Lisa M. Buske's Blog, page 107

T.O.P.'s Tuesday: When the Heart is Open to Receive...Part I

An aspect of being an author and speaker I never thought of, and sometimes am so humbled and encouraged by are the notes, comments, and messages I receive from readers and listeners like yourselves. This weekend was no different. I would like to share a couple with you and I pray they encourage you like they have me.

After one of my speaking engagements this past weekend a woman came up after to share with me. She started with, "I live in Boston but when I heard you would be here, I had to come and meet you in person. Your book..." and her voice trembled a little. Her words on how Where's Heidi? One Sister's Journey touched her heart and encouraged her, was a huge encouragement to me.

BUT, this was only the beginning. With her daughter standing behind her, this woman shared how she watched her an abductor attempt to kidnap her friend before he proceeded to do the same to her. How did she respond? She kicked, bit, screamed, and ran. She ran and beat on ever neighbor's door until one woman scooped her inside and held her while calling the police. This grown woman, with her teen daughter listening in awe, shared some of her fears and the feelings experienced. One of which was the anger she heard in her father's voice, but after reading Where's Heidi? One Sister's Journey, realized it wasn't anger, it was fear that he almost lost his little girl.

She ended our conversation with "With the exception of my husband, I've never told anyone this, but after listening to you speak and reading your book -- I wanted you to know your book is making in impact in ways you probably don't even know." My response...I hugged her, shared some tears, and said, "Thank you for trusting me. May you take this knowledge and help others because you've done the hardest part, shared it."

Isn't this cool? I prayed to touch the heart and life of at least one person, God continues to overwhelm, humble, encourage, inspire, and motivate me through your words. Tomorrow I will share a private message I received from a reader, with her permission, as one more way to model how we encourage each other. How has someone encouraged you? Did you pass it on?

"There will be days like this..." Can you finish this song's chorus?

Today was a day like no other - tears flowed multiple times today and I kept asking "Why? What? Please..."

The common theme "Why God, why?" -- my only positive, at least I kept the communication lines open and upward. I did call my Mom for advice only a mom can give

Prayer, after all, is talking with God.

As we left another doctor "non answers", the Mama Bear of frustration and crank was bubbling over and I had all I could do to get to the car without screaming or breaking down in tears once again. 

This weekend I shared at three different times on how it's possible to triumph over tragedy and even though life might come at us - with God it's possible to get THROUGH the valley. And then this morning as I am faced with one of life's valleys, what do I do...cry. But at least as I cried, I was calling out the One who can answer the pleas, prayers, and even hold me while I whine.

Why do I share this on the blog and Facebook for all to read? Not for your pity or attention but instead to put it all out there - I'm as human as you, and some days are simply a challenge BUT with God in my life, the mountains become a mole hill I can handle.

In a nut shell, please know that when you have a bad day...you're not alone.

When life seems to be running you over...you're not alone.

When you start asking questions of why, who, or how...you aren't alone.

God is either walking along side of you or holding you in His arms and carrying you through. No matter how tough the day, remember to look up!

"God never allows pain without a purpose in the lives of His children.
He never allows satan, nor circumstances, nor any ill-intending person
to afflict us unless He uses that affliction for our good.
God never wastes pain.
He always causes it to work together for our ultimate good,
the good of conforming us more to the likeness of His Son
(see Romans 8:28-29)."  ~ Jerry Bridges

When you feel like life is beating you down...who do you call?
Mom? A Friend?
Ghostbusters? (sorry, I couldn't resist) or God?
Will you share what helps you get through?
A favorite verse or quote?

Thanksgiving Preparations Can Wait...A Weekend of Sharing

This photo was taken a few weeks ago when I shared with the Lowville Public Library and their library family. It was a wonderful, God-inspired weekend.

Today we travel to the Red Creek Public Library. I'll be sharing at 11 a.m. with a Q & A and book signing afterwards. I hope you can make it.

Tomorrow - join me and my family at the Baldwinsville Baptist Church as I share the possibility of "Tragedy over Triumph" after the morning service as part of their Thanksgiving feast. I'll also share a bit during the morning service.

Of course you can also get my books at "The Carriage House Shoppe" located on Route 104 in Mexico, NY on Fridays, Saturdays, and Sundays 12 -5, through the weekend before Christmas. :)

Next Saturday, November 30th - I will be doing a book signing at the Pulaski Kinney's from 11 a.m. to 1 p.m.

I hope you can make it to one of these events. Thank you in advance for sharing with your friends and family too... Thank you for remembering Heidi and sharing HOPE with others...

Hope to Wrap Around Your Wrist...It Helps Others Too!

The charm is pewter and one inch in diameter.
The bracelet is black leather.
All items will be shipped on January 1, 2014.
Only $26.00 after S & H

To pre-order your bracelet for the January deliver ~ click on the sketch above for a direct link or visit Karen's website. Yesterday, author and my friend, Karen Beaudin, honored her sister, Kathy, on the forty-second anniversary of this very same sister's murder. Karen and I met a couple years ago, yet our connection goes much deeper. We both lost our sisters. We both wrote a book to share our sisters and the hope we have thanks to God's working in our life. We both speak and advocate for other families, missing, and the hurting.

While there are similarities, there are differences too. My sister, Heidi M Allen, remains missing nineteen years later. Karen's sister, Kathy, was found murdered within hours of her disappearance. Karen has other siblings, while Heidi was my only sister. It doesn't matter that one sister remains missing and another was found, the connection started at the loss.

As I looked for a book similar to mine, God directed me to Karen. A couple summer's ago, Karen was traveling through New York and she stopped in for dinner so we could meet in person. With a horrific storm raging outside, the warmth and friendship around the dinner table was that of old friends, not two who just met. This is the kind of thing God orchestrates. Regardless of the similarities or differences in our sister's cases, the commonality is this: friendship, a desire to help others, and a joy in sharing where our hope is found and released from.

I released Where's Heidi? One Sister's Journey on April third this year, the nineteenth anniversary of Heidi's abduction. Karen released her design for a beautiful bracelet to help support victims in some way, a mission she revealed to the public on the anniversary of her sister's murder.

Why do we choose to remember our sisters like this, on a day many would say is sad? Just for this reason - the worst day of my life so far is when I lost my sister yet to do something special in her memory on the date we last knew where she was...is a priceless blessing because Heidi wanted to help others. So why not help others on the day she stopped being able to help them? Nothing more precious, here are a few words from Karen about the bracelet.

To learn more about Karen - click on her photograph below. "I designed the victims of violent crimes bracelet (VOVC) for individuals that know someone whose life was eradicated by the hands of a murderer. My sister Kathy Lynn Gloddy was murdered in New Hampshire on November 21, 1971. No one has ever been arrested.

The justice scale leans heavy on the side of the broken heart. Whether a murder is resolved or not, true justice would be the return of our loved ones. A portion of the proceeds will be donated to organizations that support victims of violent crimes. Kathy continues to impact individuals lives through her testimony. Law enforcement, victim advocates, students and individuals are greatly affected by her story.

The charm is pewter and one inch in diameter. The bracelet is black leather. All items will be shipped on January 1, 2014. Thank you for your support!
I love you Kathy,
Karen" The only thing I get from sharing this post is
a smile on my face, warmth in my heart,
and the hope of supporting a friend
as she uses her gifts to help others.

Leave Karen a note of encouragement below.

Have Faith...will travel!

In two weeks I will board a plane for San Antonio, Texas. This is a humbling and special experience to say the least. There are many reasons this trip is such a blessing. Let me tell you about a few.

The most important one of course is the reason for the trip. The Heidi Search Center located in San Antonio invited me to speak at their first H.O.P.E. Campaign Banquet. This is the very same search center who loaned us their director at the time, a search and rescue expert, to join the Oswego County Sheriff's Department to help bring our Heidi, Heidi M. Allen home.

Although we didn't find Heidi and she remains missing today, our thanks to the Heidi Search Center in San Antonio remain in our prayers -- more than nineteen years later.

This summer a relationship began with Crystal, one the Texas Heidi Search Center's staff. Neither of us saw where God was taking this until the summer came to a close and the sound of school bells and returning to school were in the background. Little did Crystal know the first time we spoke that I already knew of her center and the special connection we have. Once I shared this with her, the bond only grew.

Almost twenty years ago Texas traveled to New York, this December -- New York is traveling to Texas. To say it has come "full-circle" doesn't seem correct since our Heidi is still missing yet on the spiritual and emotional level...there is some truth to this. I'm FLYING!!
This is on a couple levels - of course the literal level due to my mode of transport but it is so much more.
“but those who hope in the Lord
    will renew their strength.
They will soar on wings like eagles;
    they will run and not grow weary,
    they will walk and not be faint.” Isaiah 40:31

Am I  a little anxious about this? Yes. Is this something I've never done before? Yes.

So why am I doing it? Easy...God's called me to it and opened the door. I continue to prepare, pray, and pray more for the upcoming trip, the speaking, and the people I will meet. This is a speaking engagement across the country, yes, but it is so much more. It is an opportunity to thank the very people who were instrumental in providing the guidance we needed, just when we needed it. God connected us then through Auntie M's Google search and then again this summer, through Crystal's Google search. Who knew God is on Google, even in 1994 when it was still "new"?

If God opens the door and provides the means to be there, then in obedience...I fly in His strength, provision, and protection.

We weren't sure if this would be possible but one of God's angels blessed the Heidi Search Center in Texas to make this trip possible. The only reason I mention this here is so you can join me in lifting a prayer of thanksgiving and blessing on this sponsor. May he or she be blessed in return for their generosity. God is good and still works through others in today's society, we might just have to look a little closer to notice. Spread the word, God is alive and active, blessing you and me still today. Have you thanked Him? To learn more about the Heidi Search Center's "Hope Initiative Campaign" - click on the photo to the left. Each photograph on today's blog has a link to more information about the center and ways you can help support their mission in helping the families of the missing and bringing the missing home. Leave a message below for the Heidi Search Center in San Antonio to encourage them as they move forward in HOPE!

Guest Blogger: Author Karen Lange Shares Her New Book

Essential co-op tools, tips, and options for today’s homeschool families. Thinking about joining or starting a homeschool co-op? Not sure if a co-op is a good fit? Homeschool Co-ops 101 weighs the pros, cons, and creative options available for today’s homeschool family. Section 1 includes essential, digestible info on co-op ingredients such as planning and organization, schedules, teaching, finances, and addressing conflict and burnout. Section 2 shares a sampling of co-op games and activities, and Section 3 contains five hands-on unit studies. These ready to use studies include lessons on Leonardo da Vinci, Birds of Prey, Public Speaking, Tall Tales, and Creative Writing, and are suitable for co-op or home use. This section also includes unit study guidelines that are easily customized to suit any topic. Section 4 offers suggested books, curriculum, and other resources. Karen Lange has gathered insight from years of co-oping and now shares her own and others’ experiences in this valuable and encouraging handbook.

Homeschool Co-ops 101 is available at:

~~~Amazon~~~

~~~Barnes and Noble~~~

~~~Kobo~~~

About the Author Karen Lange, her husband, and three children were active in co-ops during their sixteen-year homeschool journey. Her experience includes serving as a local homeschool support group coordinator and consultant for a state homeschool network in New Jersey. Karen’s children have since graduated, and she is now a freelance writer and online writing instructor for homeschooled teens. You can connect with Karen at herBlog, on Twitter, and Facebook. Blog Tour Schedule November 4 ~Ruth Schiffman, http://outonalimbshywritergoessocial.blogspot.com/ ~Robyn Campbell, http://robyn-campbell.blogspot.com/ November 5 ~Carol Alexander, http://lessonsfromthehomestead.com/blog/ ~Diane Estrella, www.dianeestrella.com November 6 ~Gena Mayo, ichoosejoy.org ~Marja Meijers, http://sacredsabbath.blogspot.com/ November 7 ~Sandie Crozek, http://chattycrone.blogspot.com/ ~Melissa Brander, http://mkbrander.com/ ~Cecelia Lester, http://quietspirit-followingmyking.blogspot.com/ November 8 ~Susan Reinhardt, http://www.susanjreinhardt.com/ ~Cecelia Lester, http://quietspirit-followingmyking.blogspot.com/ November 10 ~Laura V. Hilton, http://lighthouse-academy.blogspot.com/ ~Melissa & Tiffany, http://www.homegrownfamilies.net ~Janette Dolores, http://janettedolores.blogspot.com November 11 ~Susan Sundwall, www.sundwallsays.blogspot.com ~Michelle Isenhoff, http://www.michelleisenhoff.com/wp November 12 ~Carol Alexander, http://lessonsfromthehomestead.com/blog/ ~Jeanette Levellie, http://www.jeanettelevellie.com/ November 13 ~Susanne Dietze, http://susannedietze.blogspot.com/ ~Sherryl Wilson, simplysherryl.com ~Anne Payne, duhpaynes.blogspot.com November 14 ~Rhonda Schrock, http://www.rhondaschrock.com/rhondas_blog/ ~Abi Buening, http://myheartbelongs2books.blogspot.com/ ~Amber Schamel, http://www.amberschamel.com/history-blog.html ~Renee, motherdaughterbookreviews.com November 15 ~Crystal King, http://asimpleheartforhome.blogspot.com/ ~Barb Winters, inthemidstof.wordpress.com/ ~Tyrean Martinson, http://tyreanswritingspot.blogspot.com/ November 16 ~Julie, soaringeagle8.blogspot.com ~Sarah, myjoyfilledlife.com November 17 ~Amada Chavez, ascphotosanddesigns.blogspot.com ~Cindi Clubbs,http://ccclubbs.com/ ~Rebecca Boerner, http://ohiohomeschool.blogspot.com/ November 18 ~Carlene Havel, https://www.goodreads.com/author/show/6440085.Carlene_Havel/blog. ~Lisa M. Buske, http://www.lisambuske.com/blog.html November 19 ~Karen Loethen, http://taytayhser.blogspot.com.au/ ~Amy Smith, myseasonsofopportunities.blogspot.com/ November 20 ~Darlene Arroyo-Lozada, http://lovebookslozada.blogspot.com/ November 22 ~Sarah Bailey, http://growingforchrist.wordpress.com ~Thumb Updown, http://momsthumb.blogspot.com/ December 2 ~Jennifer Shirk, http://jennifershirk.blogspot.com/ ~Ticia M.,http://adventuresinmommydom.org/

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

The Giveaway Open to US addresses only. One person will receive a $25 Amazon GC and a copy of Homeschool Co-ops 101. Please use the Rafflecopter below to be entered: a Rafflecopter giveaway The winner will be chosen from those entries and announced December 5, 2013. Good luck! Open only to those who can legally enter, receive and use an Amazon.com Gift Code. Winning entry will be verified prior to prize being awarded. No purchase necessary. You must be 18 or older to enter or have your parent enter for you. The winner will be chosen by Rafflecopter and announced here as well as e-mailed, and will have 48 hours to respond or a new winner will be chosen. This giveaway is in no way associated with Facebook, Twitter, Rafflecopter or any other entity unless otherwise specified. The number of eligible entries received determines the odds of winning. Giveaway was organized by Diane at That’s What I’m Here For… and sponsored by the author, Karen Lange. The author provided me with a free copy of Homeschool Co-ops 101 to review, and I was under no obligation to review it if I so chose. Nor was I under any obligation to write a positive review or sponsor a giveaway in return for the free book.VOID WHERE PROHIBITED BY LAW. What prompted you to write this book? Thanks so much for inviting me over to your blog! I’m looking forward to visiting with you and your followers. About ten years ago, I was encouraged by a good friend in the homeschool community to write a booklet about co-ops. She was the director of a statewide homeschool support network, and she knew people often asked me about how a co-op works. The booklet seemed like a good way to share the info, so I self published it.  In May of 2013, Helping Hands Press offered me a contract to expand it, so here we are!  

What can readers expect to find in the book?The book offers info on how to start a co-op and weighs the pros, cons, and creative options available for homeschool families. One thing I emphasize is that parents have options when it comes to co-oping. Co-ops come in all sizes and sometimes an existing one is not a good fit for a family. Parents shouldn’t feel bad or be intimidated if this is the case; they need to know that it’s okay to either not participate and even start their own co-op if they wish.

Another thing to note is that HC 101's usefulness is not limited to just homeschoolers. The how to section offers helpful setup and structure tips for other K-12 student groups. The activity segment has lessons, games, and hands on projects that suit these groups as well.                        

Here is a breakdown of each section of the book:
Section 1 includes info on co-op ingredients such as planning and organization, schedules, teaching, finances, and addressing conflict and burnout. 
Section 2 has a sampling of co-op games and activities, and Section 3 contains five hands-on unit studies. The topics include lessons on Leonardo da Vinci, Birds of Prey, Public Speaking, Tall Tales, and Creative Writing, and are suitable for co-op or individual home use.
Section 3 also includes unit study guidelines that are easily customized to suit any topic. Section 4 offers suggested books,
curriculum, and other resources. 

Tell us a little about your homeschool experience. My husband and I homeschooled our three children (two sons and a daughter) in grades K-12. We chose to homeschool because, among other things, we wanted to personalize our children’s education and felt home was the best place to do that. During this time, we were active with our local homeschool support group’s events such as field trips and science and art fairs.  Co-ops played an important role too. These activities helped supplement our studies, provided balanced socialization, fellowship, and fun. They also offered a broader worldview as our children interacted with not just homeschool families, but the surrounding community. 

If you happen to be interested in more info about the ups and downs of homeschooling, socialization, higher education, and other related topics, visit this link: http://www.insanitek.net/ink/archives/865

What would you like readers to take away from the book? No one plan fits everyone, so I encourage families, whether they decide to co-op or not, to find the right balance and fit for them. My hope is that they would find ideas and encouragement for their children’s educational journey.  I hope you enjoyed hearing from Karen...Any questions for her?
Leave a comment below

"You were serious?"...The comment that make my week

Last month I toyed with the idea of blogging less. There wasn't one particular reason that brought this on, it just seemed like the right thing to do at the time. I found myself asking my parents and Ed, "How did I survive last year editing, revising, working with the editor, marketing, and speaking in addition to working full-time and life as wife, mother, and daughter?"

My parents chuckled and gave all the right answers from a parent's perspective: you're organized, you set a goal and didn't let anything get in your way of reaching the April 3, 2013 release date, and it wasn't work -- it was a mission to share hope and Heidi with others.

Aren't my parents wonderful? I think so too. I agreed with them yet it still seemed like there was something more to it but since I couldn't figure out what it was I decided to take a break from the blog and see if I could figure out what was different.

Someone said, "You were serious? I didn't think you could stop blogging and only do it a few times a week, it's in you. I hope you are enjoying your break but I wanted you to know I miss reading your blogs everyday." To say I was touched is an understatement. So is this why I'm blogging now? No.

It's taken a few weeks but I've figured out what is different. In addition to a couple personal issues that need not be on the blog, I've let the exhaustion of life get to me. Instead of getting up a little earlier to enjoy a few moments of quiet time, I'm hitting the snooze until there's barely enough time to make the coffee, do the dishes, and a load of laundry before racing out the door for work.

Once God started to reveal this to me I decided to make some baby step changes in the morning, I didn't get so far removed over night so I can't expect a miracle turn around yet it has to start somewhere. My first change was to read from the coffee devotional instead of playing the bubble popping game. I'm trying (and I'm such a creature of habit this is more of a challenge, lol) to utilize quiet time as it fits our current schedule rather than stressing over missing it in the morning. God doesn't care if I read the Bible at 5 a.m. or 5 p.m. He doesn't care if I journal first thing or later in the day. Do I prefer it first thing in the morning? Yes, but it isn't about the time on the clock - it's just enjoying, embracing, and savoring the "time with God" -- not logging the hours, if that makes sense.

Another aspect of the blog I didn't think about until today when author, and friend, Michelle Weidenbenner posted the following on her Facebook page: "28,677 words written this month. What about my writer friends? Are you on target to reach your goals this month?" I originally planned to gift my parents a book for Christmas so I thought a break from the blog would free up more "writing time"...Not so much. I'm not one to count how many words I write per month but there is one thing I know, since cutting back on the blog -- if I was to count the number of words written in my "break", they've traveled in the opposite direction rather than in the positive direction. Thanks Michelle for this great question today, I needed it. Still not sure I'm setting a monthly writing goal yet to write is a goal.

If you are wondering if the blog is returning to a daily routine, I don't know. Life still feels a bit crazy and out of control but I'm moving in a forward direction and praying God is going to lead, provide, and help us through it. God called me to write and speak. When I do these things for Him I am blessed above and beyond anything I can imagine. So if you would like to join us in prayer, it is appreciated. Pray for God's will, leading, blessing, and for a couple unspoken requests at this time.

Please don't worry, nothing serious as it compares to the grand scheme of life...just some things aren't meant for public posting, if you know what I mean. Thanks again. What have you been up to? What are your plans for the next week?

Breaking Bad Habits MUST Start Somewhere

It's a beautiful Friday morning and weekend fun is only hours away so I decided to pose a reflective question for the weekend.

What is your bad habit? or maybe, What are your bad habitS?

If you are honest, you have one. Can you pinpoint it? I'm not talking about the quirky idiosyncrasies author, Elaine W. Miller, discusses at the beginning of her book, We All Married Idiots: Three Things You Will Never Change About Your Marriage and Ten Things You Can. Elaine writes, "The dictionary revealed I had 'peculiar habits'. Well, don't we all? Anyone who isn't a little peculiar is probably a lot boring, I rationalized as my boyfriend bid his farewell."

We all have the peculiar habits Elaine writes about, so let's forget about these little nuances for a moment and focus on the bad habits getting in the way of time with family, friends, and most importantly...God.

Earlier this year I had the opportunity to share with the women at Fulton Alliance Church, along with their friends and families. The message was titled, "The Lake Where the Fish Are Always Biting". To demonstrate how we all have areas to change and grow in, I shared one of my bad habits. If you are reading this and remember me confessing my addiction with the game "Bubble Buster" on my Kindle Fire then you will appreciate today's blog more than most because you "saw" my addiction and struggle first hand. I'm not writing this blog to say, "Look at me, I left the Fulton Alliance and never started my day with a game of Bubble Buster again." Instead, I am sharing to expose this terrible habit for what it is and demonstrate any bad habit you have can be broken with the help of God.

"For I can do everything through Christ, who gives me strength."  Philippians 4:13

A couple weeks ago I started to clean off book shelves and box up most the books in the house. We removed a wall of bookshelves to make room for an amazing gift of time, love, and sweet generosity. This may or may not make it to the blog. I'd like to keep it as something private between my parents and I yet the beauty of this gift is a priceless act of love, one that should be shared. Anyway, today's blog isn't about that but instead about a book I found while cleaning. It's titled, "Coffee Break with God". As soon as I saw it, conviction set in and I remembered sharing with the women how I would stop popping bubbles while I waited for the coffee to brew. Months later, this was still my pattern. Well, since finding this book I have been much better about playing my game first thing in the morning.

I placed this book on top of my coffee grounds so in order to make the coffee in the morning I must pick up the book. Instead of popping bubbles and getting frustrated because I can't beat  a level (as my second act of the day, next to making the coffee)...you can now find me reading the daily Scripture and devotional and reflecting on it until the coffee is finished.

Is there where I want to be? No, I'd like to be up early enough to crack a Good Book and write in my journal each day but rather than focus on what I'm not doing right, I'm celebrating this battle won. I might not reach the next level before school in the morning but I've earned far more than a new level...I start with peace and joy. What bad habit will you start to mold into a better habit today?

TOP's Tuesday ~ Meaning Behind This Weekly Theme

Some may remember or know why the Tuesday blog is called "TOP's Tuesday", yet others may not. Since the first T.O.P.'s Tuesday posted in August of 2012 there have many new readers joining this part of the blogosphere. As there isn't anything too exciting to report as per the publishing world, I thought a post to revisit why the Tuesday blog is special to my family and me. I hope you enjoy and we'd love to hear from you too. More than a day of the week...it represents hope and strength. Why is it called T.O.P.'s Tuesday ? Great question! Heidi played volleyball for the Bishop Cunningham Jr./Sr. High School until it closed in 1992. On February 14th, 1992 the Palladium Times (an Oswego, New York newspaper) named my sister, Heidi M. Allen athlete of the week. This was exciting and we were all proud of her but it was the name they gave her that stirred the most attention, "Tower of Power". 

Heidi was a force to be reckoned with on the court. As I visited with Suz last week I told her about the name for your weekly updates. Not only did she like the name but she reminded me of this newspaper article (posted below with permission from the Palladium Times). My parents and I could not find it in the boxes of memories so the hunt was on. 

Mags and I spent over two hours at the Oswego Public Library today going through months and years of microfilm. Side by side, we scrolled and enjoyed the conversation and then it happened, Mags found the article we prayed to find. An answered prayer.

Each Tuesday we will remember Heidi, Bishop Cunningham's "Tower of Power" (T.O.P.) as we move forward in this publishing journey. God is the ultimate Tower of Power for us all but Heidi was her friend's T.O.P. on the court.  Is there a special way you remember a lost loved one?

Happy Veteran's Day 2013!

We Shall Keep the Faith
Oh! you who sleep in Flanders Fields,
Sleep sweet - to rise anew!
We caught the torch you threw
And holding high, we keep the Faith
With All who died.

 We cherish, too, the poppy red
That grows on fields where valour led;
It seems to signal to the skies
That blood of heroes never dies,
But lends a lustre to the red
Of the flower that blooms above the dead
In Flanders Fields.

 And now the Torch and Poppy Red
We wear in honour of our dead.
Fear not that ye have died for naught;
We'll teach the lesson that ye wrought
In Flanders Fields.

 by Moina Michael

As we remember our veterans on this special day - let us always remember our future.

When I saw this picture of the child running through the field of poppies
my heart fluttered. The men, women, and children who've give all --
gave so your children may run and play.

Those that continue to sacrifice and risk their lives
do so for the same reason - our future.

Remember the fallen and honor those still here to salute, bless, and thank.
Today's day off came at a cost - it's more than a day to sleep in or get started on your shopping. Today represents freedom fought for and gifted to you by our veterans. Is there a veteran or two you could encourage and thank today?
How might you show your appreciation to him or her?