attack, Bethany returned to competition taking first place at the National Surfing Championships and first place at the first event for the Hawaii National Scholastic Surfing Association. She was recognized by ESPN in 2004 and received an ESPY award for Best Comeback Athlete of the year.

Bethany's ability to overcome her physical and mental challenges puts her in an elite class of achievers. She chose to...Finish Strong.

Will I Finish Strong for the King of Kings - YHVH Himself?

My Special Time of the Week

As I said last night on my Facebook, "I am so glad it's Shabbat...aw, sweet Shabbat...my special time with the Creator of the Universe, YHVH Himself!" Shabbat is always a special time first and foremost with YHVH and then with my family and with my internet Paltalk Family. Eddie gave a good 5 minute update as always (www.watchmanofzion.com) and then did a new teaching called The Ways of God: Dreams & Visions which was very good. Then this afternoon, we did studying together as a family as well as read the latest Yavoh. We even got 2 walks in between storms. It was a great day!

Enjoy the Moment

Alzheimer's is a cruel disease...It robs us of our loved ones. It is the hardest thing to watch. It is like having them die yet still live. They are no longer mentally alive and able to understand, yet their body lives on. It's the cruelest disease I know, and it has "stolen" my grandfather. Yet, I must remember in the pain to Praise Yah and know He allows things to happen for a reason. In the meantime, I must "enjoy the moment." Those special moments when I'm the treasured princess of a granddaughter. Those moments when he wants to protect me. Those moments when we walk hand in hand as I once did as a very little girl... Enjoy the moment!

Reformating

Sunday, we enjoyed lunch with my grandparents at Cracker Barrel. Then we visited with them during the afternoon.

Yesterday, I spent the day reformatting my entire computer. Since I work on the computer full time as well as design websites, I have to do that about once a year. It definitely makes the computer run much better. I've got everything back up and running once again which is great. I got an external hard drive from work which made backing things up much easier and able to verify that I had everything a lot quicker. We also watched a video as a family about the Sabbath and Shavuot...which was very interesting.

Then today, I've been working quite heartily and catching up on things since being out for a long weekend. It's amazing what one extra day to the weekend does! :) So now, I'm logging off to go enjoy some Momma time and hopefully a walk when it cools off.