{ramona williams}

{Thursday's Quote - Booker T. Washington}

"Success is to be measured not so much by the position that one has reached in life as by the obstacles which he has overcome while trying to succeed."

-Booker T. Washington

For additional Black History Month Quotes, click here.

 

{Each Thursday I share a quote on my blog. Why Thursday? My favorite day of the week; I was born on a Thursday...}

{Thursday's Quote - Jesse Owens}

"The battles that count aren't the ones for gold medals. The struggles within yourself--the invisible, inevitable battles inside all of us--that's where it's at."

-Jesse Owens

 For additional Black History Month Quotes, click here.

 

{Each Thursday I share a quote on my blog. Why Thursday? My favorite day of the week; I was born on a Thursday...}

{Thursday's Quote - Rosa Parks}

"All I was doing was trying to get home from work."

-Eleven words and one understatement from Rosa Parks. February 4 would have been the civil rights activist's 101st Birthday.

 

{Each Thursday I share a quote on my blog. Why Thursday? My favorite day of the week; I was born on a Thursday...}

{Made It Through Another Week}

Last week was a busy, but good week. So at the end of the work week on Friday afternoon, I said to my co-worker, "Made it through another week".  I wasn't saying it in a way that was depressing or feeling overwhelmed, but just acknowledging that another week of life had passed.

His response kinda took me off guard, he started laughing. But then he said, "I had a conversation with my dad recently, and he said the same thing".

His father is 94.

I got it and started laughing too. When his dad spoke, I knew that he had an entirely different thought in mind from mine. He was acknowleging that he made it through another week of life itself, not so much the experiences, highs and lows that come with life.

 This week's Verse for the Week comes from Psalm 90.

The Eternity of God, and Man’s Frailty

A Prayer of Moses the man of God.

So teach us to number our days, that we may gain a heart of wisdom.

~Psalm 90:12

Questions that I have begun to ask myself at the end of or beginning of a new week:

-did you encourage anyone this week?

-did you communicate with loved ones or friends? or were you too busy?

-accomplish any goals this week?

-improve your character, become a better person?

-try or experience anything new?

-draw closer to God?

-draw closer to your spouse?

 

Sadly, sometimes the answers are no. Then, there are weeks when I have a few more yeses.

Today is Sunday and the beginning of a new week. New opportunities lie ahead. I pray that at the end of the week I will have more 'Yeses' than 'Nos'.

I pray the same for you.

{Happy February!}

For more February holidays - from the wacky to the unique, click here.

{Heaven is For Real}

The New York Times Best Selling Book, Heaven is For Real, has been made into a movie that is set to open in theatres on Easter (April 16, 2014). The story is about a four year old's experience in heaven during an emergency surgery as told by his father.

Official Movie Trailer - http://www.sonypictures.com/movies/heavenisforreal/

In 2011, I read the book, and wrote a review on my blog. Following is that review. I'm glad to see that the book has been adapted into movie; Marc and I both are excited and looking forward to seeing it.

 

  {Original Post Date - 9/5/2011}

When a coworker first mentioned the book, “Heaven is for Real: A Little Boy’s Astounding Story of His Trip to Heaven and back” by Todd Burpo (with Lynn Vincent), I knew that it was a book that I must read.  As she started to highlight what she had read, I thought to myself, “I need to go to amazon.com and read the the synopsis, reviews, and if available, the first chapter”.

“Heaven is for Real” is Colton Burpo’s account of his experience in heaven as told by his father, Todd over a span of time. What’s most interesting about this story is that when Colton had this experience, he was only three (3) years old.

Todd Burpo tells the story of Colton’s illness, the mis-diagnosis of stomach flu that was actually a ruptured appendix resulting in emergency surgery; the grueling moments that he and his wife, Sonya had to endure while their son was gravely ill.

The story of Colton’s heaven experience wasn’t revealed instantly, but over time and during what I would call everyday life moments.  By questioning Colton without leading him, Todd Burpo was able to hear stories about their child’s time in another place. Colton mentions meeting his great-grandfather (who had passed away 25 years before Colton was born), his older sister (she passed away in a mis-carriage), John the Baptist and spending time with Jesus. Within the book are many more details that Colton shares about heaven.

Since I already profess a faith in Jesus, I’m not a skeptic to the afterlife and truly believe that heaven does exist.  I do believe that there is validity to what the Colton has shared – that’s where faith steps in. I would recommend this book for those that believe and don’t believe. It (the book) may cause you to take a step of faith and realize that heaven is for real after all.

http://www.ramonawilliams.net/bookreviews/2011/09/book-review-heaven-is-for-real-by-todd-burpo.html

 

{Verse for The Week - Philippians 3:12-14}

{photo from here.}

12 Not that I have already obtained it or have already become perfect, but I press on so that I may lay hold of that for which also I was laid hold of by Christ Jesus.

13 Brethren, I do not regard myself as having laid hold of it yet; but one thing I do:forgetting what lies behind and reaching forward to what lies ahead, 

14 I press on toward the goal for the prize of the upward call of God in Christ Jesus.