Mermaids of the Lake Blog

The Parable of the Good Samaritan

Luke 10:25-37 (New International Version)

25 On one occasion an expert in the law stood up to test Jesus. "Teacher," he asked, "what must I do to inherit eternal life?"

26 "What is written in the Law?" he replied. "How do you read it?"

27 He answered, "Love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your strength and with all your mind;" and, "Love your neighbor as yourself."

28 "You have answered correctly," Jesus replied. "Do this and you will live."

29 But he wanted to justify himself, so he asked Jesus, "And who is my neighbor?"

30 In reply Jesus said: "A man was going down from Jerusalem to Jericho, when he was attacked by robbers. They stripped him of his clothes, beat him and went away, leaving him half dead. 31 A priest happened to be going down the same road, and when he saw the man, he passed by on the other side. 32 So too, a Levite, when he came to the place and saw him, passed by on the other side. 33 But a Samaritan, as he traveled, came where the man was; and when he saw him, he took pity on him. 34 He went to him and bandaged his wounds, pouring on oil and wine. Then he put the man on his own donkey, brought him to an inn and took care of him. 35 The next day he took out two denarii and gave them to the innkeeper. "Look after him," he said, "and when I return, I will reimburse you for any extra expense you may have."

In this issue of our online women's magazine, Mermaids of the Lake we honor and celebrate "Giving Back." Please follow this link to see an entire issue dedicated to doing just that. www.mermaidsofthelake.com

Each of us can be a rainbow of hope

I choose to rise up out of that storm and see that in moments of desperation, fear, and helplessness, each of us can be a rainbow of hope, doing what we can to extend ourselves in kindness and grace to one another.
And I know for sure that there is no them... there's only us.
~Oprah Winfrey

 

A new issue of Mermaids of the Lake, our online women's magazine is here! This inspirational September/October issue is full of hope, help and beauty! Follow this link and be INSPIRED: www.mermaidsofthelake.com

 

A very Special Pink Saturday!

It is one of the most beautiful compensations of life, that no man can sincerely try to help another without helping himself. ~Ralph Waldo Emerson

 

We, (Shelley and Debbie) are two best friends living our dream of working and playing together. We count our many blessings every single day! In good times we CELEBRATE them! In the midst of difficult times, even despair, we acknowlege them! The Mermaids are blessed and grateful!

Our friend, Beverly of How Sweet the Sound is our host every week for Pink Saturday. This Saturday is extra special, as Beverly is hosting a Miracle Makeover Pink Saturday.

Please view this inspiring video of Charlie, a sweet 8 year old boy with brain tumors. Get ready for some tears of JOY as you watch Kelee Katillac of Design Gives Back reveal Charlie's Miracle Makeover room.

Charlie Grady's Big, Happy Day!!! 

http://www.youtube.com/embed/OHrxLfwAdsk

Wasn't that wonderful? Now, here is the really awesome thing - you can help raise money for this and more Miracle Makeovers like this by simply leaving a comment! Not here, on our blog (although we would love for you to,) 

Simply go to How Sweet the Sound, and Design Gives Back and leave a comment on each! Design Gives Back will donate $ for each comment!!!! 

Also visit each of the blogs below and leave a comment for even more donations per comment! Yay!!! Your comments count! You can make a difference!

 Spiritual Sunday @ Spiritual Sunday /Charlotte & Ginger

Country Wings in Phoenix @ Country Wings in Phoenix/Sherry

Metamorphosis Monday comments on Monday Only

A great big, huge, grateful THANK YOU to everyone who helps by visiting these links and commenting for $$$'s!!!!

Let's get creative!

By Mermaid Debbie

In honor of October, Breast Cancer Awareness Month I am sharing one of my most fun creative projects! Guess what I made these darling purses from?

 
Wouldn't you be a hit at the party or the next Breast Cancer Research Fundraiser sporting this little purse!!!?

Or this one?

Yes, you guessed right... I made these out of bras! Talk about repurposing, recycling; talk about altered art!!! You can make one too!

No-Sew Bra Purse

You will need: 

• A bra! I found both of mine at Target. The black one was on the clearance rack for under $3! The floral one was a Liberty of London for around $14. I have found that a C-cup with underwire is about right.
• Glue gun
• silk flowers, ribbon. buttons, lace, fabric, or other embellishments
• scissors
• needle and thread (optional for attaching some buttons, etc...)

  

Step 1 - cut off the straps and clasps. Save both clasps, but you only need one of the straps.

Step 2 - I felt that the floral purse needed to be pink on the inside of the cups, so I painted them with pink acrylic paint and let dry. The black one was fine as it was.

 

Step 3 - Re-attach the clasps and straps in new location.

• The clasps, at the top of the bra, one on each side. They work perfectly as a closure for the purse. Cut a little piece of ribbon or fabric to cover your glue marks where you attached the clasps. (Just looks a little bit neater!)
• The strap, about an inch or so from either side of the clasp-closure. Glue one side of strap on inside of 1 cup and one side of strap on the inside of the other cup! Cut a little piece of ribbon or fabric to cover your glue marks where you attached the strap.

 

Step 4 - Now use your glue gun and spread hot glue along the underwire of one cup and glue other cup to it to create your purse. Glue a little bit along the top of purse too, if need be to prevent your stuff from falling out of the purse! (you will see what I mean when you get to this point in the project)

Step 5 - Embellish to your hearts content!!! I created a fabric flower for the black purse and attached it with a button, needle and thread.

Happy Creating!!!

We encourage you to join together in support of women whose lives have been touched by this disease. Wouldn't it be a much more beautiful world without breast cancer in it?

Miracles! BIG miracles, little miracles, everyday miracles!!!

The Mermaids are no strangers to miracles. We ask for them, we watch for them, we notice them, and we have learned to expect them! Claiming a miracle is the ultimate form of gratitude! Thank you God for MIRACLES! You are a beautiful, loving, kind, and generous Father!

Shelley and I have experienced so many miracles lately! We are in awe of every one of them, from the small, everyday miracle, to the great-big, huge, life-changing, no-denying sort of miracle!

I will tell a story of one of my best miracles and it just happened last week!

I was driving home from a meeting. The meeting was a tough one and I was emotionally exhausted. I was driving along, about 1/4 mile from home, listening to music and processing the news that I had received at my meeting. I asked God for guidance and comfort and as always, protection.

I was on such a familar stretch of road, that I could almost drive it with my eyes closed. They almost were, in that I was deeply engrosed in my thoughts, with the music playing. 

As I approached the familar curve in my road, I happened to notice a man in a yard on my right, looking up to the sky with a look of pure horror on his face. I was distracted still, with my thoughts, but I looked up to the sky and really saw nothing. I was confused and trying to process what was happening, when he suddenly started running as fast as could, with his mouth open, as if he were screaming. His arms reached to the sky in terror and as if trying to shield himself.

I then registered that it was really loud, even over the sound of my radio. I had heard nothing because I was so deep in thought. I leaned forward and tried to glance up to see what was causing his terror, I realized what was happening when suddenly... my wheel was sharply turned to the right and I slammed on my brakes as the giant tree that he and his crew had been cutting came crashing down in front of me with a thunderous roar! It landed  in the lane I had been driving in; hitting my bumper, leaving me completely blinded by dust, branches, complete darkness, and shock! I sat there confused, my head realing by the cracking, thunderous sound and the realization of what had just happened. There was a little path on the left shoulder of the road where I could get around the tip of the tree and get out of the way of oncoming cars on the sharp, blind curve.

I glanced back in shock as the man and I exchanged knowing looks of relief mixed with a bit of terror. The man made it out of the path of the falling tree and so did I. This was a huge fir tree and there is no doubt that it would have crushed my little car and me in it had the hand of God or one of his heavenly hosts not caused me to veer to the left and stop. I was protected. I had just experienced a miracle!

The short ride home was extemely emotional. My body was shaking so badly from the adrenaline rush that I could hardly drive. I was sobbing uncontrolably with tears of shock, but most importantly... Gratitude!!!

Thank you, God. As the song says, "My God is an awesome God!"

My wish for every one of you is that you experience the joy of noticing when God has granted you a miracle! From the beauty of a sunset, to the birth of a child, to an answer to prayer, to grand protection, to complete healing of your body!

Expect Miracles!

The Mermaids are linking up today, on this Pink Saturday, with our Pink Saturday host, Beverly, of How Sweet the Sound.

Today is a special Pink Saturday, however, because we are also celebrating a miracle with Kelee Katillac, of The Katillac Shack. Kelee is the Design Editor for Guideposts magazine. She has made it her mission to heal lives and broken spirits through Creativity and Design.

Please visit The Katillac Shack and watch the beautiful, inspiring video of a grand miracle that Kelee helped happen for a very special woman with Breast Cancer. You will be inspired by Colette's story.

Please do take the time to leave a comment on Kelee's blog post and also on the special Blog Party sights that are linking up with Kelee on this. One dollar will be donated to this wonderful cause for evey comment left during this blogging event. If you have a facebook account please visit the link below and leave a comment to inspire them to host more of these miracle makeovers.

www.facebook.com/guideposts 

If you visit each of these sites and leave a comment, your comment counts as $1 towards another Miracle Makeover! Please do it!

-Beverly's How Sweet The Sound Blog --she is dedicating Pink Saturday-August 28th to this Makeover Reveal..... Email her and give her your blog address so you can join in her link event. She needs them by Aug. 25th. 

-Charlotte & Ginger's Spiritual Sunday Bloggers are also participating and their linky is up Aug. 27th p.m.

-Sherry's Country Wings in Phoenix Friends as well.    

 

 

My favorite charitable gifts

By Mermaid Jennifer

In a year of hardship for so many, it would be easy to hang your head in frustration. The markets are down, people are out of work, and everything still seems just as expensive in the mall.

However, I have found recently that if you look toward helping others instead of worrying about things beyond your control, you may just be able to get past the easy negativity that is around us. 

 

There are two gift Web sites that I think are just super with regard to helping others in the name of a loved one. 

Let your light so shine before men, that they may see your good works, and glorify your Father which is in heaven.

Matthew 5:16

The American Red Cross

From phone cards for military personnel to money to build simple shelters, the Red Cross helps 70,000 people a year. Their Web site is easy to use and you can narrow things down by the type of gift you'd like to give - Help at home, Military, Global Compassion. Sometimes a simple blanket is the kindest thing that you could give. View the site.

Heifer International

These catalogs come in the mail with beautiful little children and fuzzy baby animals. They are so compelling, that out of all of the catalog mail, I love to look at them. Through this organization you can "gift" a goat, ducks, rabbits, and more to people in need around the world. These animals can be used for a family to start a small business. It might make all the difference to them. View the site. 

In this issue of Mermaids of the Lake...

Here are some other thoughts on "How to help others" this season on the Mermaids of the Lake website.

Would you like to share a fun story of volunteerism in your community? Tell us.

Pet Parade Blog party at The Katillac Shack

 

Have you visited The Katillac Shack yet? If you love Inspiration, kindness, divine creativity, people, and animals... you will love this place!!!

This week, September 30, The Katillac Shack will be hosting a Pet Parade Blog party, by Kelee Katillac and her Design Gives Back team. Back in June, Kelee sent out a plea to animal lovers in the blog world and more to decorate a scarf.(sent free of charge by her and her team) You see, someone had agreed to donate $10 for every decorated scarf to a fund for animals who were orphaned due to home foreclosures, a truly huge and growing problem in America today. Kelee's Design Gives Back team met their goal and then some! Congratulations to them and thank you to all who participated. Please visit The Katillac Shack and leave a comment, for Kelee is donating an extra $1 for every comment. Tell your friends, get inspired, help the animals!

Mermaid Debbie contacted Kelee and requested 2 scarves. One for her sweet dog, Willie and one for her sweet dog-brother, Bennie. (her parent's dog)

Willie

Bennie

For our Pet Parade, we are featuring our pets and those of some of our family, friends, neighbors, and readers. Enjoy the parade and give your creatures big hugs of gratitude for the unconditional love they give to you every single day!

Mermaid Jennifer's darling puppy, Indy

Mermaid Shelley's beautiful, sweet kitty, Sally

Mermaid Debbie's much-loved pets...

Willie

Janie

Neve

Carl

Slippery

Friends, family and neighbors...

Benny Roo

Benny Roo

Mimi

Sadie

Baxter

Jack the Cat

Sassy

We Mermaids love our animals! Heck, we love everyone's animals! We even have a Cute Pets gallery on our website/e-zine. If you send us your pics, attached to an email in JPG form, we will make a star of your precious pets!

Decorate a scarf and help the animals!

By Mermaid Debbie

Kelee Katillac from The Katillac Shack is hosting a wonderful way to help animals who have been abandoned due to home foreclosures and troubled times.

The project has been extended and there are scarves left! Please visit her blog and ask for a free scarf. She will mail it out right away. All you have to do is decorate it and take a picture of your dog or your friend's dog wearing it! That is it! Kelee's sponsor has agreed to donate $2,000 if she gets 150 decorated scarf photos.

Now, I have to admit, the artist in me wanted to do something amazing on the two scarves that I was sent. But, I had limited time, as I was leaving on vacation the day after they arrived. I simply took 15 minutes and painted on them, set them in the sun to dry for another 15 minutes and snapped the photos. Done! It isn't a contest for the most elaborate scarf. Just make one. Heck, you could even write inspiring words all over it with a Sharpie!

So pay Kelee a visit and help our furry friends. While you are there read all of her posts and get ready to be inspired in so many ways!!!

Giving the gift of life

By Mermaid Shelley

In this July-August issue of Mermaids of the Lake we featured a story called Volunteering Keeps Couple Young. It's about a lovely couple who volunteer their time and donate their blood at the Inland Northwest Blood Center in Spokane, Washington.

I was inspired by their commitment and asked myself why I haven't donated blood. A few years back I had major surgery and needed several units of blood. Now that I am in super health, it only made sense to give back.

One of the gals from my office and I made our way to the blood center. She's a veteran and showed me the ropes. (I have to say that the angle is terribly unflattering. Deanna is actually quite lovely! And, she'll probably hate me for inserting this picture!)

 

While blood does not make me squeamish, I was still a little anxious about the process. But, the staff at the center were amazing and I soon felt very comfortable. (Ok, I, too, don't look so hot at this angle, but I did want to share this experience, seven extra double chins and all!)

 

I really did feel good doing this, knowing that someone will benefit from my gift. I am now a card carrying member and plan to donate every other month. Apparently, my iron count is really high and I can give double units if I chose to. I actually have no excuse, once a month the mobile unit parks outside of my office on the street!

The Mermaids encourage you to look for ways to give back to your community. Could it be donating time at a local food bank? Participating in auctions for a charitable group? How about clean-up at a park or a neglected neighborhood? There are so many opportunities to give. And guess who benefits the most....you do!

For more ideas about Community, check out the current issue of Mermaids of the Lake.

Design Gives Back: Decorate a scarf and help lost dogs

By Mermaid Debbie

Kelee from The Katillac Shack is offering a wonderful way to help lost or abandoned dogs due to home foreclosures and job loss. It is really simple and I decided to join her cause. It was really fun too!

She has a sponsor who will make a $2,000 donation if she can collect 150 decorated scarves. I went to her website and followed her instructions. I asked for two scarves; one for my dog, Willie and one for my parent's dog, Bennie. I painted mine, but you could sew on buttons, fringe, or appliques. The ideas are endless. Get your creative juices flowing and help out a dog who's family had to leave it behind. She has 50 scarves left!

I painted a simple design

Trying to get a good photo of Willie was the most difficult part of the whole project! This one? No. His eyes are too squinty

This one? Oh, my... no! I caught this one mid yawn! I know it looks like he is snarling, but no... just tired or bored! Isn't it hillarious?!

Now this one is nice

Let's move outside and try one there. Not bad!

 

Benny was a bit easier. He was quite thrilled to receive this scarf from me. After his photo shoot he shook it off, ran with it, and put it in his bed where he keeps his most cherished items.

 

I think that Willie and Bennie are happy to be able to help some of their friends out there. Maybe your dog would like to help too?