Recipe ~ Coffee Milk ~ Drink

Simple & Delicious!

4 ounces of Coffee Syrup to 8-10 ounces of Ice Cold Milk

CoFfeE SyRuP

If you are not lucky enough to be in a region where you can get hold of this liquid gold, you can make you own pretty quickly.....and economically I might add.

It is made by taking equal parts strong coffee to sugar, I use white sugar myself.

3 cups of strong coffee to 3 cups sugar; 5 cups of strong coffee to 5 cups sugar.......you get the picture. :o)

Bring sugar and coffee to a boil, simmer for 5 minutes, then let cool.

Add to Cold Milk & Enjoy! *

I am certain you can get creative by adding ice, pop in a blender and come up with a frozen drink like your local Starbuck*ets for much less, so have fun with it.

**Also, I think if you add some other flavors to jazz up this already great drink you might surprise yourself.

Flavors to try that come to my mind right away are a couple drops of liquid hazelnut, amaretto, vanilla, cinnamon essence or any other flavor you like.
Maybe try a dash or two of your favorite spices such as cloves, cinnamon, etc to make your own version of it.

Let me know if you try it out and tell me what you think.

Below is some history on the syrup/drink that I pulled from Wikipedia.

-Happy Reading!

~Breeze

History-
Coffee milk was introduced to Rhode Island sometime in the early 1930s. It came about from creative diner and drugstore operators trying to attract new customers with creative drinks. One of these operators, who is lost to history, sweetened leftover coffee grounds with milk and sugar. This created a molasses-like extract that became popular. Coffee milk became a favorite among Rhode Islanders and created a demand for this coffee syrup. The demand was so great, that in 1993, it beat out Del's Lemonade as the official drink of Rhode Island.[2]

Availability-
In southeastern parts of the U.S. region of New England, it can be found in the dairy case of stores right next to other flavored milks such as chocolate and strawberry, and is often found on the beverage menus of diners throughout the state.

One such diner, Friendly's, actually offers free refills on coffee milk. This is very surprising since it is not as inexpensive to produce as most drinks that are granted free refills.

The drink is difficult to find outside of the New England region, however, and travelers requesting it are often mistakenly served coffee with milk. One well-known brand of coffee syrup is "Autocrat". The Autocrat company, which also produces the Eclipse and Coffeetime brands, is based in Lincoln, Rhode Island. It is the official state drink of Rhode Island and a favorite tradition among many Rhode Islanders

Timeline-
* 1930s- Coffee milk was introduced to Rhode Island.
* 1932 - The Silmo Packing Company of New Bedford, Massachusetts, began marketing a more refined version called "coffee syrup", under the Silmo name.
* 1938 - Eclipse of Warwick began marketing a more refined version of what was being made and called it "coffee syrup." Their slogan was, "You'll smack your lips if it's Eclipse."
* 1940s- Autocrat of Lincoln begin making their own mixture of corn syrup and coffee extract. Autocrat's slogan is "A swallow will tell you."
* 1991 - Both companies, Autocrat and Eclipse, used to vie for the coffee syrup business. Their rivalry ended in 1991, when Autocrat bought the Eclipse brand name and secret formula. Both labels are now produced by Autocrat and are available in stores.
* 1993 - After much political debate the Rhode Island State Legislature proclaimed Coffee Milk as "The Official State Drink of Rhode Island" on July 29, 1993. The Providence Journal-Bulletin newspaper covered the story.

Recipe ~ Swiss Vegetable Medley Bake ~ Vegetable / Sides

Swiss Vegetable Medley Bake ~ January 19th 2009

INGREDIENTS:

* 1 (16 ounce) package frozen mixed vegetables, thawed
* 1 (10.75 ounce) can condensed cream of mushroom soup
* 1 cup shredded Swiss cheese
* 1 cup sour cream
* 1 (6 ounce) can French-fried onions
* ground pepper to taste

* I use frozen broccoli/cauliflower without carrots

DIRECTIONS:

1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees F (175 degrees C). Set aside 1/4 cup of cheese, and 1/4 cup of onions.

2. In a medium-size mixing bowl, combine thawed vegetables, mushroom soup, 3/4 cup Swiss cheese, sour cream, remaining fried onions, and pepper. Pour ingredients into a 2 quart casserole dish.

3. Bake for 30 minutes. Sprinkle reserved cheese and onions on top of the casserole and bake additional 5 minutes, or until the cheese has melted.

Recipe ~ Egg & Sausage Bake ~ Breakfast / Brunch

Sausage & Egg Bake ~ January 19th 2008


8-10 Servings

Ingredients:
* 1 Lb sausage
* 6 eggs
* 6 slices bread, cubed
* 1 tsp dry mustard
* 2 C milk
* 1 tsp salt
* 1 C grated cheddar cheese

Directions:
* Brown sausage and drain
* Mix eggs, milk, salt and mustard together.
* Add bread, cheese and sausage.
* Pour into rectangle [8X11 or 9X13] glass pan lightly greased.

**NOTES:
May also add chopped onions, peppers, tomatoes, bacon, cooked hash browns or any other item you choose, just add an egg or two to get more liquid into the bake.
For an added personal touch you may also add 1/2 tsp of your favorite spice or herb; such as, basil, parsley, Italian seasoning, or the like.

** REFRIGERATE OVERNIGHT **

* Bake 45 minutes at 350 degrees.

* Let stand for at least 5 minutes before serving.

Enjoy!!
~Breeze

Serves 8-10

Cool Photo of the Day ~ January 19th 2009 [Lips]

~LiPs~

Cool Photo of the Day ~ January 19th 2009

I think it would be pretty exceptional if I could find any odd, peculiar, interesting or even inspirational photo to share with others, everyday and post it here.

Whether I would find one related to something I were going to write about; or just found it while perusing the internet, either way I would like to share with you.


Until another line is shared......Blog with you later!!

~Breeze

Skin Care Tips - Winter Lip Care


Winter lip care is a must in an overall lip care regime. Harsh weather, wind, and cold turn the soft lips into unkissable, chapped lips that not only are visually unappealling, but very painful in some cases.

Apart from the frequent use of a lip balm, here are a few more tips you could apply to keep your lips nourished and healthy during the winter period.

Winter Care For Your Lips: Save Your Lips

Lips are a sensitive body organ and the fact that we use them for speaking, eating and smiling, it is advisable to know the ways to take care of lips.

It is seen that seasons affect the lips as they are exposed to the elements directly and like hair need a lot of care.

During winters, it's largely the lips that bear the brunt. As lips have extremely sensitive skin, they appear cracked, bleed and seem to be unnaturally red, as the mercury drops.

Try out some of the methods given below to make lips look beautiful in winter.

Around 92 per cent of women use lipstick each day, but the truth is that they are still more likely to apply an eye cream at night than to reach for a specialist lip product at night. However, there comes a time when this much-overlooked area needs special attention, especially in winter.

The best way to kiss dry, chapped lips goodbye is with a little gentle exfoliation and moisturising.

Try out rubbing lip cream with a light toothbrush topped with lip cream, so that the fine cracked particles on your lips are removed completely.

To relax the lip, mash a quarter of ripe papaya to a juicy paste. Then, lie down on a towel and apply a generous amount to the lips and the skin around the lips. Leave it on for 10 to 15 minutes, rinse it off and apply lip balm. Papaya contains exfoliating enzymes and can help to soften and refine lip lines.

If your lips are prone to dryness and cracking, check out daily maintenance creams with skin-exfoliating AHAs (alpha-hydroxy-acids), moisturisers, Vitamins A and E and an SPF 15, which has been shown in trials to reduce the appearance of fine lines and wrinkles on the surface of the lips in one month.

Lips are one of the most exposed areas of skin, yet they have an extremely thin outer layer and few sebaceous glands.
Centrally heated offices (which can be particularly dry) and whipping winter winds both take a toll on your lips. If one is going skiing or to hotter climates, remember that lips contain no melanin and can quickly become badly burnt without protection. So, one has to be extremely careful in such cases.

If these tips are followed, lips will remain supple throughout the year and add to the face's attraction.
by Michael Douglas

If you are looking for more information on Health and Beauty , we would recommend you visiting Time4Tips.com where you can find an extensive array of information on beauty, makeup, cosmetics, skin care, hair care, body care and lots of effective home remedies.

Article Source: http://EzineArticles.com/?expert=Michael_Douglas

Additionally:

Lip Care during Winter
Soft and smooth lips figure among the foremost indicators of physical beauty. The skin on lips lack oil glands; hence they tend to get dry and cracked easily. You have to take special care of your lips to maintain its requisite moisture level. Your lips need special attention during winter.

What ayurveda says about cracked and chapped lips ?
Oshta kopetu pavanaath stabhdha oshtau maharujau | Daalyete paripaatyete parushasitakarkashau ||

According to ayurveda the lips crack, become painful and dark when vata dosha increases. The increase is attributed to the cold and dry climate of winter. The vitiated vata can be normalized by applying warm ghee infused with vata balancing herbs.

The tips listed below are to aid you in keeping your lips soft and smooth. Following these tips would also help prevent cracking and chapping of lips.

1. Always apply a natural lip balm to protect your lips.

2. Massaging lips with ghee (clarified butter) and leaving a thin layer of it on lips overnight acts as a natural protection for lips.

3. Repeatedly apply herbal moisturizing lotion on lips.

4. Apply a thin coat of natural balm on your lips before applying lipsticks.

5. Dip a black tea bag in warm water and press it on lips for three to four minutes. This increases moisture level on skin of lips.

6. Do not lick lips repeatedly.

7. Dip small cotton gauze in warm clarified butter (ghee) and place it on lips for 20 minutes.

8. Remove your lipstick before going to bed using a herbal cleanser and apply a thin layer of ghee on lips.

This article is copy righted. The author Dr.SavithaSuri is an Ayurvedic Physician and web master of http://www.ayurhelp.com
Read complete article at http://www.ayurhelp.com/wintercare/Lip_Care.htm .

Wikipedia.org

Lip (disambiguation)
From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
(Redirected from Lips)
Jump to: navigation, search

Lip, or Lips, may refer to

* Lip, a soft, protruding organ at the mouth of many animals, including humans
* Lip factory, a French factory which was self-managed in the 1970s
* Lip, the main character of the Super Famicom video game Panel de Pon
* Lips Manlis, a criminal in Dick Tracy, portrayed in the film as Paul Sorvino
* Lip Gallagher, one of the main characters in the television drama, Shameless.
* LIP, a brand of watches based in the French city of Besançon
* Lips, a minor Greek god and one of the Anemoi, representing the southwest wind
* Lips, an obscure hippie muppet character from The Muppet Show who was the trumpet player for Dr. Teeth and The Electric Mayhem
* Labia (Latin for "lip"), refers to any lip-like structure, especially:

* labium (genitalia), the external female genitalia, consisting of the labia minora and labia majora.

* Labial scales are those scales that form the lips of a scaled reptile's mouth.
* The Flaming Lips, a rock band commonly referred to as "The Lips".
* Lips (video game), a karaoke game for the Xbox 360
* "LIPS", a number-one single from Japanese boy band, KAT-TUN.

Additionally, LIP or LIPS may be an abbreviation of:
* Language Interface Pack, a translated interface for Microsoft Windows or Microsoft Office products
* Laser Induced Plasma Spectroscopy, an alternative name for Laser Induced Breakdown Spectroscopy
* Laser-Induced Phosphorescence, a spectroscopic technique similar to Laser-Induced Fluorescence
* Large igneous province, a massive volcanic formation resulting from flood basalt eruptions
* LIP or LiP, Lithium-polymer, a rechargeable battery technology
* LCD-TV Integrated Power Supply
* Linux Phone Standards Forum (LiPS Forum), a consortium dedicated to the creation of standards aimed at fostering the use of Linux on mobile devices
* Life In Pictures, a defunct band from Arizona
* Lymphocytic interstitial pneumonia, a Clinical Stage 3 HIV infection.
* Lateral Intraparietal cortex, a region in the parietal lobe of the brain of primates
* The Laboratory of Integrated Physiology at the University of Houston
* Loop Initialization Primitive, a Fibre Channel protocol element
* LIP, a French clockwork factory taken over by the workers in the 1970s
* Lings Internet Parts System, an online Honda parts system
* Late-inning pressure situations (LIPS), a sabermetric baseball statistic
* Linguistic and Intercultural Preparation of Students for the workplace, a European Union education project
* CaPSL, a printer command language/page description language, also called LIPS or LIPS4

[Video] Comedy Sketch, Anjelah Johnson ~ Nail Salon

Nail Salon

A Change in Strategy ~ January 12th 2009

CHANGE OF STRATEGY.......

A man was standing outside a building with a sign written:

'I am blind, please help'.

A 'creative publicist' was walking by him and stopped to observe.

He saw that the blind man had only a few coins in his hat.

He dropped in a few more coins and, without asking for permission, took the sign, turned it around and wrote another announcement. He placed the sign by the blind man's feet and left.


That afternoon the creative publicist returned to where the blind man sat and noticed that his hat was full of bills and coins.

The blind man recognized his footsteps and asked if it was he who had re-written his sign and he wanted to know what he had written on it.

The publicist responded:
'Nothing that was not true, I just wrote your sign out a little differently.'
He smiled and went on his way.

The new sign read:

'TODAY IS THE FIRST DAY OF SPRING AND I CANNOT SEE IT.'

Sometimes you need to change your strategy when something does not go Your way and you'll see it may just be for the best.


Remember, if you always do what you've always done, you'll always get What you always got.

Time, Life & Healing

Wow!

So much has happened in the last year, and the tragedy of my life last year was losing my mom.

She was a wonderful wife and mother, and she was such a great person too.She wasn't perfect, but she was pretty damn close to being perfect at soo much!

She would help everyone as best she could, and expected nothing in return.

She had a peculiar sense of humor, never liked Jim Carey, if that tells you anything about her, and what made her laugh.:o)

She soo loved to read; not everything either, she was into fact, not fiction. Biographies of stars of yester-year and famous people were among her favorite stories to read. She devoured books quickly, she loved them soo much.

She had morals and values in her life that people today wished they had.

She loved arts, crafts, reading, writing poetry, cooking, being with loved ones and last but not least,to go out to eat with us.

She lost her eyesight and while she could no longer see us, she never lost sight of us.

She had her cell phone as a main connection to us kids and if you were lucky to get one of her silly voicemails, it can make you laugh and cry at the same time.

The only sad thing is we didn't keep them, who knew?You never expect things to end so soon, but I have learned a few things from this.I don't want to take my family and friends for granted.

Each day is a GIFT, another oppurtunity to show and tell those you love, how much you care and how much you love them.
I want to continue to honor her memory, by being the best that I can be and show people how good she was by my actions.She had 5 kids and raised the 4 of us best she could; and she was the mother women today aspire to be.

Bottle breaking and potty training in records we could only wish to attain!!She was loving and loved by all of us.I miss my mom everyday and I only regret my complacency with time.

The time I had with her, and when she was here was full, I just miss it and how much more I could have done, done differently too. However, I will not live in a depressed state, she wouldn't want me to waste my life and the life of my kids with regrets.

She loved each of us kids and all her grandkids so much, and in their own way.I am blessed to have had Marilyn Rose Vargo as a mother, mentor, friend and soo much more. I'll never forget my mom.

[To be continued]

Love,

Michelle

November 5th 2008

Feeling Empty Again

To all my family and friends.

I am choosing to do a blog to share with you all about some stressful times I've been through lately.

It's been tough since mom died, even to say the word died, I mean I usually say passed away.

Sometimes it's even harder hearing the word.
I mean we say things like my cell phone battery died and it stings at times; and well I always make an attempt to make better word choices like 'my cell phone battery is drained from talking to Margaret for an hour and a half', etc.

I don't think that Christmas time is the reason for my gloominess, I just think that sometimes I just want that loving ear to talk to or the shoulder to lean on when I am going through a tough time, and it hits me....my mom is not here for that anymore.

Today was pretty dark and the empty feeling that surrounded me all day was pretty tough to deal with. It's hard to stomach that the last couple of months mom was alive, that Margaret and I didn't even talk.
I mean she was sooooooo very happy that Jimmy and Joshua finally got past their differences and got it worked out and then this.

-I kept telling her when she would tell me to make things right with my sister that I just didn't want to call and apologize just for the sake of saying it. I wanted it to be done right so that it wouldn't just resurface in another month or two.

Had it not been for Ashley, mom wouldn't have know that Margaret & I were making baby steps the night Ash came to my house; the night before she died.I didn't want to be premature and tell her and not have it smoother over yet, so I went without saying anything.

I heard from Ashley that she was happy to know and that pleases me on some level, just not comepletely because I never got to share it with her and hear it in her voice that she was happy for us.

After mom died the space between Margaret and I seemed to disappear and we have been a constant support to one another and also to dad.
A day or two don't usually pass without one or the other calling and saying something as simple as, 'Hey are you okay?'and that has been a real help in filling the emptiness that I feel with not talking to mom everyday.
I also talk to dad everyday and I know that he says days will go by and the only one he has talk to is me and weeks will go by and it's just Margaret and I. I know he has been impacted on so many different levels and it saddens me that it is crystal clear just how many people you can actually call a friend.

I know that he is making strides with life and all it's challenges and triumphs; and he is working to make the best choice and he thinks on a level of what would he and mom have decided together, and that makes me happy.--If you grandkids want to make grampa feel good, just give him a call and chat for a minute or two, ask him how it's going and tell him what you are up to, it would make his day.

I am glad that we can be there to bless and lift up another and I just wanted to take this oppurtunity to tell you how you might be able to bless grampa without even having to go to his house. Besides Dad & Margaret, Tom has been such a strong support system for me and I am so grateful to have him in my life to help me see clearly sometimes.

He loved mom dearly and he knows how close we were and he sees the effect and loss I feel everyday, through the good times and the bad.Of course not one person has given me the strength like God, and I am so thankful that I have hope and faith to help get me through such a very dark time in my life.
Days, sometimes a week or more will go by without a tear and then I cry for hours on end..........I am happy that my God is the Creator of the universe and not just some theory somewhere. Physically and emotionally the last couple months have been a roller-caoster and just being a busy, busy-body and filling my time with activities just hasn't been enough or maybe it's been too much.

I sit down some days and tell myself that I am not going to do anything and I want to stop running around like a crazy perons, but that usually only lasts a few hours and it's dishes and laundry and bathing kids.

-Anyways.....Well, I suppose that if anyone can understand where I may be at right now it would be my family and friends.

Thanks for lending an ear, enjoy the songs on my page and take it from me....'Tell those you love, that YOU LOVE THEM & often!!& don't be so quick to judge others, take a moment to walk in their shoes before writing them off, it could be good for you and them.'

Love,
Michelle
December 4th 2008

Recipe ~ Gingersnap Pear Tart ~ Dessert / Brunch

Gingersnap Pear Tart

INGREDIENTS :

• 1 cup gingersnap crumbs
  
• 2 tablespoons butter or stick margarine
  
• 1 (8 ounce) package reduced fat cream cheese
  
• 1 (8 ounce) package fat-free cream cheese
  
• 1/3 plus 1/4 cup sugar, divided
  
• 2 teaspoons all-purpose flour
  
• 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
  
• 2 eggs, lightly beaten
  
• 2 large ripe pears, peeled and thinly sliced
  
• 1/2 teaspoon ground cinnamon
  

DIRECTIONS:

In a bowl, combine cookie crumbs and butter.
Press onto the bottom and 1/2 in. up the sides of a 9-in. spring-form pan coated with nonstick cooking spray.
Bake at 350 degrees F for 5-8 minutes or until set.
Cool on a wire rack.
In a mixing bowl, beat cream cheeses until smooth.
Beat in 1/3 cup sugar, flour and vanilla.
Add eggs; beat on low speed just until combined.
Pour into crust.

Combine pears, cinnamon and remaining sugar; arrange pear slices over cream cheese mixture.

Place pan on a baking sheet.
Bake at 350 degrees F for 30-40 minutes or until almost set.
Immediately run a knife around edge of pan to loosen; cool on a wire rack for 1 hour.
Refrigerate for at least 2 hours.

ENJOY!

Recipe ~ Apple Tart ~ Dessert / Brunch

Apple Tart

Ingredients [Cake]:

♦ 1 T Sugar
♦ 1 C Sugar
♦ 2 Lg Eggs
♦ 1/4 C Milk
⇔Mix well and add with dry ingredients below.
♦ 1 C Flour
♦ 1 tsp Baking powder
♦ Pinch of salt

Directions:

⇔Sift together all the dry ingredients before adding to wet ingredients.
⇔Pour cake mix into a greased 8X8 pan or a greased 9X13 pan
⇔Add a can of drained pie apples, carefully placing them on top of batter
⇔ Bake for 30-40 minutes or until golden brown in 350º oven

≈≈≈≈≈≈≈≈≈≈

Ingredients [Cream]:

♦ 1 C Cream
♦ 1 C Sugar

⇔Simmer on stove for 5-10 minutes or until sugar melts.
⇔On removal of tart from oven,pour sauce over cake, both sauce and cake must be hot.
⇔Leave to cool.

***Great served alone or with a scopp of vanilla ice cream.

ENJOY!!

Recipe ~ Strawberry Spinach Salad ~ Salad / Brunch

Strawberry Spinach Salad

Ingredients (Salad):

• 9 c. Torn Spinach
• 1 pint fresh strawberries
• 1/2 c. slivered almonds or pecans; may toast them also for a nice taste

Ingredients (Dressing):

• 1/4 c. Vegetable oil
• 2 Tbsp. sugar
• 2 Tbsp. Cider vinegar
• 1 Tbsp. Chopped red onion
• 1 tsp. poppy seed
• 1 tsp. sesame seed
• 1/4 tsp. paprika
• 1/8 tsp. Worcestershire sauce
  

Directions:

Put all the ingredients in a shaker and mix well, or you can also put them in a blender.

** The blender will create more on a whipped dressing that is fluffy and doesn't separate when it sits like the other method that sits in the shaker.

Notes:

** I usually at least double the dressing recipe.

** I always put more onions than the directions call for, but I like onions.

**Also feel free to try other fruits than just strawberries.

** It is really hard to find strawberries certain times of the year, so try your favorite apple or berry [like raspberries] they do make good substitutes.

Recipe ~ Buffalo Chicken Cheese Dip ~ Appetizer

Buffalo Chicken Cheese Dip

Ingredients:

♦ 3 Boneless, Skinless chicken breasts, boiled and shredded
♦ 1 Jar of Marzetti's Blue Cheese or Ranch Dressing
♦ 1/4 C of Hot Sauce/ Buffalo Wing Sauce -as hot as you like
♦ 2- 8 ounce pkg of cream cheese (softened)
♦ 1 1/2 C Shredded Sharp Cheddar Cheese


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

Directions:

♦ Mix all ingredients in a mixer for 2 -3 minutes until mixed well.
♦ Put in slow cooker on low for 2-3 hours before serving.
♦ Serve with corn chips, rolls, pretzels or celery sticks.

ENJOY!

A Friend [more old stuff] ~ July 1998 (actual date)

Here is an oldie but goodie in my stack of wacky web stuff.

I wrote this at a very peculiar time in my life, and as life would have it love just seemed to be around the corner for me after this one.

I happened to be married within 6 months of writing this, and to a man I met on the internet no less. 10 years, two kids, oodles of jobs and 3 cities later we are still together!!

Like I always say - God is good all the time, and all the time God is good!

Until another line is shared............Blog with you later!!

~Breeze

'Friends'

In our lives we always draw near
Hoping to find someone so dear

Sometimes we find heartache
confusion and pain
And in others we find laughter
like an early spring rain

Reaching out to others
wanting to share
Maybe finding a pearl
even a gem that is rare

The smiles and laughter
the tears and the joy
Understanding the heart
that it's just not a toy

Taking that heart
and taking the hands
Gently speaking
not making demands

Sharing soo much from our hearts
touching the soul
Not looking at pieces
but life as a whole

Loving them not
for what we want to see
But letting them walk
along side
and just simply be

Have you ever found someone
to fill such a place
To have made you smile
taken that frown and erased

Having one we call friend
is a joy and pleasure
Placing them deep in our hearts
because they're a treasure

I look around
and not many do I see
Whom I can call friend
standing next to me

Yet when I turned
and looked your way
my heart leapt with joy
as if to say

Look over there
it's there....in the distance
And seeing you smile
there was no resistance

I see you as a dear friend
a dear friend indeed
One I could turn to
whenever in need

God bless you and keep you
And show you the way
To a greater life with Him
Each and everyday

Thank you for sharing
a part of your life with me
May I be to you one day
what you have meant to me

Always here for you,
-A Friend

Michelle
July 1998

Cleaning out virtual closets from old websites ~ January 8th 2009

I have had a website up for more than 15 years on Yahoo! Geocities and I am working on pulling all my old work and pictures etc, over to my current homes on the web. I guess you could say this was my first 'blog' and I never knew it. I do so wish that I could go back and find all the old emails I used to send out to friends, they were like devotionals and I could post them here, but who knows if I will ever get to see those again. *wishful thinking*

Sooooo, here is one of the pages I had on the space called; My Story.

I originally put it up in 1998 and updated it in 2004, but as long as it is somewhere safe, now I can update, delete or re-use it now that it is getting moved.

Boy the changes that happen in life and how time flies!

Until another line is shared......Blog with you later!!

~Breeze

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

THIS IS MY STORY
My name is Michelle and I would like to go on a journey with you.

A journey that many people start and never finish. I am only just now starting on this journey.

I will share a little bit about myself so that you may know more about me.

I am 33 years old and have a beautiful family that loves Jesus and wants to serve the Lord. We are always striving and searching for more of God in all we do, daily seeking the Lord to be set free from the burdens we have.

God has been just and good and has been there for us every step of the way. EVERY STEP!!

Reaching out and helping others is something I find you will do when you are getting closer to God.

This is a way to share the love and blessings that God is giving us. In the beginnning you are not able to help others, as there is soo much that God is helping you to be set free from. Yet, the time comes when you look around and want others to walk with you and God, and share the same happiness and peace that you feel.

This is what I want to do now, helping others on their journey and their search for God.

By sharing some of my life with others, I hope that they will be moved and see that life doesn't have to start out perfect to end up that way.

Don't get me wrong I am not saying that it becomes a "bowl of cherries" when you turn your life over to God. I am saying there is a 'Peace that passes Understanding' that washes over you when SIN is lifted off of you; and this is what you want to share with others.

I was married 5 years ago in January, and we have a beautiful daughter, whose name is Marjke. Pronounced Ma-Ray-Ka, she is such a light to my soul, that I cannot wait to have more just like her. I also have three beautiful neices and two sweet nephews, they are as dear to me as if they were my own.

There was a time when I was single and said "I would love to marry and have children one day".

These things have happened for me, and I am counting on the Lord to lead me and guide me into a wonderful life serving Him and doing all the things I have dreamed of and much more.

In the world today when one in two marriages ends up in divorce, I know that the only way I will overcome is by having Jesus in my life to direct me and guide me, because marriage is work, managing, living, loving, but yes work.

My walk with God started like many others, when I was just a child. I was seven years old and I remember that I truly loved the Lord Jesus with all my heart. Jesus has been Lord in my life since I gave him my heart, even when I grew up and went astray He was there!

I haven't always been focused on leading a life without sin, but I thank my Lord Jesus for his Grace, Mercy and Love. I was living a life that many others in the world live.

I thought that as long as I did not go out of my way to hurt others, that I was doing good in life. How wrong I was.

Many times I talked with friends about wanting to do things differently. I wanted a life without all the hassles I had. What am I gonna do for a living? What kind of car do I want to drive? Will I ever get married? Will I stay happily married once I do? Am I ever gonna have kids? Will I ever be happy in life? The stress alone is enough to drive someone insane. Money, Career, Marriage, Happiness, how does it all fit together smoothly?....."It doesn't" I thought, not the way I was living.

I wanted to change my life because I was uncomfortable with the way things were. But more than that God was tightening the rope that was around me and HE was pulling me in closer to HIM. The realization that I was not going meet Mr.Right in a bar, and the fact that I was not living a life I was proud of made me stop and think. I would go onto evaluate what I wanted in life and ask myself if I was doing all I could to live that life....I wasn't.

I decided to change my life and see where the Lord would lead me. Doing this I had to trust in Him and listen. To hear His voice speaking to me I would have to read His Word and listen for the guidance of the Holy Spirit.

The path I have chosen has not been the smoothest path, but it has been the most fulfilling and rewarding.

1 Timothy 1:15-16

Here is a trustworthy saying that deserves full acceptance: Christ Jesus came into the world to save sinners--of whom I am the worst.But for that very reason I was shown mercy so that in me, the worst of sinners, Christ Jesus might display his unlimited patience as an example forthose who would believe on him and receive eternal life.

-Michelle April 16, 2004