Blogger Award Nomination

I am really touched. Mary, has nominated me for this Blog Award. I am also pretty excited as this is my first award. Thank you, Mary. I will be passing this award on to seven others, and Mary would have been on that list had she not been the one to nominate me.

I like these awards that blogger's give and receive, because they bless the giver and bless and encourage the receiver. When I was younger, can't remember exactly... 6th~7th grader maybe, I discovered this Bible verse.

Do not withhold good from those to whom it is due,
When it is in the power of your hand to do so. Proverbs 3:27

As I would revisit that verse through the years, I gleaned more from it and realized that what I originally learned from it was just the beginning. This verse has to do with treating others fairly and helping those in need as well. This verse is tucked in a passage of scripture that is full of just good wisdom to live by. What is relevant here though, is what God laid on my heart the first time I read it. For me the verse very simply meant not to keep anything good that I had to give, from someone that could use it. In my family, immediate and extended, being verbally encouraging, giving affirmation, or anything else that hinted of positive emotion was just not done. It wasn't that I did not have those feelings of wanting to express a kind word or display gratitude, it just was not the way it was done. Laughter was seldom, forget hugs, and appearances were important. This verse did not "change" me, it simply gave me the courage to be who I was in this area. I saw things in such a positive manner (I was often called The Dreamer, and things like "Will she ever get her head out of the clouds?" were spoken about me), and I always had it in me to want to show gratitude and tell people when I liked things they said or did. So... since I had given God's Word power in my life by that time, I began to put feet on my feelings, and step out in faith over this one little verse. I found it incredibly freeing and fun to encourage people and tell them when I saw something I thought was good, or nice, or just interesting that they did. I began sending cards and notes to people that were in the church bulletin. You know, hope you are feeling better~ congratulations on your baptism~graduation~engagement~marriage~baby, sorry for your loss~just thinking of you, just simple cards with notes. Encouragement. As a young adult some years later, someone at church suggested I start a ministry revolving around being an encouragement. We do need to encourage on another. David was so distressed and isolated from goodness, and had no one around to encourage him that he had to encourage himself in the, Lord. We can do that, God is a personal and One on one God, He seeks out a personal relationship with us, but how sad that we would never have the encouragement from others. People can be such an encouragement to each other, with just a little act of kindness. That is what these Awards are. Little acts of kindness, and I love seeing others get them, I am blessed and encouraged to now have received one... and I am excited to pass it on.

Having said all of that, I want to be sure to say right here, if I can find a Great Servant award anywhere, I am going to get it to Pam, immediately. She has been such a help to me since I moved to, Oklahoma. Thank you, Pam!

Once an award is received, the rules are as follows:

1. Put the logo on your blog
2. Add a link to the person who awarded you
3. Nominate at least seven other blogs
4. Add links to those blogs

5. Leave a message for your nominees on their blogs.

Before I list them, I will say that I realize some of you have received this Award. I just wanted to give it to you as well.

My nominees, in alphabetic order because they are equally lovely, are:

• Beehive Cottage~Mary Jane: Retro and Pink!!!
• Coffee and Chocolate~Deborah: For her devotion to her Savior, Jesus.
• For the Love of Cottage~LeAnn: Creativity, beauty and cottage style. Her love for God, and the Grace He has given her.
• Friendship Tea~Linda: Family, friends, tea and Britain.
• In the Garden with Miss Jean~Jean: Family, Pink, the antics and life of her adorable Maggie, Scottish Terriers, and I have to nominate a friend that loves Calendar Girls and Fried Green Tomatoes.
• Ramblings From an English Garden~Barbara: For sharing her beautiful country, England with the world, and more because of her faith in, her love and passion for, and worship of God, her Father, Jesus, her Savior and the Holy Spirit, her teacher and guide.
• Shropshire Girl~Sandra: The simplicity and beauty of living a good life.

I could have passed this on to so many more, but there is my list. I hope you will visit each one. I think you will like the time you spend on each little corner of the web world that these ladies call their own.

Be abundantly blessed!