Deanna Doss Shrodes

Our day off...what a wonderful day. Have I mentioned how much I LOVE THIS DAY?! Especially when it works out that we truly do have the time off and nothing interferes. This morning the kids didn't have school so I didn't have to get up early. I slept until 10:30 am. Glorious! Did I mention how much I love to sleep?! After that I took my time drinking tea, eating my breakfast, and checking my mail. Then I took a nice warm bath with my favorite...Bath & Body Works "Moonlight Path." (It is absolutely aromatheraphy at it's best for me...it transports me to such a tranquil state.) Then I headed off to get a fill and pedi. It's been a month. I felt like I was developing claws. I just haven't been because I really haven't had time. Mai was delighted to show me a new color that just came in that she thought was perfect for me. It wasn't OPI (I rarely depart from OPI colors - I don't care what anyone says, I think they last longer and many times ...

The kids are off of school Thursday and Friday of this week. Dustin went to a concert last night with Stephen and Casey. We took Savanna and Jordan to dinner and then we went to Walmart to pick up some things I've been needing to gather up for my trip. There was nothing terribly exciting in the cart...things like Pepto Bismol tabs which I have to take every night before bed and a bunch of travel size items. I also got myself a new little travel pillow since my other one is seriously wearing out and I'm going to be sleeping overnight on the first night. I fly to Newark first, then to London overnight, then on to Nairobi the next morning and will finally arrive in Africa that night at about 9 pm. Yes, it's a long flight! 28 hours to get there and then my flights on the way back take me about 33 hours. Needless to say, I want a good pillow... Yesterday I brought home all the things the church people have been collecting for me to bring to Africa. The missionary asked that I...

HowManyOfMe.com There are 0 people with my name in the U.S.A. http://howmanyofme.com/ How many have your name? This is the coolest thing - just type your name in and it will tell you if anyone in the USA has your name! And, if they have your name it tells you exactly how many people have your name. Amazingly there is no one else in the USA with the name Deanna Shrodes. Ten people have my first name/maiden name - Deanna Doss. As I've told my blog readers before, after I married, I started going by the name Deanna Doss Shrodes, and I dropped my middle name. Interestingly, NO ONE has my first and last name, which is yet another way that I am, truly...one of a kind. :-) How about you? Try it out and find out how many people have your name! Fun!

Well, prayer is working! My messages for Africa are coming together! I just have to share this with you, my blog peeps. :-) Ready for this? I have been asked to speak to their leaders, prior to the conference. And, I finally have my message for this prepared. I watched the "Survivor Africa" season (remember, when Ethan won?) and thought I would speak to the leaders on being a ministry survivor...and not just surviving but thriving in leadership! The actual show survivor had the theme "outwit, out play, outlast." My theme will be outreach, outpray, out last. I can't take complete credit for this - as I got the idea from another retreat that I preached for leaders here in Florida when they had the same theme. However...I thought this would be PERFECT for Africa's leaders, especially since the show was filmed in Kenya!!! I have changed my prior retreat message to adapt to the Kenya leaders. For the occasion I made my own logo (see above) and am having bookmarks...

I am so incredibly tired. I don't remember the last time I was this tired. I could barely hold my head up at times tonight at church. Embarrasing! I was hoping nobody noticed. I tried to be as energetic as possible! Dolly Knight came up to me at the end of the service and said, "I want you to get some rest...go home, take a hot bath, have Pastor bring you your favorite beverage...and take a break. I said, "do I look that tired?" She said, "yes...I can tell..." So I'm not going to blog here long -- I'm going to rest! I'm going to get a full night's sleep. We had a missionary with us tonight from China. It was a really good service. I missed Lisa very much again tonight...her absence was truly felt in a great way. Next Wednesday night should be much better for me as far as the flow of the evening before and after, for me, is concerned.

1. Do not walk behind me, for I may not lead. Do not walk ahead of me, for I may not follow. Do not walk beside me either. Just pretty much leave me alone. 2. It's always darkest before dawn. So if you're going to steal your neighbor's newspaper, that's the time to do it. 3. Always remember that you're unique. Just like everyone else. 4. If you think nobody cares if you're alive, try missing a couple of car payments. 5 . Before you criticize someone, you should walk a mile in their shoes. That way, when you criticize them, you're a mile away and you have their shoes. 6. If at first you don't succeed, skydiving is not for you. 7. If you lend someone $20 and never see that person again, it was probably worth it. 8. There are two theories to arguing with women. Neither one works. 9. Experience is something you don't get until just after you need it. 10. Never, under any circumstances, take a sleeping pill and a laxative on the same night.

I feel like I accomplished nothing today although I actually did a great amount. I don't know why I feel this way other than the fact that the main thing I want to get done, I haven't. More about that in a minute. Larry was home again today, not feeling well. This actually makes it harder for me to get things done, first of all. He's always needing something, although I'm not complaining. I love my Teeby. I got about five or six initiatives done today, and I had to go get Savanna early from school and take her to the dentist. We got there about 30 minutes early which was a good thing...she was starved and knew she wouldn't get to eat for a while afterwards so I took her into Publix (which is next to the dentist) and got her a sandwich and drink and we sat in the deli while she ate it, and then I got her a toothbrush and toothpaste to brush her teeth before going in for her exam. She was real happy about all that. We went next door to the dentist and I was very ple...