About Me

Van Walton

Fun Facts about Van Walton

My favorite smell: The way the earth smells after it rains.

My favorite sound: The first notes of a grand symphony.

My favorite way to relax: Sitting anywhere outside - on my front porch, on my deck, or by the lake, early in the morning with my first cup of coffee.

My favorite birthday dessert: a Peach cobbler baked by my husband. He’s my fave chef!

I will not eat: Avocado. They turn my stomach into a volcano that never erupts.

Technology I couldn't live without and why: My laptop - it takes me anywhere I want to go.

One thing that makes me smile: My sons' faces!

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My Resources



My book, From the Pound to the Palace, is available for $10
from Proverbs 31 Ministries.


Pound to Palace


My book, Little Halos, is available for $5.99 from Proverbs
31 Ministries.


Little Halos


Proverbs 31 Ministries












Links




Sponsor a Child in Jesus Name with Compassion

Tuesday, March 11, 2008

CELEBRATING GIRLFRIENDS AND BIRTHDAYS

Today is my son's 2oth. What a joy it has been to be his mother. Read on you will see how his birthday ties in with today's post.

I have been on a friendship kick for days. Nothing compares to a couple of hours spent with girlfriends. Recently, as I began spring cleaning, (believe me I cleaned for about 26 minutes, ran across this card, and that is about all the spring cleaning I will do this year – so please don’t get too impressed with me) I stopped to read this card given to me years ago. I framed it and placed it in a prominent location in my office. It reminds me of my friendships. I just don’t read it very often. So I stopped to read what it says about girlfriends:

Friends are the greatest.
Friends are heroes.
Friends can pull you out of a dumperday and make you laugh ‘till your cheeks hurt!
Friends are heart.to.hearts and “remember.when” stories.
Friends are comfy like cotton pjs.
Friends celebrate the moment (preferably over something cheesecake.n.chocolatey.) Friends hug the little girl in you.
Friends weep big tears for you.
Friends believe in you deep.
Friends are legends.
Friends are forever.
Friends are the rarest gems in all the world…

especially ones that sparkle inside and out.

I just have a few more thoughts of my own to add:

Friends ~
encourage, support, celebrate each other. They speak life into one another and cheer us on.

Recently I made a new friend. Even though I didn’t know her before last Friday, she is a friend because she stepped into my life to offer encouragement and support at a booth where I was selling and signing my latest project, a DVD for children based on my book: FROM THE POUND TO THE PALACE. She bought several to give away as gifts. Her act of kindness affirmed me, helping me celebrate the beginning of my journey. Then she went immediately home and watched the DVD with her children. This is what Jody wrote. I hope she knows that she is a cheerleader for me! We all need cheerleader friends who speak life into our hearts and souls.


Hi Van! My kids love the DVD! I will be ordering the book soon! I sat and watched it with them. It is so sweet and it really has such a great message and so gently done! Great Job. I love it too! I can't wait for my nieces and nephews to receive their copy. I am hoping that they will always remember this
important message. Also, it was a pleasure meeting you , Jody

I am filled up – so satisfied and happy. It doesn’t take much to speak positive words into someone’s life.

Let me challenge you right now to contact a girlfriend, sister, aunt, cousin, niece, young friend, mother-in-law, or your mother. Be a cheerleader and surround her with sparkles that only you can give.

Now, I want to be a friend to some precious little one and a devoted “girlfriend” who would like to gift my DVD to her best little friend. This little one could be your own child, a neighbor, a niece or nephew, your grandchild, or (s)he could be a whole school ( a contribution to a library in your community.) Leave a comment telling me and others how you encourage or like to be encouraged. I will be giving away 3 DVD’s within the next week. Who knows you may be one of the lucky winners.

You may be wondering what the DVD is all about. It is the story of a stray puppy who ends up in the animal shelter where he realizes how lost, afraid, sad, and lonely he is. Then one day a boy and his mother come into his kennel and choose him to be their pet! (This is where my son comes into the picture. Had he not relentlessly begged for a dog, the lessons we learned from our furry friend would still be lost. Our dog taught our family countless lessons in spiritual devotion. That is why I wrote his story - so children might learn learn those lessons also. ) When the little dog understands that he has a master to care for him, he submits, walks away from his life of wandering. obeys, changes his old habits, and dedicates his life to his master. He moves From the Pound to a Palace!

I'm sure you can think of a young friend in your life who would delight in watching this story unfold. Let me bring out the little girl in you - be a real girlfriend - win a drawing for a child!

Cheers! To girlfriends of all ages!

8 comments:

Charlene Kidd said...

Van,
I am so excited for you. The DVD sounds wonderful. Yes, my Sarah would just love to have one. My husbands love language is encouraging words, so I am always striving to speak into his life. I find myself extending that to others as well.
Blessings,

charlene

Anonymous said...

Hi!

Dogs have a way of connecting people.
Neighbors who might not ever speak to one another otherwise, will connect when you have dog ownership in common. When neighbors exchange pet sitting during vacations or other times when the owner needs a helping hand, a natural relationship is formed. I believe God uses dogs and other pets to put relationships together for His own purposes. When you are in relationship with one another you have natural opportunities to speak into the lives of those who need to know Jesus. My neighbor, the owner of a lovable golden retriever, and myself--the owner of an adorable pekingese, have formed a wonderful friendship all because we each needed a hand with our "furry babies." We are able to offer encouragement as we help one another out in practical ways. Recently we both reached out to another neighbor who just suffered a tragic loss in her family. Both of my neighbors have 2 year old sons who would love your DVD!
Mellabella

Anonymous said...

Hola Van...de Mexico...amiga de animales...Thank you again for using your gift of writing and love of your dog(your son chose)!
to reach others with the love of the Master! I'm going to say something silly and perhaps strange to others, but my 5 furry
friends are my encouragers! Each day, though they may exasperate me with their constant barking, to dogs on the other side, they serve as a constant reminder, since I read about the correlation your story, From Pound to Palace, makes with our "walk" with our Master. I encourage them, by reminding them when they bark, that THAT could be their life...searching for food, looking for water and care, no place to sleep...just keep on wandering...which reminds me that the lives around me that don't know Christ are just like that! Now that inspires me, to get out and do more of what I'm here for...
That's a good CHEER! I see how I need to seek the Living Water daily, be fed from His Word, listen to His Voice, walk with Him.
I haven't yet read your delightful book and now I have to decide if DVD is the better way to go...but it's for sure on my list of MUST BUY when I get home! So from, what I've read about your story and how you minister with it, I consistantly can see correlations between my dog's lives with mine and MY MASTER! Each of them, uniquely different, bring joy and encouragement to me and serve as a little sparkle in my day, as they are my family here, I find blessings in how they can connect with me and as other blog said be a connection to people. God bless your new DVD and continue your ministry and writing! Thanks! Peggy Anderson Hernandez

Celly B said...

Thank you for the challenge to reach out and send sparkles to other women. I did that yesterday to a friend who was a former colleague, and that reacing out has helped to reignite a friendship. I will try to send more sparkles out today, too!

Celly B said...

Oops! That should be "reaching" out!

Carolina Mama said...

Hi Van, I was just over from Lysa's because I love what you said about Fear there. And the story of your son, my sons ages right now! How true!

While I am here :) I would l.o.v.e the DVD on Fear! For my husband and me, we are both encouragers, and it is so nice to hear the encouraging word. I am sure you can relate being in ministry like this, when you are always encouraging and building up, that is rewarding and a gift. However, it is a real blessing when someone does likewise toward you. :)

Love your blog and God Bless!

Laura said...

Van,
You are one of my great encouragers! What a wonderful milestone to mark with your son...20 years! wow! I know that we never stop being moms, but there must be some sense of satisfaction with making it this far! Encouragement...hmm. I have a very special circle of friends who are close to one another and to God. We share our most intimate prayer concerns, being open and honest in many things. By just being there for each other, to listen and pray for one another, we give each other a precious gift.
The preschool at our church would love a copy of your DVD. They love the book!
Laura

Anonymous said...

HI VAN:

I do not know how to said this in English. Tu me inspiras, un monton. No amo los perros, pero si tu puedes ver a Dios en un animal que yo no quiero, y puedes hacer una relacion entre el perro y nuestras vidas. Con seguridad Dios debe estar en todas partes y listo para alcanzarnos a todos. Tu libro ha sido de mucho agrado a los niños de mi iglesia que lo han leido. Gracias. Por pensar en los niños, los que son la actual y futura generacion de nuestro creador. y felicitaciones por lo de tu DVD. Y sabes mi Padre tambien cumplio años en el 11 de marzo!! Judith