I am LOVING the Argosy Online University Experience

You probably saw my post dated September 29 on The Mom Squad Blog, if not, here it is for you http://themomsquad.blogspot.com/2009/09/dar-helps-to-dispel-mytholder-adults.html but I just had to do a follow-up today because believe it or not, I am approaching the end of my first semester! WOW! The time has just flown by and I have enjoyed every moment thus far. Working within the Argosy Online framework has been so comfortable. They already have me registered for classes for the entire year and I can see each step via the Campus Commons Page of their website. Whenever I have questions, my Asst. Admissions Director, Sam Thomeier, always has the answers and is eager to help so feel free to contact him.

Sam Thomeier
Argosy University Online Programs | American School of Professional Psychology
Assistant Director of Admissions
Toll Free: 866.427.4679 ext.6267
Phone: 412.395.8267
Fax: 412.995.6091
sthomeier@argosy.edu

There are others too via different departments like Technical Support, Academic Advisors and Financial Aid that are there to help you succeed as an Argosy student. If you are ready to go to college, return to college after an extended absence or interested in changing colleges, I urge you to give Sam a call. In my classes thus far, there have been others that have tried other colleges and other colleges via their online divisions and have not been satisfied. Some of these colleges are doing a lot of advertising too so I was quite surprised to hear their displeasure. Check out the Argosy website www.argosy.edu. Let me know if you decide to make the leap! Also, keep checking out The Mom Squad Blog either directly www.themomsquad.blogspot.com or via The Fish website. We just did the Fall Recipe Contest and did the taste test on air. We had a lot of fun. Remember, you can listen to The Fish online if you are out of our area. www.955thefish.com

Trusting in Him...A Special Gift

You know, I have always believed that as we pray and quiet ourselves, God does communicate with us. Many times I have heard people say that God did not answer their prayers. He ALWAYS answers our prayers but I think sometimes we don't recognize the answer, because it may be different from what we expected but His will is always best along with His timing.

Over the years, I have really been concerned about the condition of my Mom's property. It needed a lot of help. Dad passed 28 years ago and Mom pretty much had used the band aid approach to keep things going. I prayed a lot of prayers, walked the property, did all of the mowing, trimming, edging, trash removal and other repairs that I could but so much more needed to be done.

About 2 weeks ago, I truly heard/felt, whatever you wish to call it, God communicating to me and He said, "Darlene, clean the house. I am going to send you a gift." I clean regularly but truly strategic cleaning like drawers, cabinets, scrubbing walls, cleaning carpets, replacing some carpets, etc. I had not thoroughly done. He lit a spark under me (reminding me of the "nesting" syndrome during pregnancy...if you have ever had it, you will know exactly what I am talking about). He showed me things I needed to attend to. Things I saw everyday but it was like He showed them to me with new eyes and it was amazing how each effort made quite a difference. Then my sister, sent 2 gentlemen over that worked like Hebrew slaves to further do what I couldn't do AND basically took on the effort as a labor of love. I began to cry so many happy tears and praising God more and more for His faithfulness, my sister and these 2 angels, but there's more....

In the midst of all this, I felt Him telling me it was time for my Mom to come back to our home in Garfield. She had a difficult time a few months ago. I began living with her in a facility, then switched her to another facility near my sister but they would not allow me to live there. It was His way of giving me a much needed break. For the first time in 5 years I was feeling rundown...almost lifeless. But now, 2 months later, this new facility was telling me they had taken Mom as far as they could. I felt, in that regard, there was no reason for her to remain there. The only difference in her condition now opposed to before her difficult time, is that she is now on pureed foods, she no longer walks independently so I knew I was going to need some regular help. And low and behold, at the Women Of Faith Conference just prior to my revelation, I met a Hospice Nurse named Renee Thompson who said to me, "Hospice breathes life, it does not speak death." I immediately asked her if that was their slogan and she said that was just how she felt about it. Well, her outlook gave me a brand new outlook regarding Hospice. I mean we are all going to die one day but Mom reminds me of someone God is not finished with yet. Her skin glows, her smile is so sweet and comforting, she still has uplifting motherly things to say at times and she is strong as an ox. I just want whatever time we have together to be comfortable and pleasant for her.

The following week I was at the library and there was a Hospice poster on the bulletin board, I knew then that I truly needed to call them to find out more about this organization. I left a message on Sunday for Hospice, scheduled a Care meeting with Mom's facility on Monday and immediately after, a Hospice coordinator called me (Cindy) and with the most pleasant demeanor she said, "Darlene, you need to schedule a Care meeting with your Mom's facility." I informed her that I had just done that and she said these words and I will never forget the feeling of comfort that came over me. She said, "We'll be with you tomorrow. You now have a team that will be with you for as long as you need us." I must tell you, embarrassing as it is, that as she was on the phone, I immediately began to cry.

Once we met at the facility and all of the bases were covered and all of the "i's" were dotted and the "t's" were crossed, they gave me a folder. I did not have time to read it until I got to church for Bible Study that evening. I was early so I began to review the folder and then I saw these words....

"You are giving your loved one a beautiful and sensitive 'gift'.
And in giving that 'gift', you are giving yourself a wonderful
'gift' as well."

God told me to clean my house because He was sending me a 'gift'. He was telling me to get prepared for the comings and goings of people that He put in place to help us. I did not understand at the time, but I am so grateful for His wisdom, His mercy, His grace, His love. He takes care of His children. All we have to do is trust Him and wait upon Him. Glory to God. He took a situation that seemed insurmountable in many ways and once again showed me that He is the Alpha and the Omega, the Great I AM, No problem is too great for Him to handle. He has a plan for me AND a plan for my Mom and He is working on each of our behalf's simply because we are His children and He loves us. If you trust Him, He will take care of the consequences, don't ever forget that. And THAT my friend is a very special gift in itself. Bless you and yours. AND BY THE WAY, IF YOU WOULD LIKE MORE INFO ON THIS MARVELOUS ORGANIZATION SO YOU CAN GET A COMPLETE PICTURE OF ALL THEY OFFER, PLEASE CALL: Crossroads Hospice in Cleveland & NEO, 216.654.9300. Ask for Cindy Hackett, Admission Coodinator.

I Always Love Hearing Jim Belushi sing, Sweet Home Chicago

And now I know what he and others are singing about, in that wonderful Blues rendition! WOW! My oldest daughter, Shae, so kindly came through Cleveland from VA, picked Micah and I up and allowed us to travel with her to Chicago for her audition for The Color Purple. The audition experience is awesome in itself. You can just feel the intensity of the crowd and see the sweat and tears of each person's desire to get selected for a part. Many try out but few are selected. Shae is not discouraged though. She is going to keep on keeping on with the fantastic talent God gave her and when the time is right, we both know all will fall into place.

Afterwards, however, we had the opportunity to sight see. Micah and I may be been the only people in Cleveland that had not visited Chicago. haha EVERYWHERE YOU LOOK, in Downtown Chicago, there is absolute beauty. You must take the Architecture Tour, sample some Garrett Popcorn, try the original Chicago Deep Dish Pizza (slightly different from what we are accustomed to here) AND enjoy brownies where brownies were actually invented. Just imagine that. The Art Museum has sooooo many originals...Picaso, Renoir, all the greats. There are wonderful fountains and flower gardens. I saw Johnson Publishing, and the home of Ebony and Jet Magazines. There was jazz playing in Grant Park, amidst the marvelous aromas of the local restaurants as the children giggled and played in the outdoor water maze. THE CITY FELT SO ALIVE!!! I also had the pleasure of going to Oprah's new high rise builing where I was told she lives on floors 5 and 6. And last but not least, you know I HAD TO GO to Harpo Studios. God has truly blessed her! I was so impressed by those actually sweeping the streets and sidewalks and everywhere I looked people were using the trashcans lined along the walkways (even little children). I felt their pride and wished more Clevelanders could be more like that.

It takes less than 6 hours to drive there, so just in case you have not been there... GO...PLEASE...You will never forget it. Thank you Lord always for Your provision. What a blessing it is to have a daughter that is kind enough to allow her Mom and brother to tag along on her vacation experience. She even bought gifts for us! She is quite a lady.

I took about 200 pictures but here are just a few.

Just A Few Pictures from Kelly Chapman's CD Release Concert @ Pickwick & Frolic!!

What an awesome time we had last night. Pickwick & Frolic was amazing to open for this Christian venue and service was fabulous! Here are some pictures from this wonderful night. See The Mom Squad Blog for more details www.themomsquad.blogspot.com. Thanks Borders Books for coming out to handle the sale of Kelly's new CD, Great Is Your Grace, and the selling of her book, Real - The Truth About Being Single. And thank you Buehler's for the delicious and beautiful cakes. OH I FORGOT TO MENTION...The little lady you see in the last picture, Miss Raven Platts, is only 10 years old and blew the audience away as she sang a duet with Kelly entitled, Shine Your Light. Kelly has been mentoring Raven for the past year. What an amazing up and coming talent!!

Giving Him The Glory


The Reception Begins


Buehler's Cake

Sarah & Jemma


Pastor Ron, NewSong Church & Greg

Tara & James

Kelly & Darlene



Roz, Sarah's Sister & Toni

Miss Raven Platts

Summer is Going By Way, Way, Too Fast.....

My children and I really enjoy traveling. Usually some portion of the summer is spent at amusement parks in OH, visiting my daughter and my friends in VA and laying on the beach at Ocean City, MD. This year has been a bit different and I can't quite figure out why. Is it because the "children" are older? This is the first year I had a week with no children and I went someplace I had never been before...San Diego! It was an amazing time. Mom was safe and well cared for. Micah went to VA with Shae and Beranda has worked hard the entire summer so we have hardly seen her at all. School begins so early. When I was in school, it started AFTER the Labor Day Holiday and I wish that was the case today. Soon Micah will be a grownup. I want to spend every moment I can with him. So we are off to Family Camp this week and from there, God-willing, we are off to Chicago. I have never been there either! And maybe, just maybe before school begins I will get the opportunity, once again, to inhale that wonderful salt water, see the beautiful blue water and crashing waves, hear the sea gulls calling out to each other along with the loving laughter of my children. God always makes a way. Enjoy the time you have left.

This Prayer Says So Much...

WHOEVER WROTE THIS HAS A VERY INTERESTING VIEW...SOME ARE SENDING THIS AS AN E-MAIL MESSAGE FROM BILLY GRAHAM BUT PER ANOTHER SITE, IT ORIGINATED FROM TWO OTHER SOURCES. http://www.snopes.com/politics/soapbox/prayernation.asp

Heavenly Father, we come before you today to ask your forgiveness and to seek your direction and guidance. We know Your Word says, 'Woe to those who call evil good,' but that is exactly what we have done. We have lost our spiritual equilibrium and reversed our values. We have exploited the poor and called it the lottery. We have rewarded laziness and called it welfare.. We have killed our unborn and called it choice. We have shot abortionists and called it justifiable. We have neglected to discipline our children and called it building self esteem. We have abused power and
called it politics.. We have coveted our neighbor's possessions and called it ambition. We have polluted the air with profanity and pornography and called it freedom of expression. We have ridiculed the time-honored values of our forefathers and called it enlightenment. Search us, Oh God, and know our hearts today; cleanse us from every sin and Set us free. Amen!

God Is Ever So Merciful

For the past several weeks, Mom and I have been living between a hospital and a rehabilitation facility in an effort to get her back on her feet from a terrible episode she experienced. Doctor's don't want to call it a seizure...they don't want to call it a stroke...as all tests have no indication of either. So they have decided to call them episodes. How wonderful it is, especially at this time in life, to have an insurance plan. Thanks to God's mercy, He provided my Mom with a loving, hard-working husband some 70 years ago and through those efforts, she is still being cared for. Dad passed almost 29 years ago but he always said God made him a man that knew the benefit of having a loving wife and family and he appreciated being a provider. He was her one and only love and I thank God for granting her someone that did not make her life difficult or put her in stressful situations. She never worked a day outside of the home, but she always took pride in knowing how to run her household and she knew that caring for her family was a full-time job in itself. It is lovely to have and not need, BUT truly a gift from God to have a need met....regardless if that need is a good man...insurance...or whatever. God is worthy to be praised! Thank you, everyone, for your prayers and concern. As you know, I consider it an honor and a privilege to have this time with Mom. My care of her has been my ministry over the past 5 years and the Heavenly Father continues in His faithfulness to show me mercy and extend blessings beyond belief. If you have a need, please continue to pray and wait on His timing. His will for your life and His timing is ALWAYS best! I have some exciting news that transpired from this current situation and I will share that with you at a later time so stay tuned and remember.....