Sweetie Berry |

Tuesday at home…

July 14, 2009 in She's So There with 0 Comments

I am so glad to be home today. We had B2G at my home again and I cannot share with you how exciting it is to see tween aged girls (10-13) learn about how much God loves them, and then to watch them share that love with each other and the world. It is simply a great experience each week!

Yesterday I was in Canton, Georgia, just outside Atlanta. I loved going to Yawn’s Bookstore there and worked with Nadine and Farris Yawn, who are clients of mine. They own the most wonderful hometown bookstore and publishing house. Madison and I met with them, then we went on to Atlanta to experience a Girl’s Evening out. Where do girls go in Atlanta?Why the American Girl Store of course! Madison had spent her birthday in Arkansas, so we celebrated late together as Mom and daughter. Such a good time! We both squealed with delight at all the American Girl doll things we saw…some moments live in your mind forever, I know that night in Atlanta will!

Today my newest site build went live. http://www.davidcooper.com/ While I am not usually the site builder ( I am the market content writer and detailer), in this case it was my delight to work with David Cooper himself. It is a transition site as we prepare an even more extensive addition to his web destination site, but I am glad to be a part of these first steps and look forward to seeing it all come to life! David is the host of Hopes, Goals, and Dreams iTV and shares my vision of restoring families and creating excellent products for individuals, homes, and families through internet television!

I will be rejoining David Cooper in Dallas later next week, but for now, I’ve put on my wife, mom, and business owner cap at home. Cookies are baked, dinner is made, and I am loving on my family and thankful for this life I live. The children are home until July 22-23, after they are gone to their dads, I will work long days again for 2 weeks filming HDGiTV specials in Dallas. Filming my own very first DVD specials and teaches last week was pretty exciting and so surprising, I never thought “I’d” be the one on the show, I am the writer for others and the talent scout somedays, but always the fan! The children will be gone to see their grandparents for the end of summer last visit with their natural dad in another state.

Camille, I cannot tell you how much I enjoyed meeting you and Jarod, it made my Saturday! Rachel Anne, I can’t wait to see you again next week, can you believe it?! I hope I can find Miss Becky this week, I may have to reintroduce myself! Karent Rabbitt (the author) is making my day tomorrow morning by working with me on a project of hers, how fun!

hugs!

Meeting Camille IRL…

July 12, 2009 in She's So There with 2 Comments

Today I had the pleasure of meeting IRL (in real life) Camille and her husband Jerod, one of Rachel Anne Ridge’s Company Girls in Brentwood, TN! What a blessing to be in Brentwood and meet Camille and her family for Starbucks (see I told you it wasn’t a good thing to learn how to order there!) Camille’s three children and husband are as precious as she is and I am so tickled she let me know how to contact her! I ordered a blueberry scone, which was made simply more delicious by the delightful sharing of time with Camille and her family ( I can’t wait to know you all better Camille!!!)

Home tonight after rushing home to be a part of a women’s dinner at a local church and I am simply in a thoughtful place. God so spoke this afternoon as I drove home, and to be truthful, I didn’t like one bit what the whispering was about today…but I will obey and I will follow Him. It simply saddens me when things turn out so different than where I thought….but I will obey and I know from experience, the sooner one obeys a directive the better life will be.

Home was a welcoming place, my teenaged son was waiting with his best friend for Mom to arrive and I had to simply dask out to be a part of a women’s dinner program, back home an hour and a half later, I am simply thankful for a quiet rest of the evening.

B2G (Becoming God’s Girl) has been on my mind all week. Two of my children this week asked if they could have my bibles to take home. I was glad to share them, and shocked when they shared they didn’t own one in their home….we take so much for granted with those who live in our neighborhood, we assume so many children know God’s love, when in today’s culture they may not even know their own father at home…much less our Heavenly father….words are so easily said, but what have you done today to show other’s Jesus love? I know for me personally, I have been so focused lately on doing right things for what I thought were right reasons and then like a brick wall, it hit me today, I was putting my faith in things and people, not God. I have so many things to do for B2G for the girls involved and that will indeed become a larger portion of what I spend my time on in the next few weeks.

Thwap….sometimes it takes a 2 x 4 to the heart and head for God to get my attention fully….God’s short bus girl I tell you, but at least I’m on God’s bus.

It is so easy to get off track, when our peace leaves us it is our clue. The Holy Spirit leads us in peace, never anxiety nor frustration. It is not his path…for God’s path is peace. Forgive me Father for believing more in man than in You.

Tonight I am thankful for:

1. A God who truly loves me, provides for me, forgives me and allows me to be imperfect without anger, without ignoring my request for forgiveness or making His silence”teaching me a lesson” but immediately welcomes me back when I ask to be forgiven and recognize my errs….no matter how many times the lesson takes.

2. A husband who has shown me protection as well as treating me as precious……stepfatherhood is never a simple path, yet my Dh each day chooses to love me and my children as his own….and works so very hard to be the best person he can be for God, for our family, and for others, even when the going gets tough!

3. For a daughter who tells the truth even if its not what is wanted to be heard…yet lovingly said.

4. For countless thousands of way God allows me to learn, even when I am hard headed.

God is God and I am not, and tonight I am so aware of how true that statement is!

hugs!

Company Girl Coffee 7.10.09

July 10, 2009 in Company Girl Coffee, She's So There with 3 Comments

Dear Friends,
I am on the road again, hence the note on the door to help yourself. Today I am in Brentwood in the HGDiTV studios again. Today we’re working with Allison Worthington Mrs. Fussypants of Mrs. Fussypants.com Alli is the mom of five, stepmom of one, and is the owner of BlissfullyDomestic.com and Mrs.Fussypants.com We’re cooking up programming for HGDiTV to continue Blissfully Domestic’s stellar work on finding good things for women. How fun to have Alli’s character Mrs. Fussypants on the sets, she’s SO funny!
My daughter is with me today, while my son is at football practice and college man is home working. Dh joins me tonight in Brentwood and we work on taping for our ministry tomorrow morning then head home.
God has been whispering loudly again to me, when I get tired, when I get overwhelmed to “just do the next thing” and then rely on Him. Its working but I still get so overwhelmed managing family, home, work, and life.
The children are home for 2 weeks then return for 2 more weeks with their natural dad and stepmom in another state. Its been a new time for us as a blended family, to grow as their natural father’s new family has expanded with his marriage and they suddenly have a scad of new aunts, uncles, and a new set of step grandparents. I am thankful they are accepted….but even as much as I believe there is plenty of love for all of us, its hard to find myself being compared and measured by complete strangers to me (the new family and friends) and usually not in the kindest of ways. Of course, they are thrilled with the new groom (I was too, why would I have married him if I hadn’t of been) But our marriage ended long ago. I know its just human nature, but my gosh, I have been mom their whole life, I am willing to accept their stepmom as part of their life, but do people have to always try to make it a competition. We are so different (I’m 44, she’s 28, I own my own business, she is a paramedic I have reared 4 children, these are her first stepchildren) and she has value for their life as I do. I want them to without guilt love and spend time with us all. I want to uphold and honor their father and his wife as I would hope he would honor and uphold Les.
My heart is still very sad for my friend whose husband ended his life this week in Texas. She and their two children are so shocked as we all were, my heart is even more saddened that I cannot be there for the funeral tomorrow. I will find her next week when I am in Texas though.
God is God and we are not….help others find God through your heart.

Thursday Thankfulness and Ponderings

July 9, 2009 in She's So There with 0 Comments

Another fresh day, and I am so focused on how much there is to be thankful for. It is still a sad sad time for our friend in another state as she experienced her husband’s choice to end his life. How much my heart aches for her and their children and extended family. Once again it teaches me how very precious life is and how masks are often simply that…covers for what is truly happening in one’s heart.
Today is a Mom day, and I am so excited to be working at home and enjoying my children. It seems the summer has gone simply away as its almost time for school to start again. It seems I turn around and our children are grown!
My weight loss is still happening. I am now ready to begin exercising too to help tone and change what is definately needing toning! I have for so long avoided working out, I am simply ignorant of what to do!!!
God is God and I am still ever amazed at all He is doing in my life. What a hard, yet joyful time it has been to know I can count on Him each part of the day!

hugs!

Things I am thankful for today:

1. The Father in heaven who thinks I am enough, just as I am, imperfections and all.
2. The ability to forgive and be forgiven of my mistakes and others’ mistakes.
3. Waking up healthy, able, and in a country that allows me to think my own thoughts out loud.
4. For friends who notice when I am under water and need loving on.
5. For business alliances who are truly friends as well. (Jenn Fowler, Karen Rabbitt, Thelma Wells Alli Worthington)
6. For opportunities to work with great people, ministeries, and personalities.
7. For Rachel Anne Ridge’s Home Sanctuary, for I need all the small steps I can find!
8. For children to love and who love me, for extended family.
9. For learning and the ability to learn new things.
10. For beauty that our Father in heaven has made for us, through us, and with us.

Sad news all around today…

July 8, 2009 in She's So There with 0 Comments

Somedays I am simply not a very well done person. Today I have been on a pity party, right up to two phone calls. One from a long ago friend who let me know a close friend had just committed suicide in the past few hours, another friend then called who has found out that life is changing and never to return to what she experienced yesterday.
Thankfulness is indeed a state of mind. When we choose to focus on that which is not Godly, that which does not matter in the big picture of God’s kingdom, the devil helps eggs us on to allow things and ideas take on value and importance that most likely have NO value in God’s kingdom.
I am determined today, to stop, be intentional about my thankfulness and be more aware and merciful to those around me who need God’s love shown to them towards them from me. We truly are the Jesus people see…..who else will choose with me today to stop, praise God, and wait for His next whispering….
it matters…..loving others and letting them know they are loved matter, no matter what they are facing, no matter what they have succeeded or failed at….they are worth mattering to you!

I pray tonight that my long time friend found peace tonight in Jesus ‘ arms. I cannot imagine how hard it was to truly believe that his life was not worth living, he was such a special person….the outward mask was that life was not only going well, but he was on top of the world. How sad for his family, how sad for his mama…how sad for all of us that we couldn’t reach him or help him find God’s mercy and grace for whatever it was he was facing….

and for my friend who knows this day life will never be the same as yesterday….

I love you….

and God is enough…

and we will love you through this.

Marvelous Monday

July 6, 2009 in She's So There with 0 Comments

When I lived in Stephens, Arkansas, a tiny town in Southern Arkansas, a dear dear lady, Virginia Turner Smith, had developed singlehandedly an afterschool program for the town’s children K-6th. No federal funds, no grant money, just a determined Grandmother who wanted all children to have a special place to learn. The program was called Marvelous Mondays…and it still exists today. The concept was simple, invite children to come afterschool to share cookies and Koolaid, Sing a few songs about growing in God, sharing a story in God’s word, and a simple craft to take home. Simple formula, excellent product. In this tiny town of under 600, we served 24-28 children each week, red yellow, black and white, children together gathered in His sight. The way it should be. How was it financed? funded? By folks bringing what they had when we asked and we created crafts and snacks from them. It took planning, but it was a fantastic experience.

When I moved to tiny town, it was my hope to add a summer program to Granny Gin Smith’s Marvelous Monday offerings. We chose Tuesdays and made it Terrific Tuesdays at the Library. Terrific it was! 20-50 children came each week for another simple formula experience of reading to them, sharing with them, helping them find books to expand what was introduced that week, and every now and then a special guest horse, snake, or other specialty item. We had a marvelous time at Terrific Tuesdays too.

Now I am playing in a whole new playing field called internet Television broadcasting. I believe, however the formula is much the same for family programming. Invite folks in, share with them your joy in having their presence, share God’s word and good products and things, and every now and then invite someone special to visit! Maybe this country girl is simple, but wouldn’t you like to come home to Mayberry, or Captain Kangaroo, or Mr. Roger’s neighborhood every now and then? Personally, I would still love to live on Walton’s Mountain or visit often!

How many of us are frozen in “my house isn’t clean enough” or “what would they think about …” or “I only have simple food to share” Hospitality is about getting past ourselves and getting on with welcoming others into our lives and space….let’s reach outside our comfort zone and reach out to others with God’s love shall we?

God is God and we are not! He is good!