'Labor' Today...Play Tomorrow

Here's a great recipe to free you up for 'Labor Day'. It is a crowd-size sandwich, so it is perfect if you find yourself entertaining. If it is just for your family, it is easy to cut the recipe in half.

Sandwich For a Crowd

2 unsliced loaves (1 lb. each) Italian bread
1 pkg. (8 0zs.) cream cheese
1 cup (4 ozs.) shredded cheddar cheese
3/4 cup sliced green onions
1/4 cup mayonaise
1 T. Worcestershire sauce
1 lb. thinly sliced fully cooked ham
1 lb. thinly sliced roast beef
12-14 thin slices dill pickle

Cut the bread in half lengthwise. Hollow out top and bottom of loaves, leaving a 1/2 inch shell. Combine: cheese, onions, mayo and Worcestershire. Spread over cut sides of bread. Layer ham and roast beef on bottom and top halves. Place pickles on bottom half. Gently press halves together. Wrap in plastic wrap and refrigerate for a least 2 hours. Cut into 1 1/2 inch individual sandwiches. (12-14 servings)

Enjoy!!

Have great, labor-free Labor Day

The truth of marriage

Last week I was home alone while my husband was on a work trip so I decided to watch The Notebook and scrapbook. I have seen The Notebook a couple of times and I love the story. I think I love it because it's all about a story coming to life. A story of love, loss and hard choices.

My favorite quote is when Noah and Alli, the two main characters, are arguing about whether or not Alli is going to choose to stay with Noah or proceed to marry her fiancée (who is much wealthier and has her parent's approval). Noah is trying to convince her why she should choose him. His words are powerful: "It's not going to be easy. It's going to be really hard and we're going to have to work at this every day. But I want to do that because I want you. I want all of you. Forever. You and me every day."

It's not often that you hear in Hollywood the words 'It's not going to be easy and we're going to have to work at this every day.' But it is the truth of marriage.

By God's grace and our commitment, we CAN make this marriage thing work. But the reality is, it's not easy. And we're going to have to work at it.

Just like Alli, we all have a choice to make. Not only do we make an initial choice when we say "I do" to our spouse, but we have to choose every day to work at it.

Every single day.

What are you choosing today?

Labor-Free Labor Day!

Since I wrote about the value of work in my last blog...it seems only fitting that I tell you to throw your chores to the wind and enjoy the rest of the summer. While I really think kids (and adults) need to take on 'work' with a smile, I think it needs to be balanced with celebration. Labor Day means a celebration of our labor force...so take a break from your labor and celebrate!
We would eat outside, non-stop the weekend of Labor Day if at all possible when our family was little. Breakfast, lunch and dinner were around the picnic table. I wasn't a big camper, so this the was next best thing for our family. Take a look at what works for your family. REAL camping, sleeping outside in a tent, sleeping in a porch, eating outside, cooking outside, reading outside...do whatever you can..outside, just to celebrate the end of summer. Don't let the rain discourage you, that just adds to the memories.
So before you take on the mantra that 'work builds character', remember the other mantra that says, 'all work and no play makes Jack a dull boy'.
Go play this Labor Day weekend.

To Live your Life Again

To continue on with Barb's topic from yesterday, I thought I would post this article:

To Live your Life Again

"Show me, O LORD, my life's end and the number of my days; let me know how fleeting is my life." Psalm 39:4

In his book "Who Switched the Price Tags?" Tony Campolo tells about a survey in which people over age 95 were asked the question, "If you could live your life all over again, what would you do differently?"

Most of the responses fell into three categories. Most people wished they had risked more. For them life had been too safe, too calculated. They fell into a routine and were afraid to break out of it - same job, same neighborhood, same environment, day in and day out. They wonder what adventures they missed because they were fearful of leaving security.

Others wished they had concentrated more on what was really important. For them, life had been filled with details of the routine. The good had become the enemy of the best. As they grew older their schedule became more compressed, and they look back and say to themselves, "Is this all there is to life?"

The third category of people expressed the wish they had done something worthwhile which would have lived on long after they died.

Was this the wish of a certain English missionary? She had no family, and upon her death in a faraway country, natives sold everything she possessed. When sod grew over her grave, it was as if she had never existed. Well, not quite. You see, she had invested herself in the lives of the people she served. She taught them to read and write. She taught them the Word of God, and when Donald Cole arrived where she had lived, he found a solid legacy of faith in the lives of these people. She left behind a testimony to her life, a living legacy in flesh and blood.

"If you could live your life over again, what would you do differently?"

I put this question to the late Oswald Sanders when he was 85 years old. The one-time attorney turned missionary statesman and Bible college president said he would not do anything differently. He had no regrets in having served the Lord. For him life had been an adventure and he had invested his life well for the cause of Jesus Christ.

How about you? If you could live your life over again, what would you do differently? In some cases, what's done is done. But in other cases, what you would do if you could do it over again can yet be done. What's to keep you from making an in-flight correction and beginning to move towards that goal? Instead of regretting what you haven't done or weren't
able to do, take positive steps to live your life all over again - starting now. It's possible, and until your frail body has been deprived of live and breath, it's never too late to begin anew.

365 Guidelines for Daily Living © 1997 by Dr. Harold J. Sala:

If I Had To Do It Over Again...

I thought that would get your attention. I always love to hear what women who are farther down the path of life would do differently about different situations.
I would put a different ‘spin’ on teaching my kids the value of work. All 3 of my grown kids have a great work ethic, for which I am thankful, but I don’t think I viewed work as a privilege when I was a young mom and therefore I’m not sure they thought I was real happy with ‘work’. It was always the ‘have to get it done’ mentality around our house and if I had to do it over again, I would start at a young age, yes, even when I had a babe in arms, to tell my little ones that “I want to get a ‘few things done’ right now and so I will play with you later.” I am blogging about this on the Eve of Labor Day because I think we have so much to be thankful for in America and the ability and freedom to work is one more thing to be grateful for. As a mom or wife, you can set the tone for ‘getting a job done well’, whether in your home or outside your home. Let the kids know from an early age that it is a privilege to be able to produce and work. Assign even the youngest member of your family a job to do to teach them the joy of working and celebrate with them when they complete the task. Simply picking up a few toys could be a toddler’s responsibility. Work is a major part of life so begin sharing with your kids your attitude about work…in a most positive way.

Friday night traditions

It's Friday. Some of you are breathing a sigh of relief. Some of you are excited for the weekend. Some of you are looking forward to assistance with the kiddos from your spouse. I bet some of you are anticipating the Friday night traditions your family has created.

A friend of mine grew up having tacos every Friday night with her family. Today she has three young boys and every Friday is taco night. She makes homemade tacos for her four 'boys'!

I remember Friday nights when I was a teenager. My family popped popcorn (not microwave!), and watched Dallas together. Looking back now that was such a goofy show, but we all loved watching it together. I remember the smell of the butter and the popcorn and curling up on the couch together as the opening tune from Dallas played on TV.

Do you have a Friday night at-home tradition? If not, consider creating one. What is a relaxing activity for you and your spouse, or you and the kids? If it is just you and your husband, start a tradition now...no need to wait for kids. If you have just a small baby, now is definitely a good time to start a Friday night at-home tradition.

Whatever your stage of life, it's never too late to start a family tradition! It doesn't mean it has to be done every Friday, but if it happens regularly it will become a family favorite.

I'd love to hear if you grew up with a Friday night family tradition or if you have one with your family today. Please leave us a comment...and happy Friday!

Give Them Roots and Wings...But Which Is Harder?

I just sent 'my baby' off again, for graduate study in NYC. He was home a year after college so I had gotten back into the old routine of being a 'mom' in little ways I hadn't even realized. Now his room is empty again and the 'piles' around the home have disappeared as he gathered his belongings to fit into suitcases which he carried out of the house. I sit and ponder the wonder of it all. I read Stacy's last posting and loved the quote about not being able to 'buy' the presence of someone willing to care deeply about the home and the people who come and go. That is a life-long habit that starts small when you are first married. You enter marriage with enthusiasm and determination to be the perfect wife and homemaker, only to find out your husband isn't the perfect husband or the perfect roommate! As the children come, they aren't perfect either and the daily tasks become mundane and often demeaning. It is easy for a wife and mom to look back and wonder what her life would be like if she had made different choices. I think there is a book out entitled, "The Windshield is Wide...the Rear View Mirror is Narrow". I haven't read more than a synopsis of it, but it's premise is that to make it on life's road with ease, you need to keep looking forward and see the big picture. You can't drive the car with any success if you aren't focusing on the road ahead.
Remember the saying that "parents must give their children two things: roots and wings. Give them roots to keep them grounded through tough times. Give them wings to soar above everything, explore new worlds and fly farther than we ever did."
You are giving your husband and your children roots when you let them know they belong and have a support system as they mature. You are also giving yourself roots so you can stand tall when the people you care about start to leave the home. You know what that feels like, the first time you leave your child in the nursery and he doesn't cry when you leave! The first day of pre-school that tugs at your heart but your little one runs into class with enthusiasm and forgets to say good-bye. The first day of kindergarten...the first day of ______. You fill in the blank. It is then you realize that the roots you nurtured are as much for you as they are for your loved ones.
The 'wings'? Well, they are for your little ones as they mature, but they are also for yourself to realize that through the windshield you can see new opportunities down the road. It takes longer to see the 'wings' take shape, but once they do, they are put to use immediately. So once again, as the 'older woman', I encourage you to pay attention to those deep roots you are tending...on both your children and yourself!

From one homemaker to another

"What's missing from so many affluent American households is the one thing you can't buy--the presence of someone who cares deeply and principally about that home and the people who live in it; who is willing to spend a significant portion of each day thinking about what those people are going to eat and what clothes they will need for which occasion; who knows when it's time to turn the mattresses and when the baby needs to be taken out for a bit of fresh air and sunshine." - Caitlin Flanagan

Some of you may work outside of the home, but I know that we all work inside the home and the work we perform in our homes is invaluable. I applaud you for the cooking, cleaning, caring, and loving that goes on in your home every single day.

No price tag can be placed on the work you do as a homemaker.

Here's to homemaking from the heart!

A Word of Encouragement...

This weekend I attended my husband's 40th class reunion! What a bunch of old people!!

I really enjoyed myself as I went from person to person, not having any obligation to know them or remember them as 'they used to be.' I could freely ask them questions and observe how they interacted with their old classmates. I was pleased by how many of them had been married over 30 years, so I began asking different people what they were most surprised at from this reunion. All of them said they couldn't believe it had been 40 years since they had seen one another and of course how fast life has gone by. In chatting with them, the word 'consistent' kept coming up. Well, actually some said "I've just spent the last 40 years doing the same thing." Some said it out of frustration but most said it with a note of achievement. Like they just kept putting one foot in front of the other and here they were, 40 years later with 4, 5 or 6 kids...many were teachers, an actor, architect, doctors and many entrepreneurs. I had no expectation from any of these people, because I didn't know any of them, but I felt like by the end of the day, I would say that many of them had achieved a level of satisfaction and success because they had been consistent.
It may not be the word you were expecting me to encourage you with today, but it is a word of great impact. If you applied it to your life right now, it should give you more of a purpose. All the tasks you are doing over and over again for your little toddlers are not in vain. You are teaching and modeling for them. Be consistent in your kind words, your soft voice, your constant smile and your enthusiasm for life. Be consistent in your personal habits. Be consistent in your desire to build a strong marriage. Be consistent in knowing God. Be consistent even when it gets tough. Your next reunion is going to come around soon enough. Be consistent in your living and you will find yourself telling your classmates "I've spent the last few years doing the same thing...and I can't believe how far I've come."

Blessed to be a blessing

Today was a dreary day in Minnesota. It was cold and rainy and I just wanted to curl up on the couch with a book. I was feeling a bit overwhelmed and consumed with work, my to-do list, and life's challenges.

Then across my e-mail came this beautiful quote:
"You are blessed to be a blessing...so pray generously, encourage extravagantly, and love unconditionally."

I want to be a woman who prays generously, encourages extravagantly, and loves unconditionally -- especially on the days when it's hardest to do just that. The difficult part is that it requires me to take my eyes off my circumstances and see those God has placed in my path.

As you look at the rest of your week, whether it's busy, stressful, or filled with unknowns, ask God to make you sensitive to your family, friends, coworkers and strangers. You never know when you'll have the opportunity to pray generously, encourage extravagantly, and love unconditionally!

May we all strive to be a blessing to others!

Just For Fun!

Make everyday and routine errands into times of fun for you and your kids!
Doesn’t everyone tell you that these are the “BEST” days and to enjoy them because your kids will grow so quickly? Make sure you enjoy these ‘best’ days!
One time when our 3 kids needed a haircut just before going back to school, I took them to the mall and signed them up at “Great Clips”. It was really crowded and we had to sit and wait for their names to be called. To add fun to the day, I told them to sign up under a bogus name and play along with that name as the hairstylist called it out. We entertained the whole salon that afternoon as 2 hairstylists called out “Bert” and “Ernie” one right after the other! Our Ryan and Danny got up and marched off for their cuts leaving me laughing hysterically in the corner. Do you think all those other customers thought I would really name my sons Bert and Ernie?!

Stop, drop and...pray?

We are half way through August. How are your 31 days of prayer? At the beginning of the month I challenged you all to pray for your husband from the Power of a Praying Wife book every day for 31 days.

It has been a challenge for me! I lay my book on my pillow so I see it every night before going to bed. It takes discipline to stop and pray.

While I often pray throughout my day for Ryan's work, energy, strength and perseverance, I don't often pray that God would "enable Ryan to walk worthy of his calling and become the man of God that You made him to be."

I don't think to pray: "That Your Word would penetrate every fiber of his being, convincing him that Your love for him is far greater than anything he faces and nothing can separate him from it."

It's a good reminder for me to pray: "That he will not be anxious about finances, but will seek Your kingdom first, knowing that as he does, we will have all we need."

Join in today if you haven't started already. There is POWER in prayer. May you discover just how blessed your man will be because of the time you take to pray.

I leave you with a few words from Day 16: "Lead him, guide him and be his mighty fortress and hiding place. May his light so shine before men that they see his good works and glorify you, Lord."

The Garden and Kids!

Have you ever seen a youngster who didn't smile, touch or say 'pretty' when a flower is held up to the him/her? Instinctively, a child loves nature and a mom has a great opportunity to cultivate that love in her children at an early age.
August is a great month to let your child explore your gardens. By now, many plants can use a good pruning so let your 4-5 year old cut you a bouquet of flowers from your garden (with a blunt school-type sissors). Show them how to cut a stem long enough and have a small vase of water for them to collect a nice selection.
Your 3 year old can work along side you as you pull the carrots and she can can have a big pail of water to wash off the carrots as they are pulled from the dirt.
A 2-3 year old loves to use a 'trowel' and cultivate the dirt. In August, there is no threat of digging up seeds or new plants, so simply show him a wide area of dirt and have him 'comb' the area smooth.
Harvest is a perfect time to get your children into gardening. The plants are more defined and the fruit is ready to be picked.
Who knows, you may have a Johnny Appleseed living at your home. Encourage him/her on!!

It's Monday night....

The shelves on my wall are rattling and have been for the past 15 minutes. Thunder and lightening are creating quite a show in my neighborhood. There are severe thunderstorm warnings, flash flood warnings and high winds. My cat is freaking out :)

The weathermen are on live at 11 p.m. so I know it's a strong storm. 31,000 people are without power.

I decide since I am home alone (my husband is traveling tonight) that I better find a flashlight in case the power goes out. I found a small one in the junk drawer...it didn't work. I found a second one in the hall closet...and it doesn't work either. I found a third flashlight that released a very faint beam.

Obviously the May household is not prepared for a storm. I grabbed a candle and my cell phone while I changed the flashlight batteries. Now I'm waiting for it to pass.

Are you ready for a storm? Do you have flashlights located in multiple locations on multiple levels? Do they have fresh batteries? Do you have other emergency items you might need in case the power goes out in your home?

It took the lights flickering for me to get prepared. Don't wait...make that Target list if you need emergency items, locate your flashlights and talk with your spouse so you both are prepared when thunder and lightening make an appearance in your neighborhood.

What Have You Read?

I seem to measure my summers by the number of books I manage to read! Starting in June, I begin to pile up recommended books and begin reserving others from the library. Some are the 'beach books', fun fiction that are easy to pick up and read. They color my vacation days and give me a brief break from reality.
Others are the 'how can I do this better' type book that helps me evaluate areas that I need to improve on.
Then there are the books that I read that really stretch my thinking. They include titles and subjects that I normally wouldn't be drawn to, but are recommended to me by friends.

This summer has been good. I have read a good amount and have found some favorites along the way. You still have some good weeks to read so here are my 'picks' from the ones I read the past months:

Fiction: My Sister's Keeper by Jodi Picouldt (Stacy recommended this to me. It's great!)

'How can I do this better book': Ordering Your Private World by Gordon MacDonald

'A stretcher book': The Man who Mistook His Wife for a Hat (yep, you read that right...let me know if you are going to read it...I will give you a synopsis!)

What's in your pile of books this summer? I still have time to read more, so please share!

Cherry Chicken Pasta Salad

Today seems like a good day for a recipe. I've been making this pasta salad like crazy all summer. It is so tasty! Ryan is getting sick of it but I keep craving it. Cut it in half unless you are making it for a scrapbooking crowd like me! And for those of you who don't care for mayo...neither do I but the poppyseed dressing covers up the mayo. Make this salad, grab a glass of lemonade and eat it on the patio with your family this weekend...you'll be so glad you did!

Cherry Chicken Pasta Salad

Serves 16

2 ¼ pound uncooked boneless, Skinless chicken breasts (1 ¾ cooked)
1 pound uncooked pasta (gemelli or rotini)
5 ounces of dried cherries (found in fruit dept at grocery store - or Craisins are easiest!)
¾ cup celery
¾ cup red onions
1 cup chopped walnuts (I use slivered almonds)
12 oz naturally fresh poppyseed salad dressing
1 tsp table salt
¼ tsp black pepper
1 ¼ cup reduced calorie mayo

Directions-
Cut cooked chicken into cubes
Cook pasta according to instructions, rinse and drain well…do not overcook!
Mix dressing- Mayo, Poppyseed dressing, salt and pepper
In a large bowl- combine Chicken, pasta, dried cherries, celery, red onion
Set aside (3/4 cup of dressing)
Add remaining dressing to salad in large bowl
Refrigerate for several hours/ or overnight
Just before serving add toasted Walnuts (chop & cook with butter in frying pan), and extra dressing

Best Beaches! Best Ice Cream! What More Do You Want?!

Hey, is it hot enough for you? Even those of you who don't go to the lake regularly might be looking for a place to cool off in these long, hot days of summer. Here's a posting on Teri Gruca's blog from WCCO with the "list of beaches that seven county Parks and Recreation Departments recommended families check out this summer".

http://wcco.com/terriblog/local_blogentry_182175356.html

If that doesn't cool you down, check out this posting for a favorite ice cream place to visit!

http://wcco.com/terriblog/local_blogentry_205144740.html

Maybe I'll see you there!

Who Do You Look Up To?

On the heels of Stacy's posting on leaving a legacy, can I challenge you to look down the road 5-10 years and note the women around you that are at that age. Are those women where you want to be someday, have they achieved a sense of direction and confidence and if so, how have they gotten there? Then, go ahead and ask them! I will caution you not to keep your eyes on those women for what they have obtain materially in their life, but rather emotionally and spiritually. Unfortunately, you may be hard-pressed to find alot of women who have achieved alot in this way, and that is why it is important to be aware of what you value and how you hope to be different in 5-10 years yourself. This won't just happen, planning and advance decision-making need to be in place. Every 5 years, strive to find someone about 10 years older than you and ask her out for a cup of coffee and pick her brain. Having a role model will only help visualize what you are going after in your life and will help you get there sooner.
THEN...note the women who are 5-10 years younger than you. If they were to ask you out for coffee, what would you tell them? Would they even ask you out for coffee? Are you striving to become a wise woman, or a woman who drifts through her day without a sense of mission and purpose? Having a woman to inspire you and a younger woman who you inspire will help you 'stay the course' and stay focused on things that matter in the long run. Think about your legacy...and start by reaching short term goals.

Your legacy?

Today I attended a memorial service for a woman I never met. Katherine (Tat) is the 96-year-old mother of a dear friend of mine.

I often heard Mary talk about her mother, but I had never met her personally. After attending the service not only do I wish I had known Tat, I want to be LIKE Tat. These words describe her life: Tat's long life was defined by her warm and generous spirit which extended hospitality to all who knew her. She thanked God every day for her many blessings. Her deep faith was apparent in her love of family, friends, and all those whose lives crossed her path. She lived a life of grace and kindness to others.

Her children spoke about her. Her grandchildren spoke about her. They talked of her love of music, her love of humor, her love for her husband, her love for her children (eight of them!), her love for her Lord.

She left a legacy as a follower of Christ even though she didn't come to know the Lord until she was in her 60s. No one specifically said that she was a 'wise woman' but it was clear from the things shared about her life that she was a wise woman of the Lord.

I've been thinking a lot today about the legacy I will leave behind as a wife, friend, sister, follower of Christ. The choices and decisions I make today will determine my legacy. Do my actions say that I'm living a life of grace and kindness or that I have a warm and generous spirit?

So here's my question for you today: What is your legacy? What kind of legacy are your actions going to leave behind? May we all learn from this dear woman and be inspired by her legacy.

Life is Fragile...Handle with Prayer

I must comment on the collapse of the bridge on 35W over the Mississippi River. I listened to the news the first night of the tragedy, but I have been on the go and I haven't watched the news over the last 24 hours. I am reminded of it as I go about my work, however, as everyone is talking about it and mentioning what they did first when they learned of the disaster. I think everyone I have spoken with said they 'called everyone in their family and touched base with their friends.' I don't need to write about the impact that something like this makes on our lives. It reminds us to consider our LIFE and what a precious gift that is. Since we posted about prayer and friends this week, I would really like to encourage any and all of the readers of this blog to comment back a prayer request or just your name and Stacy and I will commit to pray for you. (Sign in as 'Anonymous-1, 2 or 3') if need be. Knowing someone is praying for you will remind you to pray for someone else! Are you too young to remember the plague that hung in many grandmother's kitchens? "Life is Fragile, Handle it with Prayer"...this week was a reminder of just how fragile life can be.
Now go and be thankful for another day.

Your Friends Could Be Making You Fat

A study of more than 12,000 people found that having an obese friend increases the risk of becoming obese by up to 57 per cent. (New England Journal of Medicine)

This study fascinated me when I heard it on Good Morning America because no one brought up the obvious conclusion that this study is probably is a good indicator that a friend's influence is mighty strong in all areas. Proverbs 13:20 says "The woman who walks with the wise grows wise."

Stacy's last posting was about her Power of Praying Wives group that encourages one another to pray for their husbands. I can't think of a better group to 'walk with'. Just think of what you will learn if you were to find a praying friend and hung out with her for the next 25 years. I bet there's a 57 percent chance that your prayer life will improve!!

31 days of prayer

Six years ago I joined a group of women who wanted to read and discuss the book "The Power of a Praying Wife." We named ourselves the PoPW gals.

We started with about a dozen women. Today we have six group members and these girls are among some of my most treasured friends.

Many of you might be in a book club, but ours is a little different. Each year we pick a new book (focused on marriage) to read and discuss together. What's different about this book club is that we only read ONE book each year. We read one chapter per meeting Sept-May. We read it, study it, underline things that challenge us, discuss how we were convicted or encouraged and at the end of our meeting we pray. We pray for ourselves, our husbands, our marriages.

Six years later, and six books later, we are still the PoPW gals. Regardless of the books we read, prayer is the foundation of our group.

At the beginning of August I want to offer up two challenges to you:
1 - Who are your PoPW gals? Do you have women that you can pray with, talk with and discuss the joys and struggles of marriage? If not, consider starting a group focused on prayer. Cover it in prayer, then make some phone calls or send out some e-mails. I fully believe that God will bring the women. It's not a place to bash your husband, it's a time to bring each other's needs before the Lord and encourage one another in our marriage journey.

2 - Consider purchasing The Power of a Praying Wife book if you don't already own it. It is not a book on why you should pray for your husband - it is a book that contains 31 prayers for you to actually pray. The first two days are for the wife, the rest focused on the husband. Here is an excerpt from Day 1: "I lay all my expectations at Your cross. I release _______ from the burden of fulfilling me in areas where I should be looking to You. Help me to accept him the way he is and not try to change him. I realize that in some ways he may never change, but at the same time, I release him to change in ways I never thought he could. I leave any changing that needs to be done in Your hands, fully accepting that neither of us is perfect and never will be. Only You Lord are perfect and I look to you to perfect us."

I've had this book for six years and I'm not sure I've ever made it through 31 days praying every prayer. I'm challenging myself and I hope you'll join me! I'd love to know if you are up to the 31 days of prayer challenge - just leave a comment that "you're in" and I'll be praying for YOU!