Sandals

Three luxurious Sandals resort in three jam packed, fun-filled days. Dreamy Destinations just attended site inspections on Sandals properties.Can you imagine 240 travel agents on a charter plane descending on three properties all at once? Well that is what happened.  We saw Sandals Emerald Bay in Great Exuma (Bahamas), Sandals Grande Antigua, and Sandals Royal Bahamian.

If you are a couple looking to revitalize and enhance your romance,Sandals is your destination. Did you just get engaged? This would make a perfect location for your destination wedding. They have 8 Martha Stewart packages for you to choose from-you can add on to make it unique. There is also a professional wedding coordinator on each property.  If romance is not on your agenda right now, maybe you need a girlfriend getaway or a place to have a birthday/anniversary celebration. Sandals can make it a memorable celebration just for you. There are numerous restaurants to satisfy your palate. Romantic rooms, luxurious beaches, and no children. Does it get any better? Are you looking for professional, 24 hour service that will cater to your every need? You can't beat butler service. They will draw your bath, unpack your bags, decorate your room and pretty much any other thing you can think of. The staff is friendly and accommodating and the grounds are beautifully landscaped.

Water sports abound, most included in your package. To plan you perfect excursion, Island Routes is on the resort to make sure you have the thrill of a lifetime. There is daily entertainment and nightly activity too. Commercials get you interested in Sandals, but the pictures we posted after seeing the resorts up close and personal, are the real deal.  Each resort has its own unique flavor but what doesn't vary is Sandals commitment to making your vacation an experience that you won't soon forget and will keep you coming back for years to come. So what are you waiting for? Call us to book a fantasy vacation that you won't soon forget!

In Diva Travel Mode,

Pam

Business Promotion!!!

Summer is just about here. I know all of you have not made all of your travel plans. Please check out www.dreamy destinations.net or www.facebook.com/DreamyDestin8ns  for excellent travel deals. You can book your travel or take advantage of the specials offered there. Dreamy Destinations is my husband's travel business. We want to increase our clients and now is a good time to push for it. Tell your mother, cousin, neighbors and friends. He is thorough, honest, and had a passion for travel. We can't be successful, without a little help from you. One chance is all anyone ever needs. Don't forget to like us on Facebook and tell 3 friends to do the same.

Revisting Why I Write

It has been a little over a year since I started this blog. So I think it is a fitting time to reiterate my reasons for doing so and also to reflect on what I have written. As I reviewed my original "Why Write" post, things haven't changed much in my opinion about why I do what I do. I still write for me and I still want to be transparent. I want to grow and I want to inspire you to grow. I want to challenge and be challenged. I want to exercise my God given gifts and talents. I also write to inspire my children to do and undertake whatever their hearts desire. Chante started a blog because she was inspired by me and her Big Sister/Cousin Toot. You never know how you will impact your child. In light of the post written yesterday, be careful to be a positive influence. Your children and someone else's are watching your every move and action!

I am a major procrastinator. It irks the hell out out my handsome husband. It works for me, not against me, in almost every situation. So of course this should have been written on August 26, 2010. That was the anniversary of my first post. Somehow, that day came and went and it never crossed my mind to review the year's worth of blogs. My blogs have run the gamut, topic wise. I have written about issues that are near and dear to me. I have highlighted current events and issues. I have reflected on legendary people. I have commented on history, parenting, and friendship. I have told you my favorite products and given you my pet peeves too. In short, I have a lot to say and I am not through yet. I have grown in my sharing and been honest. Transparency is still difficult, not because I don't want to be honest but because I don't really want to be judged. Who does?

Let this serve as  reminder to each of you. I am still and always will be a WORK IN PROGRESS.  I am not perfect but I still put my self and my opinions out there. My blogs are not about any of you(SN: neither are my FB statuses) per se. If we have a conversation and the subject matter weighs heavily on my heart, chances are it may become fodder for a blog post. I am never going to put anyone out there. I am going to state my opinion and it may not be politically correct.  You can always chose to read any other of the million other blogs out there. Sometimes, though, we need to come out of our little comfort zones and face the truth or be challenged in a different way. Growth is difficult but alas it is necessary. You can always provide me with an alternative view. I am willing to share my blog with a guest post. I am not writing to stroke egos but I would like my posts to be pleasing to God.Now sometimes, even that simply doesn't happen. I am a sinner saved by God's grace and mercy and sometimes flesh takes over. Note that that was a disclaimer. ;)

Finally, I really want to thank my loyal readers, especially those who offer comments both public and personal. The dialogue has been great! I am always left with something to think/pray about but more importantly, I am encouraged by each of your honesty and encouragement. If you told a friend to subscribe or check me out, I am eternally grateful. Strangers will tell you things your friends won't. For those of you who have spoken positively into my life and encourage me to keep writing, I am very appreciative. I am trying to work on God's timeline for a change so my book is still not ready to be birthed. Apparently, God still needs to prepare me in some way. Ruh-oh, it might be scary. I think I can handle it, but you never know.

So welcome to a new year with Miss Read! I will continue to be blunt, honest, and transparent. I will continue to address whatever I deem necessary. I hope you find it a thrill to keep up with me as I work through my issues and maybe yours too! That is why I write-to free my mind and yours and host of other reasons already listed in this and the previous post. Till next time, be a vessel God can use! Ciao!

Copyright September 10, 2010 by Pamela Cole Thorpe

Beach Reads

In keeping with the theme of recommended reading, Here is a list by the staffers at Woman's Day Magazine. It is short sweet and to the point. I haven't read a single one of them but a couple are already on my Nook. Here they are in no particular order:

    1. Dismantled: A Novel
   
    2. The Perfect Happiness: A Novel

    3. Summer Shift: A Novel

    4.  Days of Grace: A Novel

    5. Girl in Translation

    6. Every Last One: A Novel

    7. My Name Is Memory

    8. Hannah's List

That is it for now. I plan to read #s 1, 6, and 8. I will let you know my opinion. It's a hot day and I'm enjoying being in the house with my family. Translation: Love being in the comfort of the air conditioning. Till next time, be safe and God bless. Ciao!

Copyright June 12, 2010 by Pamela Cole Thorpe

I Have my eye on your Status

I have a couple of things on my mind and honestly they are totally unrelated. First up, is our children and their outlets of expression. What has me on this topic is that one of my young cousins used Facebook as an avenue to blast her mother. It totally pissed me off because #1 it was ignorant and #2 it was completely disrespectful. Last week, there was a segment on the Today Show about parents "friending" their children and it highlighted a father-son relationship that had fallen apart over comments expressed and photos posted on FB. The son ended up deleting his dad as his friend. I informed my cousin that her child had completely dissed her on FB and that it was offensive to me as an adult as well as inappropriate. My cousin addressed her daughter and she came back with a rant addressed to me about how she thought this was an avenue she could vent and express herself and that now she would have to keep her feelings all bottled up and become depressed and yada, yada, yada. Honestly, if I lived in the same city, I'd probably would've tried to beat her young smarta$$. Don't even get me started on the fact that her mom said to me that she and the wayward child's father weren't allowed to be her(the child) friend on FB. WTF? Really now? She is a kid, on a laptop that her mom bought and paid for, being used in a house supplied by electricity and Internet connections that said mom pays for. Am I the crazy one here?

These children really don't realize how much these social networks can impact and affect their lives. Recruiters and potential employers scout these sites and use the information collected to make hiring decisions. I won't even discuss the potential pedophiles, bullies, and other sickos who use this information to target potential victims. At what point did expression of self become so important? At what cost? I am a parent attempting to instill character and morals to my children. They follow my rules as long as they live in my house. They don't have to like them, heck I don't like all the rules that I follow(I love driving fast). You only get one reputation and I am of the mindset that you should protect it at all cost. Never post anything that might come back to bite you in the butt. Save the cursing period, it is not cute and who the heck wants to read that crap anyway? What you put out there is a reflection of who you really are or the person you want people to perceive you to be.

So for those of you with children out there....are your children on FB? Are you their "friend?" How much monitoring of their page do you do? I have teens(usually children of friends) who are my "friends" on my page. I call them out if I see anything inappropriate, not because I'm the FB police, but because I am aware of the long term ramifications it can have. If I think they need to be encouraged, I do that too. I'd want the same for my child. It still takes a village to raise a child despite the fact that it seems less and less so each day. Occasionally, there is even the well meaning adult who gives questionable advice. That always pains me. How would you have handled the situation? Was I wrong? What do you think of all of this?

You know I said that I had a couple of things on my mind but I'm going to address my other issue in a separate post. I am too tired to blog it out. I love you all. I hope this week is treating you well. Peace!

Copyright April 21, 2010 by Pamela Cole Thorpe

My Nook Is Here!!

Okay so I still really don't feel like putting my fingers to keys and typing the blogs in my head. Sorry folks, I am not sure what the problem is but I can assure you that eventually, it shall pass. I am excited to share with you the fact that I have finally received my Nook. Y'all know that I am a book whore! I love to read! Any book store makes me happy just by being there for me to browse the latest titles. So imagine having a bookstore that you can hold in your hands.

For those of you who are not aware of what a Nook is, it is Barnes & Noble's(B&N) electronic reading device. Think Amazon's Kindle or Sony's E-Reader. Originally, I wanted a Kindle but after much study, I thought I'd like the Nook better. In other words, whole books are downloaded to a portable device. To be able to download and port my books in a hand-held device, well for me, that is MAJOR.

My Nook finally came yesterday and I wasted absolutely no time getting it charged and ready for use. As of today, I have downloaded five whole books and eight book samples. The sample allows you to read at least the first chapter(or more) before you purchase. You can sample anything before you buy. The cost of the books range from free to $9.99. Most bestsellers and newly published books are at the higher end price-wise. Not bad for new hard backed books which would normally cost you anywhere from $17 to $27. Not only are books available but also magazines and newspapers. How cool is that?

I can download pictures and music to personalize and enhance my Nook experience. I ordered a pretty case for it today. It is small enough to fit in my purse. It is about the size of a 5x7 picture and very light in weight. Every time I look at it I smile. I can share(or lend) the books I purchase with a friend too. My sister will get hers in a couple of weeks and she can't wait. If she had it today, she'd be locked in her bathroom with it. I understand totally. The other good thing is that your books download to the device and your on-line account. There is no space taken up in your home or on your bookshelf. If you take your Nook with you to B&N, it will recognize the store and offer you additional deals. All that said, I am an extremely happy camper. So I owe a huge amount of appreciation to my husband who gave me the most cherished gift this past Christmas. Meat, I love you and I appreciate the thoughtfulness. Now, don't forget to give B&N gift cards if you are ever in doubt of a gift idea for me. Hint, hint, hint! LOL! So I gotta go, read of course. Y'all know reading is FUNdamental! Till next time, Ciao!

Copyright January 9, 2010 by Pamela Cole Thorpe

Keeping a Prayer Journal

In light of my last post, I found this information to be quite useful. There are all types of ways to journal but if you are spiritual, you may find yourself keeping a prayer journal. The prayer journal can serve many purposes such as highlighting the valley and mountaintop experiences or may track the way God has chosen to answer your prayers. If you want to keep a prayer journal but have no idea where to begin, this information may help you. Let me know what you think.

Organizing a Prayer Journal

Set a Pattern
•Decide how and when you will use your prayer journal. Do you require the discipline of writing in it at a fixed time in a regular place? Or do you prefer the freedom of carrying it with you so you can use it whenever? The key element is purposefulness.
Record Praise and Intercession
•Keep two running lists: thank you notes to God and requests to bring before Him. While the requests may come easier, balance is the focus.
•Leave space for answers and write them in. This can inspire gratitude for some items and perseverance for others.•Track petitions and praises for those for whom you pray regularly. You will see more clearly how God is using your prayers in their lives and avoid the dangers of spiritual narcissism.
Include Personal Worship
•Reserve a special page for permanent prayer items. "Lord, give me the perfect love of 1 Corinthians 13" can't be fully answered in this lifetime, but is the sort of prayer God uses to transform you and draw you closer to Himself. Likewise, "Father, thank You for Your great mercy and salvation" is a praise that will never end, and fulfills the high purpose of giving glory to God.
•Write out prayers. This need not stifle the Spirit's spontaneous leading. Many saints of the past, from King David to A.W. Tozer, have invested significant time and energy in recording their prayers. These are not public liturgies, but personal psalms from you to God.
•Meditate over Bible passages on prayer. Or the prayers of individuals such as Mary, Nehemiah, Hannah, Paul, and Christ Himself. Copy down verses and jot down thoughts that impact you.
Store Treasures
•Collect prayer "gems." If a sermon expands your understanding of prayer, note the helpful points. If a quotation says it as you've never thought of it before, copy it down.
•Keep a list of prayer techniques that will break you out of ruts. These might be anything from "Pray for those suffering every time I hear a siren" to "Try a different prayer posture."
Incorporate "Stones of Remembrance"
•Look back to look forward. Prepare your heart for prayer by reviewing the previous day's or week's journal entries. Or devote a special time to talk to God about your recent prayer life—reminding you of what needs prayer and His greatness in hearing you.
•Mark signposts. Several times a year, set aside one or more journal pages for reflections on the impact of prayer in your Christian experience. How has God used prayer in your life? How has prayer deepened your walk with God?
Copyright © 2009, Pray!, a publication of NavPress and The Navigators. All Rights Reserved. NavPress is the publishing ministry of The Navigators, an international Christian organization and leader in personal spiritual development. NavPress is committed to helping people grow spiritually and enjoy lives of meaning and hope through personal and group resources that are biblically rooted, culturally relevant, and highly practical. To find more spiritual-growth resources, visit www.praymag.com.

Copyright October 27, 2009 by Pamela Cole Thorpe