Did God Need a Friend?

I can't remember what website I pulled this from, so I don't have the author's name. Should I run across it, I will give the writer full credit. Eddie's memorial service and graveside service yesterday are unexplainable. There are no words. Here was a church family, along with Eddie's own family, gathering to celebrate his new life in Heaven while struggling to understand that his earthly life has come to an end.
I still continue to live day to day, mourning him and thinking with each step through those church halls, I'm going to turn a corner and he will be there. And if I am struggling in my own grief, I can not even begin to fathom the pain that Karen is in. I wish that every single person who ever comes to this blog could have known Eddie Harris. Your life would have been a much brighter place, just by one of what Jimmy Williams called "an Eddie Harris hug that would almost crack your ribs."

Eddie was a hugger who was not afraid to tell anyone how much he loved them. It is my great hope that in losing him, we will grow closer as a church family and learn to love one another more in the same way that Eddie loved all of us. I think that is one of the best ways we can honor his memory.

We love you, Eddie.

Did God need another angel?
Or someone He knew that would care?
Someone who always thought of others
And when needed…was always there.

Did God need another angel?
Or someone to be more helpful in Heaven above?
Even though you were treasured here on Earth
I guess He noticed your kindness & your love.

Did God need another angel?
Or someone He knew was worthwhile?
Someone to share in His spiritual inspirations
And someone with an awesome smile!

I guess God watched you from Heaven
And choose someone He knew was special
Many nights I’ve cried to God in anger
“Why did You need another angel?”

And then the answer hit me & it’s quite simple
For now, I’m no longer saddened,
Because, God DID need another angel
…but he also needed a friend!


Just as you were loved, so shall you be missed.

If You Could See Me Now

Don't know who this guy is....



We love you, Eddie.

Do Not Be Afraid

I told him that I loved him. I distinctly remember that. I told him that we would all be waiting there when he was ready to wake up. But that was not in God's plan for Eddie's life. We will never know why it wasn't, and in all honesty it was never up to us. I remember hugging Eddie that morning right before the service was over. He had told me earlier how scared he was. I told him I loved him and told him I would pray for him.
He told me he loved me. "Thank you for that book," he said with a smile, "And the coin. I love you, I really mean that. And I value your friendship."

There was something much more important that I didn't get to share with Eddie that day. A small passage from my Bible, somewhat of a "reflection" that I just decided to post here. This has been weighing on my heart all week, and I don't know why I didn't get the opportunity to tell him about this.

...Jesus wants you to know that you can trust him as the Great Shepherd. In Psalm 23, David paints a beautiful picture of God making us lie down in green pastures. Without total trust in the shepherd, the sheep will not lie down in the pasture for fear of being attacked. Jesus is your Shepherd, and you are his sheep. He loves you and wants to see you lie down in green pastures of his love.
The Lord's promise is that no matter where you are today, he is walking with you. Tonight you will lie down, and fear will not overtake you. You will not be a slave to anyone or anything because you are precious in his sight because of his love for you. That is a promise that only he can fulfill in your life.

Somewhere in that great, beautiful kingdom of Heaven I can literally picture Eddie. I can picture him free of those knee braces and all that pain he used to suffer with because of his knee problems. I can see him kicked back in a beautiful green field of grass somewhere, held titled up and basking in the warm sun. I know somewhere deep within me that he is in a better place. My heart is beginning to understand that too. I used to joke with Eddie during church services that I had already hugged him once, I wasn't hugging him again - only to go back on what I'd said. And what I wouldn't give to have one of those hugs right about now.
I have a feeling Eddie Harris is at home with his Heavenly Father, already passing out hugs and telling everybody how much he loves them.

Prayer for Eddie & Karen

If you read my blog and go to church with me, you know already who Eddie and Karen are. For those of you not aware who would still like to pray for them, Eddie and Karen Harris attend Glynwood Baptist where I also go to church. Eddie was scheduled on Monday to have double knee replacement surgery, and with the exception of a blood clot the surgery was a success. However, sometime Tuesday morning Eddie suffered a stroke that has greatly affected his right side.

As of this morning, he has more use of his left side but is still not able to talk. What Karen and Eddie had planned would only take about a month to recover from has now become a major setback. Please lift them up in prayer, and continue to pray for them as they deal with what has been laid before them. These are two of the sweetest people I have ever been blessed to call my friends, and Eddie means a great deal to me and has been a good, Christian role model to me. And he's just such a sweet, genuine guy you can't help but love him.

Please continue to lift them up in prayer.

Birthday Dress

This is one of the most beautiful dresses I've ever seen....and thanks to Mrs. Leigh it will be mailed out to us today!!! We are doing a carnival theme for Gracie's birthday, so this dress is perfect.

New Blog Layout, NEW PHOTO!!!

Sorry. I'm only mildly excited. When I went to pick Gracie up from school today, they had the pictures that were taken back in August (the week after school started). I was so worried about this because I know how Gracie can be...sometimes she's all about having her picture taken, and other times (like Labor Day at Pratt Park) she was less than interested in having my camera in her face.

I absolutely LOVE this picture and wanted to share it, even though it's yucked up by all the "proof" seals. My little baby is growing up so fast!!!

9.11.01

Seven years is a long time. As of September 7, 2008, that is the number of years that Bryan and I have been in a relationship. I remember waking up that morning to the TV being on at my apartment. I remember hearing all the noise in the background on the TV, and wondering what was going on.
I remember being stunned into silence sitting on my bed as the second plane crashed into the World Trade Center. Since that day, I can't physically watch that happen on television. When those buildings fell that day, it was like something out of a huge Hollywood blockbuster.

When I googled September 11, 2001 the first that popped up were images of that day. Images like this one have been forever etched in my mind.

We talked about 9/11 today at work. I doubt there is one person in this country who can not remember where they were. I know that day will be one that made history that Gracie will learn more about in years to come.

If you have a moment, remember with me....

I've been a bad mom!

I forgot to take pictures of her bento box, the one with the cute little PB&J men. I don't know how to use my scanner, so I can't show you the adorable picture I took of her and Mason at Pratt Park on Labor Day.

I've just been busy, and if you work aside from dealing with a toddler you understand that! But I promise I'll have updates very soon!

Before you yell at me....

I'm not a politician. I am a person who is quite possibly, more interested in what is going on inside the cover of People magazine or on the next episode of Grey's Anatomy than in politics.

I have never voted. Not once. Not a local election, not a presidential election. And I used to reason that my vote didn't matter because if I wasn't interested - and I didn't know politics - what did I care?

Then after some long thought and reading some of the information about this upcoming election, I did something drastic yesterday:

I registered to vote.

Aren't you so proud????