It's Wednesday...Question of the Day!!!

Okay - you know I like the ones you have to think about - so here goes... What is the most inspiring story you have heard lately?  I think I've got several - so here's a run down... First off...you all are extremely inspiring - so I vote that you all come in 1st place!!!!!    There is no greater personal story than all the excitement that you all share with us each and every day!  Keep it coming! Second...the man that is dying of cancer that gave his life story/rundown.  It is so refreshing to see that man, knowing he could die at any time and wants to share his last days with all of us in such an awesome way.  He hasn't taken life for granted! Third...the judge who took Britany Spears kids away...It's about time someone steped up! Four...the Amish families a year after the tragedy that has passed.  To be able to forgive in the event of something so extremely horrible. Five...Of course, this should actually be number one...My Precious Savior who died for me!!! So, there's my five.  It's not necessary to do five, just one would be awesome.  Please share! Tonja

The person that has the most inspiring story I know is my mother, she isnt one to toot her own horn, she was a single mother of two girls in the seventies when it was not common in a small town in oklahoma to be a single mom. she raised us to be respectable women that can take care of ourselves. Yes she made mistakes and she will be the first to tell you she did. but in spite of it we love and respect her because she admitted she isnt perfect and taught us that we can work through anything. My mother never was married to my bio dad but when I was old enough to ask her about him she was always honest about what happened and honestly her mistake and honesty about it kept my young hormones in check for many years.. I prided myself on being "pure" until I was nearly 20. and its something that I have passed on to my daughter. I wanted to share this with you all because I am proud of my mom, she isnt in great health right now but she still lives alone and with the help of my sister, my children and myself she is able to keep her self respect and take care of herself.. she is a fighter and she has instilled that in me. ... Dorothy Epperson is a insperation to us all. God Bless my Mommy!!!

I'm inspired by a couple of people these days.  Jane Goodall, at an age when many people would be in a rocking chair, continues to travel the world getting out her conservation message.  She is quiet, and determined, and doesn't give up.  On the same page, the Irwins and entire Australia Zoo team continue after Steve's death, reminding us that the cause is more than one figurehead. I'm inspired by my little rescue Bitty-she's 11 (old for a dog) and had to be rehomed due to a death.  She fits in nicely with my rowdy group and she doesn't sit around and mourn the lap she lost, she's just grateful for the lap(s) she found. Greta my other rescue, inspires me daily.  She had her hip surgery about 2 weeks before I had my foot surgery, and she never let her handicap diminish her zest for life.  When I get discouraged with health problems, I sit with my little friend and try to soak up her attitude. I'm watching the professor with cancer now.  He is trying to cram the rest of his life with his kids in 6 months, and that inspires me to do more with the time I have.

Mine to is my mom! WOW what a GREAT person. She has 2 biological kids me and my brother and 2 adopted kids my half sister from my dad and  boy that was a foster child one of the 20 something she has had over the years. Her and my dad always wanted 4 kids but after me the Doc told her she could not have any more and by some freack thing 5 1/2 years later she found she was pregnat with my brother and had stage 4 cancer she was24 y/o. She had the cancer froze week through out her pregnacy and had my brother and went stright to the OR to have the cancer remover by the grace of GOD She made it! She raised me and my brother on her own for years and never took food stamps welfare nothing worked 2 and 3 jobs and still manageed to keep our house spotless and be at all our ball games!! I really don't know how she did it. Her and my dad had the worlds BEST divorce much better divore than marriage. Proving it is not always best to "stay together for the kids" She finally married my step dad He is wonderful he did not have any kids. Treats us like we are his. My dad had a daughter by another "NUT" women and she totally misstreated her my mom and step dad tried to adot her then but her mom said no finally 5-6 years later me and my dad got custody of her and my mom took over the mother role for her she call my mom Granny and my step dad Uncle FUNNY huh All during this time after me and my brother where out o fHigh school they had foster kids then we had 3 we wanted to adopted and they took them away back to there grandparents, It broke all our hearts, so we stopped getting foster kids for a while and did not want to do it any more  and the indian welfare called and said they had a 2 1/2 week old baby the mother left at the hospital and she had already lose custody of 4 other kids so they knew she didnot want this one and they where having trouble placing him because he was biracal. 1/2 indina 1/4 white 1/4 black. Well needless to say we live in RURAL Oklahoma NO NO black kids in our school no black s in our town there is literally a town about 5 miles out of town where most of the black people here live. The caseworker knew our family well and knew we where not the least bit pregested sp??? Can not even spell it ha But did not know if we wanted to do it and get so attached again.  So we talked about it as a family and decied to take him! We decided if we took him it was with the intent to adopt him and we did! we have had him since he was 3 weeks old we love him like our own there is no difference between any of us except he is more spoiled than me and my brother ever where cuz he gets from all of us. he is 9 years old goes to school in our town and so do several other black kids. I don't know if he even realizes he is diferent other than my twin say there uncle is Choclate and they are vanilla HAHA but most of my family are dark indian so it don't mater to us. When my dad died of cancer she and my stepdad took truns helping me stay with him and watch the kids. Her an my step dad and my dad where a triple parenting unit all kids of divore should be so lucky!! Anyway If I can be HALF the Mother she is WOW MY kids are blessed. I have been so lucky to have her and my whole family to have that kind of UNCONDITIONAL love in you life is the best gift god can give you! I got it twice with  my family and my husband!  Yea YEA SAPPY I know!!!

I have two:  1)   My oldest son, Jacob. He battled cancer when he was 4 1/2, never once fighting me about the importance of chemotherapy.   He endured teasing when his hair fell out and his face swelled because of steroids.   He suffered endless nausea.  He had to go through two surgeries, dozens of IV needles, hundreds of finger-sticks. He lost reflexes in his knee and drags his leg when he runs He swallowed over 4,000 pills (we actually added it up) He asked only once, "Is God mad at me?" Then, he took his own story and told it to thousands, resulting in more than half million dollars to be donated by corporations, individuals, and schools to a local non-profit organization.  Now that he's done with treatment (2 1/2 years later), he has a stronger relationship with God than I do. 2)  My youngest son, Ethan He sat in the shadow of his brother and never complained  He was dragged to & from clinic and never complained He watched his brother get presents from complete strangers and never complained He endured his brothers steroidal mood swings and never complained. He asked only once, "When is it my turn to get leukemia?" Now that his brother is "cured", he has a stronger relationship with Jacob than two brothers could possibly have. Cathy

My gosh these are amazing stories.  They make me tear up.  If only the world were full of people like these that you have mentioned - it would be a better world a million fold! Thank you so much for sharing.  It is these stories that make us realize that we can't stress over the small stuff. You are all such blessings! Tonja

My 15 yr old son. He has taken a hard situation (a big mistake) and handled it with maturity beyond his yrs. The lil boy in my avatar is his son who will be 2 in Nov. My Gson's mom left the hospital the day after giving birth. We got a call from the hospital and I dropped my son off to spend the night with him at the hospital. The next day we brought him home. He takes care of his son. Drops him at daycare on the way to high school and picks him up after football. On weekends my Gson stays with me a few hours while his dad works.  My son is my inspiration when life gets to be too much. I see him handling things like an adult and realize nothing is too hard if you dedicate yourself to it.