Deanna Doss Shrodes

The conference wraps up this afternoon and we come home.  We're having an amazing time.     Last night I went out with my church ladies after the service.  This was a really important time for us.  With my other responsibilities I don't get to sit with them or be with them all the time so mealtimes especially are important times of sharing with them as well as riding places in the car and talking.  Last night the only place open was McDonalds but we were out til' 2 am.  

I am not even kidding about this but when we were walking in the parking lot to go in, a man tried to run us over with his car.  He was crazy.  All we were doing was walking inside but he purposely tried to run us over and we ran away from him.  Then he screeched to a halt, looked at us sort of hanging his head out the window and laughed this horribly  deranged type of laugh.  I mean it was horror flick kind of stuff that makes the hair on the back of your neck stand up.  We were screaming and running and…

Okay, so this is just THE most amazing thing EV-ER!!!  Everyone who knows anything about me knows that I love tea, and in fact my entire kitchen is decorated with "all things tea" (I have an amazing teapot collection among many other things) and my all time favorite tea is Paris Tea produced by Harney & Sons.  I have introduced many people to it and have blogged many times about it. So......

Today I was privileged to be in attendance at an absolutely amazing tea for senior pastor's wives, (thank you, Marsha!) that was held at the Ritz Carlton in Sarasota.   As the host from the Ritz welcomed us he said, "and today we are especially blessed to have with us as our special guest, Mr. John Harney, founder and owner of Harney & Sons teas".  Everybody politely clapped but I was about to scream like I was at a Doobie Brothers concert.  Seriously.  I don't think these ladies realized how amazing an honor this was!   This man is responsible for my favorite …

So here's where I'm staying this weekend...the Hyatt Sarasota.  Great hotel where every room is a waterfront room.  The Just Breathe conference is here, for the women of Pen-Florida and about 1,000 of us have descended upon the place this weekend for a tremendous time, Lisa Bevere being the keynote speaker.   It's been amazing so far -- Marsha was the speaker last night and kept us all on the edge of our seats as usual.  She spoke on experiencing God's rest and it was a different spin on that subject than I have ever heard.  I took four pages of notes.  Excellent stuff.   Some people also experienced some great healings, life changes, etc., at the altars tonight.

 I'm real busy between responsibilities as a rep and the wonderful group of women I brought with me from Tampa.  It's all good!  We are having the time of our life.   I laugh when I'm with "my l ladies" like no other time.   So many memories come from these times away.  They have already …

*I'm headed to Sarasota today with some of my very special ladies, for a women's conference.  Will be blogging from there, God willing.  Here's the next post in the "Just Say It" series...with more posts in this series to come next week, so get ready!  Today's post is about people who think they are doing certain things for the good of the church... 


Some people honestly believe they are doing God and their church a favor by criticizing their pastor or their pastor's family memberes.  They are what author Marshall Shelley calls "Well Intentioned Dragons" in his book by the same title.  There are those who are convinced they are on a mandate to "clean up their church" or "straighten out the pastor" (or their family) or "set things in order for true revival" but they are misguided individuals.

I am not referring to when a pastor has a true moral failure, such as an embezzlement or an affair.  What I am referring to are…

July 9, 1990 (9 months old)
Today was a full day for you and I.  We got up at 6:30 am and took your Dad  to go on a trip with the youth group to Schooley's Mountain.  After that, you and I went to the Cherry Hill Mall.  You love checking out the sights while in your stroller.  I got you some strawberry ice cream from Haagen Dahzs and fed it to you.  It was your first time having strawberry ice cream and you were crazy about it!  I also bought you two books, "Rock a Bye" and "Let's Go".  I love reading to you.  And you love it too!  I also picked up some frames to put your new pictures in.  When we got home it was time for me to feed you again and then we went to the church office where I worked for a while.  After getting some work done we were both tired  and we went back home and I rocked you til' you went to sleep.  You are pulling on your ears because you have a tooth coming in.  I can't believe how fast you are growing.

July 24, 1990 (9 months…