The Michigan Scarf Sisters Reunion

For all of the those who did not get to attend the reunion in Michigan, I have copied Donna's picture and have added a caption to let you know who is who.  I know I speak for all who attended when I say we hope to have even more present at the 2012 reunion and a larger group picture to share!  I love each of you, my sisters of the heart!



STANDING, (L-R):  Margie, Diane (holding the mini-me of Connie!), Cheryl, Terry, Cathy (Mrs. Mac), Donna
SITTING, (L-R):  Trish, Julie, Deborah, Pat

We had a blessed and wonderful time together.  Perhaps this will help you put names to faces.

The Holy Bible

Of any book ever written, the Bible is my most cherished.....It has brought me great joy to read through all the favorite scriptures of the other sisters, but the day has come for me to pass the Scarf Sister Bible on to another...

 My mind is always geared towards writing another story, sharing another experience, encouraging another with hope. I am blessed to be a part of the Sisterhood of the Traveling Scarf and was honored to have been able to share the adventures of the Scarf Sister Reunion with you. The memories that were created in those three/four days will remain with me forever....

But tonight all I have are thoughts about love and honor and the many steps God has walked me through, patiently drawing me into deeper more meaningful relationships with others by first drawing me closer to Him.  

Other than where God instructed in Exodus 20 through the Ten Commandments  to love the Lord your God above all others and to honor your mother and father, I’ve always felt somewhat inept in my  ability to love and honor..  I make that statement based on my very early beginnings in the church believing  God reigned higher than any other only to realize later in life that I lacked the understanding of how to live that truth, truthfully in my heart.  Or what it truly meant to love and honor God. For many many years I wondered if God truly loved me….. and I wasn’t certain I truly loved Him. There is an amazing  difference between playing by the rules you are taught versus understanding and  living the truth. 

I didn’t read the Bible in it’s entirety until I was 46 years old. I basically followed whatever rules or teachings were laid before me, but never ventured out on my own to explore what the written word said. The first time I read it  I was amazed at how many times the word honor and love appeared .  From what I have been able to research, 

the word honor appears 145 times

 the word honourable - appears 30 times,

the word - honoured - appears 9 times,

the word - honourest - appears once,

the word - honoureth - appears 9 times

and the word - honours - appears once.

the word - love - appears 314 times
the word - love's - appears once
the word - loved - appears 98 times
the word - lovedst - appears twice
the word - lovely - appears 4 times
the word - lover - appears 4 times
the word - lovers - appears 23 times
the word - loves - appears twice
the word - lovest - appears 12 times
the word - loveth - appears 65 times
the word - loving - appears 3 times
the word - lovingkindness - appears 26 times
the word - lovingkindnesses - appears 4 times

I am not one who has ever been able to memorize scripture.  I can, however, still remember my old high school basketball cheers and chant them verbatim. And I can quite often sing entire songs or quote poetry without missing one single word. But when it comes to the Bible, I can’t quote scripture verbatim. 

BUT HERE IS WHAT I CAN DO…I can  READ the verses and be filled to overflowing with  love and honor…it spills out, all over the pages, throughout the book, often times with no mention of either word.  I can feel God’s love and that love creates in me a desire to honor Him…that desire rises within me. When I read the written Word, I gain a deeper understanding of Him and my purpose on this earth. He Reigns and He lives in my heart…He’s no longer just an image in a church building, He is Alive in my heart.

For instance, read these and see for yourself if you are not overwhelmed by the love that pours out of these verses…..

"Ask, and it shall be given you; seek, and ye shall find; knock, and it shall be opened unto you." Matthew 7:7       

"Call to me and I will answer you and tell you great and unsearchable things you do not know." Jeremiah 33:3

"For it is by grace you have been saved, through faith – and this is not from yourselves, it is the gift of God ..." Ephesians 2:8   

 "Behold, I stand at the door and knock. If anyone hears My voice and opens the door, I will come in to him and dine with him, and he with Me." Revelation 3:20

And what about these….don’t you just find it awesome to read these few verses and your heart is filled with  a sweet desire to  glorify and honor the  Lord. 

"Hear my cry, O God; attend unto my prayer. From the end of the earth will I cry unto thee, when my heart is overwhelmed: lead me to the rock that is higher than I. For thou hast been a shelter for me, and a strong tower from the enemy." Psalm 61: 1-3

"I am not ashamed of the gospel because its the power of God for the salvation everyone." Romans 1:16

For all that I have misunderstood, for all those whom I have come against and offended, for all those whom I have criticized and condemned, God in His mercy and grace lovingly silenced me, reprimanded me. He brought me back to His word, back to HIM. He’s never once left me.  

Helping, caring, understanding,

love appears in many forms……

those words written on a bell that Mom Golden gave me. I have strong convictions about love and honor and family, children and marriage, friendships.  Life does not have to  leave us wandering, wondering, questioning if we loved well,  loved enough, loved right or wrong, loved satisfactory or inadequately. If you have faith in Christ, you have love and in that you also have life and hope; love to extend to others....and that I have learned.....is sufficient. 

It's almost here! Lots to do!

I'm getting excited about our reunion!  I pick Diane up from the airport in 2 days!  My dining room table is being staged with the stuff I am bringing.  Soon the piece of paper saying 'cheese, lasagna, rolls, butter, etc' will be on the table so I am sure not to forget anything. 

The waffle iron has already made it's way to the table!
Prayer for safe travels!
Soon the crockpot, iced tea maker (don't leave home without it), george forman grill, the cooler was cleaned out!
I can't wait to see everyone who is coming! 
Going to charge the camera battery! 
Laundry tonight! 
Some more grocery shopping!
Banana Bread is made!
Got a few things for our meals from Detroit!  Bread from Milano Bakery, Kowalski Keilbasa from Hamtramck!  A new shirt to wear!  Yes, it's true, I am that big of a nerd!
15% off coupon for Bronners was in the paper the other day!
Need to print out recipes for everyone! 
Went to http://www.frankenmuth.org/ to see if there were any coupons I would use! I've made 9 copies so everyone can get deals too!  Free ornaments! 
I think that's it! I was excited before, but as it gets closer I just keep getting more and more excited!!