I have been taking a web design class and one of the first projects I did was make an "Addendum" to our web site, just to see what I could do. It's a "Live" website, to the extent that I'm using my online school's server to view it, so while it's still available, I'd like to invite you to visit our "sister" site and tell me what you think!

http://jb53185.aisites.com/IMD132/Final/index.html

Copy and paste that to your address box, above, if you can't click on it in the message. Sometimes clicking work, sometimes it doesn't!

Enjoy!

Whew! Does life seem to just get you down and you cruise (or plod) along for awhile, like about a year, and suddenly realize you've been slacking? Just getting by? I've been in that mode since Debbie died - a year ago this month - and it's been a tough one. These pictures (that were a challenge to get loaded, let me tell you! Thanks to Drew and "vald@picturetrail.com" for getting these in here, finally!). . .as I was saying, these pictures are from the week my brothers, their families, and me and my family all swarmed to Mati and Debbie's farm, just to get together and celebrate life and missing Debbie together.

Not in any particular order: My brothers: David (Wife-Pam) and Mark (Wife-Sue, not in the pictures because she was working; David and Pam's children (Grown - Adam and Megan {Jacob was working}); Brother-in-law: Mati; Debbie and Mati's children (Aviv, Tamar, Liann, Meia, Ben, Shira) and all of mine except Amber, who was also working (Sarah, Ashley, Heather, Olivia, Jeremiah, Zachary). Ashley, in one of her pictures, shows a swollen face - the wasp won. . .

CLICK ON ANY PICTURE BELOW - IT EXPANDS!

The end of October - can you believe it? Our authors have put together a book of 31 devotions for Advent which will be available for sale in about a week (November 5). It's title is "The Journey" and the size will be perfect to carry around with you wherever you go. Selling price is $8.00, so if you're looking for a stocking stuffer or an early Christmas present, this is the first stop to make!

Check back to see a picture of the book cover. It's totally awesome!

It seems that since the conference, our devotions have been aired on public radio out of Atlanta (www.ibn.org). The devotions are being broadcast simultaneously in English and Spanish, and for this, we truly give God glory. Our desire as authors of the devotions is to reach more people who may not know the God of the Gospel, or who may need reassurance that this God of all Creation loves them and cares what happens to them. He is our "everyday" God, yet He is so much more. He is truly an awesome, totally awesome God! (Stations that carry Immanuel Broadcasting Network include: Cartersville, Georgia - 91.7 and Piedmont, Alabama 88.3 FM. The translator stations include: 91.1 FM in Fort Payne, AL; 104.3 in Chattanooga, TN; and in Georgia, the following: Chatsworth 94.7FM; Dalton 95.1FM; Ellijay 90.9FM; Marietta 92.3FM; Ringgold 99.9FM; Woodstock 100.9FM; Rossville 96.1FM; Canton 92.1FM)

Another contact that we met was Chris Maxwell, a dynamite man who has had major input into "Faith Cafe" (http://www.chrismaxwellweb.com/index.htm) and who speaks about how God uses him through his disability to give God praise. He is definitely a man to know! Check out his website!

And if these two contacts weren't more than we could have ever asked to know or meet, we were blessed by Cecil Murphy (Author and ghostwriter of many books, including "90 Minutes in Heaven") with a scholarship to have consultations with a marketing guru to help us promote ourselves - not for ourselves, obviously, but for the words we have that are able to cross lines and boundaries more distant than we even know. The Spanish community in Atlanta is a prime example of what we would like to see happen more extensively, so maybe this is how it will begin.

Some of us went to a writers' conference last weekend, and we learned that - we don't know how to write! (Insert cry face) However, we had a BLAST, both at the conference and afterwards, meeting with Cynthia, one of the authors of the original devotions our first year doing devotions and introducing Heather to the wild, wacky world of wonder women (she certianly does wonder about us, now) and our style of humor and friendship. The laughter was healing, the learning was needed, and the time spent together was priceless. What a great God we serve, and what great gifts He gives us. And with that, may I introduce - the Authors in Atlanta!

As you can see, we have quite a group of women that writes daily devotions! Not all of them that you see, though, are still writing. Some of these women have taken time off to raise their families, and we were thankful that they shared their lives and their devotions with us as time permitted for them. Laura (whose baby son, Noah, gives away her identity); Sue, who has the poise and pose of a school teacher (because she is one!); and Cynthia (in a picture by herself, and then with Angie) are the three who have shared their hearts with us. Maybe they'll find more time and devotions to share with us, again.

The rest of the faces, you may or may not recognize. However, as we post specific slide shows for each specific author, you'll get it figured out! Until then, happy guessing!

This is so awesome! I didn't realize how exciting our authors actually were! Wrong - I'm just kidding. I have asked each of them for permission to post pictures of their families, whether it's the current generation or children of the next generation, and I've gotten some approvals back, so we're going to start with Kay. She has two children, Kelly and Chuck, of whom you have read some devotions, and Kelly has two children of her own, Adam (Of whom you've read about for three years, now!) and Hannah (Most recent addition/edition for the grandchildren stories). I do have pictures, and at the last sighting of these children, both were healthy and busting dirt! Well, I'm not sure what that means, so let's just say, they're doing great and we thank God for the blessing of health!

Kay, as you may know, has worked as an instructor of technical writing for the University of Alabama in Huntsville and has worked as an editor for technical writers. Even "retired," she's using her skills as both editor and writer, and taking care of her grandchildren in her "spare" time. Charlie, her husband of many golden years, is an avid golfer and an even more avid grandfather.

Meet - and see - Kay!

If there's a delay between reading this paragraph and the slide show, just wait until it loads up. It is worth waiting for!

Get Your Own!

We are going to try this little addition to our website, just for some fun! When you read the devotions and check out the pictures that are on the site, already, they've been there since we began. Obviously, times change, but our picturs and biographies have remained the same. Well, guess what? "Things" happen and time marches on!

So, we're going to get caught up with a blog, here and while it may not be as good as what the general population of bloggers can do, we'll get there! (I have two daughters who can input, so you'll never know!). For starters, check out our panel slide show. When I figure out how to make the captions stick to the pictures, I'll have accomplished Goal #1. . .

Cool Slideshows