Light Love Hope Giveaway Winners
We recently held a giveaway in honor and celebration of our one year blog anniversary. We were giving away five copies of Jim Brickman’s Greatest Hits CD. Jim’s music has blessed my heart and soul through the years, and we hope the winners will enjoy his music as much as we do.
Before I announce the winner, I would like to express my sincere thanks and appreciation to Gregory C. Johnson, the man behind all of the technical aspects here at Light Love Hope AND our writer for the We Care Wednesdays series. Greg has been a close friend of the family for 17 years (at the time of this writing). His love and friendship for my entire family has been an ever present force that has seen us through some very trying times in our lives. Greg has been through a whole lot in his life, and yet he still puts others first. He never hesitates to give of himself and do things to brighten someone else’s day. If there was only ONE face to put with the random acts of kindness, HIS should be the one that you’d find if you looked that phrase up on the internet.
Greg has provided Light Love Hope as an outlet for me, and I use it as my form of therapy at times writing out the words that are in my heart and soul. Our family has struggled after the loss of my sister to suicide 13 years ago. I used to write poetry and found a great deal of enjoyment in that, yet I lost my desire to write at all after losing my sister and best friend on that hot July day. Greg has provided this site to encourage me to write again and to help heal my broken heart by reaching out to others that may be in need to share Light, Love, and Hope with them.
As if all of that wasn’t enough, Greg has gone above and beyond again by purchasing the Jim Brickman CDs for our giveaway. Greg is the one that introduced me to Jim Brickman’s beautiful piano music years ago, and he provides tickets to see Jim in concert every December. This has become a family tradition, and we have been blessed to spend the past few “On A Cold Winter’s Night” concert tours with Greg when he has visited with our family around the holidays. We are looking forward to doing this again at the beginning of December with him as part of our family.
~drum roll, please~
THE WINNERS ARE:
Aimee Ramos Fauci
Alli Rutherford Smith
Rose Powlel
Theresa (no last name provided)
Shirley Cumbie Wood
CONGRATULATIONS, LADIES!!!
It is with great joy and excitement that we celebrate with you all. Email notifications have been sent to our lucky winners, and they will be receiving their Jim Brickman CDs shortly!
Thank you to everyone that entered! We will have more opportunities to come to enter future giveaways. We are so happy to have you as part of Light Love Hope’s family of readers.
Thank you to Gregory C. Johnson for gifting the CDs for our giveaway and for all that he does for me, personally, my family, and Light Love Hope!
Blessings to you all,
Shirley
Hold
Hold me now. Wrap your loving arms around me, and just … hold me. Tight. Hold me … close.
Let me inhale the sweet scent of your skin as I lay my head on your chest. I can hear your heart beating … beating for me.
Do you remember days gone by when we would get swept up in each other and the only thing that mattered was you and I in that moment? Together.
The demands of life can be so overwhelming at times, yet shelter from the storms of life, and peace and comfort are still found in the depths of each other’s arms.
My heart skips a beat every time you rush to me, get down on one knee, and slide your strong arms around my waist as you embrace me with your love. I cradle your head as I run my fingers through your hair and hold you close to me.
Moments spent with you standing by the water’s edge, exchanging soft kisses as the rain began to sprinkle down from Heaven … We pause for a moment, my hand upon your chest, your arms still wrapped around me. There in your arms … I know I am home.
This post was inspired by the Five Minute Friday prompt word of: Hold. Join us for the #fmfparty on twitter and link up your blog post here.
The Best Things In Life
The best things in life do not cost a single thing. I realize that money is needed to pay bills so that you have a house to live in, electricity in your home, food on the table, etc. They are necessities that we often times take for granted. We are so blessed in this life and have more than we truly need in material things. But, what about heart things? Those moments that take our breath away?
To me, some of the best things in life are cuddling on the couch watching a movie with your love, holding hands, and feeling their arms wrapped securely around you. I also love cuddling with my children as we take turns reading pages in a book, or our snuggle time right before bed. The quiet moments we share together are so precious to me. The whispers before they drift off to sleep after I’ve tucked them in for the night. How they ask me to give them a mini facial as they prepare for dreamland, and I watch as all of the worries of their day melt away.
How about calls from your parents just to say that they are thinking of you and they love you? I treasure those. They just want to check on you and let you know that they care. Or, like my dad just did out of the blue – he sent me a beautiful bouquet of flowers to my work. I did not expect it at all, and yet he did something so sweet that just melted my heart completely. I love my parents, and my dad is one heck of a man! There should be more men in the world like him.
And then there’s time spent with my best friend … my horse, Sugar. There’s nothing like grooming her and getting her all ready to ride, and then when I lift myself up in the stir ups and sit on top of this beautiful horse, I feel more alive than I have in a very long time. Feeling every single movement as she slowly walks along, feeling as if we are one – my partner and I.
I especially love getting together with old friends and laughing until we cry or leaving with our faces hurting from all the laughing and smiling that we’ve done. And the hugging and praying together, holding hands and clinging to each other as words are lifted up to our Heavenly Father on one of our friend’s behalf as we did this past weekend … there are no words to describe how that feels joining together in prayer. For when two or more are gathered in HIs name …
These, sweet people of the universe, are some of the best things in life. Nothing compares to them or could even come close!
Take time to appreciate the people in your life and make time for them. You don’t have to spend a lot of money, but be intentional with your time. Give the gift of your time to others. Something magical will happen. You will be touching someone’s heart completely, and at the same time, your heart will be blessed also!
God has given us this beautiful, amazing life … some times there will be rough spots along the way, but He is there through every single one of them walking right beside you, and even carrying you when needed.
Love this life that you’ve been given. It is yours. No one can live it like you can. God has called you to live, to love, to show care and compassion for others around you. Treasure and cherish the people that are in your lives. They may not always be there. We never know when God will call one of us home.
