"I know what it is to be in need I know what it is to have plenty. I have learned the secret of being content in any & every situation." Phil 4:12-13

Top of the morning, friends!

I hope this blog entry finds you all well!

Things are going well here....I'm enjoying my job immensely and it continues to challenge me! I really believe in the mission of the organization and I'm thankful to be a small part of it! Several of my co-workers and I were planning to walk a 5K today for the "Commit to Be Fit" event in Columbus. Unfortunately, the weather didn't coorperate, so we cancelled (yes....we are wimps! :). We hope to do a few more this summer though.

The book sales for "Was it Irony...Or Was it God?" are going well too. If anyone is interested in purchasing a copy, you can contact me via email at stafflt@sbcglobal.net and give me your address & I'll get one to you asap. Thank you to everyone who has supported me in this endeavor. It means more than you know.

Stars Consulting, LLC also continues to grow. In fact, we spent a couple of weekends in Pickerington recently mapping out a crash scene where a young boy was hit. The victims certainly make our work worthwhile!

Teaching is going well--I have a great group of kids this quarter. Terri Mikesh, a K9 handler for the OSP came in and served as a guest for my "Patrol Operations" class. She and her K9 Marco did a demo for the kids and did a tremendous job teaching drug interdiction! The kids actually stayed AFTER class to ask Terri questions. Marco was a hit and had to visit each student individually! He's such a social butterfly! Thanks Terri for another great detail!

Congratulations to my buddy Dianna White - She's getting promoted to the much deserved rank of Staff Lieutenant on Tuesday! Way to go, Dirty Di!

Also, happy birthday to another one of my dearest friends -- Wendy
Forbes!

Please keep the following people in your prayers, as they are all fighting some type of

battle:

• Phil Vermilion


• Joyce Petty


• Roger Farley


• Lex & Oakley the Malis


• Toni Daniels


• Jen Stabler

If anyone has specific prayer requests, let me know...I'd gladly put them on the blog!

Quotes for the day:

"Many times, when I was having a hard time with one of my children, God would always remind me that He was having a harder time with me than I was with them"

- Charles "Tremendous" Jones -

_________________________________

"Our destinies in life will never be determined by our complaining spirits or high expectations. Life is full of surprises and the adjustment of our attitudes is a life-long project"

- John Maxwell -

Until next time, be blessed!

Lisa - 1095

Sunday, March 14, 2010 - "Words from a wise man's mouth are gracious, but a fool is consumed by his own lips" - Ecclesiastes 10:12 (NIV)

Top of the evening, friends!

I hope this blog finds you all well!

I don't think I have ever been so glad to see February be over! And, I don't care to ever see another snowflake again (LOL)! The above picture is on a hiking trip through Deer Creek just a couple of weeks ago. Boy, was I glad I had my new hiking sticks (compliments of my sister, Terry), because there was still quite a bit of snow I had to walk over and through. Trish, Chrissy, Amy, and I were glad to get out and actually get some exercise since we've all been cooped up all month.

The other picture is the cover of my new book, "Was It Irony...Or Was It God?" The book is finally in print and is available to order. The price is $14.99. Should anyone want a copy, email me at stafflt@sbcglobal.net and I will give you additional directions on how to obtain one. The book began as court preparation and slowly evolved into something very therapeutic for me. I greatly appreciate all the support and prayers during my recovery process. Those of you who prayed, attended the benefit, visited, cooked for me, mowed my grass, etc... I will be forever grateful. God continues to take care of me through my family and friends!

After one and a half months, the new job is going well, but I still have much to learn. Fortunately for me, the lady who had my job before me has been gracious enough to come over a few times in the evenings to try to teach me her trade. She, and the other employees have been wonderful to me since I started.

I just finished a juvenile delinquency class this week, and start another class on police patrol operations later this month. My class and I took a really interesting trip to a juvenile correctional facility on our last night. The visit was very informative, and I believe very eye opening for many of my students. After this next class, however, I plan to take the summer off from teaching, as there's LOTS of motorcycling to do! LOL

The business continues to do well, and we are going to map a new crash scene around Pickerington in the weeks to come. One of my business partners, Steve, made me a WONDERFUL gluten-free tiramasu birthday cake last month! His culinary skills never cease to amaze me! I am wondering if Julia Childs might not secretly be his mother!

Praise report! Dad got an excellent doctor's report this week. He does, however, have a few kidney stones still giving him fits, but he's gained weight and feels better all the time.

Please keep the following people in your prayers, as they are all fighting some type of battle:

• Sandy B.


• Joyce P.


• Roger


• Phil V.


• Amy the beagle


• Tom T.


• Jen S.


• Lex & Oakley the Mali's (both dogs are pets of my friends Terri & Jen and have both been stricken with cancer in the last few months. Lex had breast cancer, and Oakley had a leg removed due to bone cancer. Oakley is just beginning chemotherapy now)

Quotes for the day:

"If you're still hanging onto a dead dream of yesterday, laying flowers on its grave by the hour, you cannot be planting the seeds for a new dream to grow today"

- Joyce Chapman -

-------------------------------------------------------------------------

"To admit you were wrong is to declare you are wiser than you were before"

- Unknown -

Until next time, be blessed!

Lisa - 1095

February 6, 2010 - "Godliness with contentment is great gain" - 1 Tim 6:6

Top of the afternoon, friends!

I hope this blog entry finds you all well on this cold, snowy day!

I started my new job this past Monday--and so far, I love it! I have much to learn in my new postion, but I hope my co-workers are patient with me as I ask a multitude of questions! Everyone there has been great and they have already made me feel like one of the family!

Finally, my book, "Was it Irony....Or Was it God" is in the publication process. I hope to have it printed in the next 3 months or so. The cover and back cover have been approved, and the manuscript is in the process of being typeset. It's not a long book, but one that started out as court preparation and evolved into something very therapeutic for me. The basis of the book is how God had his hand on me WAY before, during, and after the crash. He prepared everything in my life--from my family, to my friends....to my finances. I wanted to put many more pictures in the book, to thank those of you who supported and helped me, but unfortunately, each picture that is added is quite expensive, so I had to pare down the photos in the book. But please remember, I appreciate each and every one of you who stood by me during some pretty dark days!

Just prior to starting work, Trish, Christy, Kelli and I took a weeklong trip to Key West. We had a GREAT and relaxing time on the beach, jet skiing, kayaking, and just walking down Duvall Street. We even took a sunset cruise where Kelli demonstrated her singing ability with the band. I'm not sure, but I think there might be a recording contract in the works (lol). Christy helped raise the sails on the boat. You should have seen her "heaving and ho-ing!" While there, we were able to have dinner with my good friend, Lt. Kathy McKinney, of the Florida State Patrol. She is the commander of the Keys (tough job!!). We had a wonderful time visiting!

Congratulations to Lt. Colonel Bill Costas and Major Bob Booker of the Patrol. They retired Friday. The Patrol was richer because of those two gentlemen. The best of luck to them in whatever future endeavors they pursue!

Quotes for the Day:

"We can draw lessons from the past, but we cannot live in it"

- Lyndon B. Johnson -

____________________________

"If you treat an individual...as if he were what he ought to be, and could be, he will become what he ought to be and could be"

- Johann Wolfgang Von Goethe -

Please keep the following people in your prayers, as they are all fighting some battle:

• Joyce P.
• Phil V.
• Roger
• Molly's dad
• Terri S.R.
• The OSP
• Oakley the Mali

Here is an sad, but eye opeing DUI prevention video for you (be prepared):

http://www.fpk11a.com/Dui.html

Until next time...be blessed!

Lisa - 1095

January 12, 2010 - "Never be lacking in zeal, but keep your spiritual fervor, serving the Lord"

Top of the morning, friends!

I hope this blog entry finds you all well and recovering from the holidays! Mine was great--I was able to spend some time with my family in Middletown.

Things have been extremely busy here. I started teaching Juvenile Delinquency at Ohio University on 1/4--and have a full class of 35 students! I am amazed at what these guys and gals teach me! They are a great group of students! I will also be teaching another class on Police Patrol Operations in the spring. I look forward to that class as well. I have taught it several times, and it is "right up my alley" in terms of subject matter.

Our consulting business continues to do well, particularly for a first-year start-up company. While we would love to be busier, we couldn't be more pleased with how we did in 2009.

I have a praise report. As many of you know, I've been in the job hunt for about a year. And it has been a long and arduous process. I have been offered a senior operations manager position with a local correctional facilty, and begin work in February. I'm very excited about this, as I'll help oversee the finances, HR, IT, Foodservices, among other things. I'm thrilled to be getting back into goverment services because that's what I know and enjoy. Please keep me in your prayers that this is THE job that God has prepared for me. While it's a lot of what I did for the Patrol, I know I have much to learn. I'll keep you posted on my progress.

Dad is doing well, but does go in for his hernia surgery on Thursday. It is supposed to be an outpatient procedure. We pray all goes well and he'll be up and ready for fishing season this spring!

While it's not her, the above picture looks so much like my dog Chrissy, that I just had to post it! Even more ironic....she HATES cats!

Please keep the following people in your thoughts and prayers, as they are all facing some type of battle:

• Joyce P.



• My dad, Ross



• Erin H.



• Dave D.



• Roger



• Phil V.

Quotes for the day:

"Ability is what you're capable of doing. Motivation determines what you do. Attitude determines how well you do it"

- Lou Holtz -

_____________________

"It's not enough to do our best; sometimes we have to do what is required"

- Winston Churchill -

Below is a video about what's really important in life that I thought you'd all enjoy!

Until next time....Be blessed!

Lisa - 1095

December 18, 2009 - "A pretentious, showy life is an empty life; a plain and simple life is a full life" (Prov. 13:7)

Top of the afternoon, friends....

I hope this all finds you well and cheerfully preparing for the Christmas holiday!

The theme of this month's blog is Giving. I hope that in some way, you're helping those less fortunate than yourselves during the holidays (and throughout the rest of the year). We ALL have more than we need...please share with those that don't.

Just recently, my friend Trish and I have been trying to help a homeless gentleman in Columbus. He lives in an old metal silo, with no electricity, water, or heat--other than what a small kerosene heater provides. His name is Roger and he is suffering from some medical issues as well. We've been taking him food, coffee, kerosene, as well as some reading material to help him get by. He has applied for SSI, and we pray he'll be approved soon, so he can get into an apartment, and off the streets. He is also waiting for a surgery date to help correct those medical issues. The above picture is where Roger lives. Many homeless people live hopeless lives without help.

I am so thankful that I am going to be able to spend Christmas Eve with my family and friends. I couldn't care less about the gift part of what we do, but I so love our meal and time together. We do a "Yankee Christmas" exchange with the adults. If you don't know what that is, it's where each person in the group draws a number. The person with #1 gets to select the first gift. The person who has #2, can either "steal" #1's gift, or pick another gift from the gift table. The process continues until the last person selects the last gift or steals one from a another person. While quite a bit of "stealing" goes on, it's all in fun and we have such a great time! My sister, Terry always puts out a great spread for the evening too.

Thanks again for everyone's continuing prayers for my dad. He seems to be doing well right now. He went back into the hospital earlier this month for a blood infection. He was in for almost a week, and they sent him home with a port or pic-line so that he could receive antibiotics as an outpatient. The infection seems to have cleared up and the port has been removed, although he said he still feels like he has a kidney stone. So, please keep the prayers coming, as we pray and stand on faith that the cancer does not return.

Here's a nice story that fits right in with the Christmas theme! Enjoy!

YOU REAP WHAT YOU SOW

"Good morning," said a woman as she walked up to the man sitting on ground. The man slowly looked up. This was a woman clearly accustomed to the finer things of life. Her coat was new. She looked like she had never missed a meal in her life. His first thought was that she wanted to make fun of him, like so many others had done before. "Leave me alone," he growled....To his amazement, the woman continued standing. She was smiling -- her even white teeth displayed in dazzling rows. "Are you hungry?" she asked."No," he answered sarcastically. "I've just come from dining with the president. Now go away.." The woman's smile became even broader..Suddenly the man felt a gentle hand under his arm. "What are you doing, lady?" the man asked angrily." I said to leave me alone. Just then a policeman came up.. "Is there any problem, ma'am?" he asked.. "No problem here, officer," the woman answered "I'm just trying to get this man to his feet.. Will you help me?" The officer scratched his head. "That's old Jack. He's been a fixture around here for a couple of years. What do you want with him?" "See that cafeteria over there?" she asked. "I'm going to get him something to eat and get him out of the cold for awhile." "Are you crazy, lady?" the homeless man resisted. "I don't want to go in there!" Then he felt strong hands grab his other arm and lift him up. "Let me go, officer. I didn't do anything." "This is a good deal for you, Jack," the officer answered. "Don't blow it." Finally, and with some difficulty, the woman and the police officer got Jack into the cafeteria and sat him at a table in a remote corner. It was the middle of the morning, so most of the breakfast crowd had already left and the lunch bunch had not yet arrived. The manager strode across the cafeteria and stood by his table. "What's going on here, officer?" he asked. "What is all this, is this man in trouble?" "This lady brought this man in here to be fed," the policeman answered. "Not in here!" the manager replied angrily. "Having a person like that here is bad for business." Old Jack smiled a toothless grin. "See, lady. I told you so. Now if you'll let me go. I didn't want to come here in the first place." The woman turned to the cafeteria manager and smiled. "Sir, are you familiar with Eddy and Associates, the banking firm down the street?" "Of course I am," the manager answered impatiently. "They hold their weekly meetings in one of my banquet rooms." "And do you make a goodly amount of money providing food at these weekly meetings?" "What business is that of yours?" I, sir, am Penelope Eddy, president and CEO of the company." "Oh." The woman smiled again. "I thought that might make a difference." She glanced at the cop who was busy stiffling a giggle. "Would you like to join us in a cup of coffee and a meal, officer?" "No thanks, ma'am," the officer replied. "I'm on duty." "Then, perhaps, a cup of coffee to go?" "Yes, ma'am. That would be very nice. "The cafeteria manager turned on his heel, "I'll get your coffee for you right away, officer." The officer watched him walk away. "You certainly put him in his place," he said. "That was not my intent. Believe it or not, I have a reason for all this." She sat down at the table across from her amazed dinner guest. She stared at him intently. "Jack, do you remember me?" Old Jack searched her face with his old, rheumy eyes. "I think so -- I mean you do look familiar." "I'm a little older perhaps," she said. "Maybe I've even filled out more than in my younger days when you worked here, and I came through that very door, cold and hungry." "Ma'am?" the officer said questioningly. He couldn't believe that such a magnificently turned out woman could ever have been hungry. "I was just out of college," the woman began. "I had come to the city looking for a job, but I couldn't find anything. Finally I was down to my last few cents and had been kicked out of my apartment. I walked the streets for days. It was February and I was cold and nearly starving. I saw this place and walked in on the off chance that I could get something to eat." Jack lit up with a smile. "Now I remember," he said. "I was behind the serving counter. You came up and asked me if you could work for something to eat. I said that it was against company policy." "I know," the woman continued. "Then you made me the biggest roast beef sandwich that I had ever seen, gave me a cup of coffee, and told me to go over to a corner table and enjoy it. I was afraid that you would get into trouble. Then, when I looked over and saw you put the price of my food in the cash register, I knew then that everything would be all right." "So you started your own business?" Old Jack said. "I got a job that very afternoon. I worked my way up. Eventually I started my own business that, with the help of God, prospered." She opened her purse and pulled out a business card. "When you are finished here, I want you to pay a visit to a Mr. Lyons. He's the personnel director of my company. I'll go talk to him now and I'm certain he'll find something for you to do around the office." She smiled. "I think he might even find the funds to give you a little advance so that you can buy some clothes and get a place to live until you get on your feet. If you ever need anything, my door is always opened to you."There were tears in the old man's eyes. "How can I ever thank you?" he said."Don't thank me," the woman answered. "To God goes the glory. Thank Jesus. He led me to you." Outside the cafeteria, the officer and the woman paused at the entrance before going their separate ways. "Thank you for all your help, officer," she said. "On the contrary, Ms. Eddy," he answered. "Thank you. I saw a miracle today, something that I will never forget. And..And thank you for the coffee."

Please keep the following people/entities in your prayers this week, as they are all fighting some type of battle:

• Mary Carnes Napper
• OSHP
• Erin Hubbard
• Joyce Petty
• Roger
• Terri & Jen

Quotes for the day:

"Failure is not a single, cataclysmic event. You don't fail overnight. Instead, failure is a few errors in judgement, repeated every day"

- Jim Rohn -

________________________________

"Character isn't something you were born with and can't change, like your fingerprints. It's something you weren't born with and must take responsibility for forming"

- Jim Rohn -

I pray that you all have a wonderful and blessed Christmas holiday and a great New Year!

Finally....Here's a video about personal accountability....enjoy!

Blessings....

Lisa - 1095

November 27, 2009 - "...Let us be thankful, and so worship God acceptably with reverence and awe..." Heb 12:28

Top of the evening, friends!

I hope this blog entry finds you all well and refreshed after another great Thanksgiving!

I spent the holiday with my family at my sister's house in Trenton, and we all had a wonderful time eating and visiting. My sister, Terry always outdoes herself! It was my job to cut the turkey this year, and boy...did I ever BUTCHER it (literally)! I don't think I'll be asked to perform that duty again next year (lol)! It's normally dad's job, but he was late getting there.

Thanks to everyone who sent me Happy Thanksgiving notes, emails, and blogs! You all continue to keep me lifted up!

Unfortunately, Dad must have another surgery in January. He has developed another hernia as a result of the scar tissue from one of the last surgeries. His doctor doesn't believe it's going to be a big deal, in fact, plans for it to be an outpatient procedure. Please continue to keep him in your thoughts and prayers, as this is his 6th surgery over the last year.

The above pictures are of a day of zip-lining in Hocking Hills. The first picture is of me and my friends, Barb, Pandy, Terri, Jen, and Trish at Bob Evans. Unfortunately, Barb & Pandy couldn't join the zip-lining festivities, but they did eat breakfast with us before they left. The rest of us then spent about 3 hours zipping through the woods of Hocking Hills. The second and third pictures are proof of our adventure! If you haven't had the opportunity to do this, I would greatly encourage it. We had a lot of fun!

Our business (Stars Consulting, LLC) continues to increase, praise God!. A huge case we have been working on for some time was recently settled, I believe, in part, as a result of our very thorough, accurate, and detailed crash analysis that we provided the attorney. Steve does such a tremendous job with crash reconstruction! We have also received several more cases since then. We are very thankful for the referrals we receive from previous clients!

Quotes for the day:

"He is a wise man who does not grieve for the things which he has not, but rejoices for those which he has"
Epictetus

"The measure of a man is not, "How did he die?" but "How did he live?"
not "What did he gain?" but "What did he give?"
Unknown

Please keep the following people in your prayers, as they are fighting some type of battle:

• Joyce Petty

• Joyce Channel's daughter, Beth




• David Huff




• Baby Julia

• Jim Slagle

• Lex the Mali

Here are a couple of videos that I thought you might enjoy. The first is spiritual, the second was just too cute not to share!

http://media.causes.com/539096?p_id=96197493

http://link.brightcove.com/services/player/bcpid1610699488?bctid=31812464001

I will try to write again soon. But until next time, be safe and be blessed!

Lisa-1095

October 30, 2009 - "For God has not given us a spirit of fear and timidity, but of power, love, & self discipline" II Tim 1:7

Top of the morning, friends!

I hope this blog entry finds you all well.

I just wanted to share a few of photos with you--each of which have to do with Halloween.

The 2009 Beanie Weenie Ride at Capital City was a great success! We 30-40 riders that went on a 65-mile ride, then enjoyed some great fellowship and food. Thanks to Mary Hamilton & Company, we had some outstanding soup, sandwiches, and desserts! And to top off the day, Elzie DIDN'T get lost--which was a first!

Please keep the following people in your prayers, as they are all fighting some type of battle:

- Joyce Petty

- Ty Grimwood's sister, Tay

- Toni D.

- The Hartley's

- My dad & my stepmom Mary

Quotes for the Day:

"Yesterday is not ours to recover, but tomorrow is ours to win or to lose."

-Lyndon B. Johnson-

______________________________

"The fishermen know that the sea is dangerous and the storm terrible, but they have never found these dangers sufficient reasons for remaining ashore."

-Vincent Van Gogh-

Until next time, be blessed!

Lisa - 1095

October 23, 2009 - "I will give you rain in due season..." Lev 26:4

Top of the afternoon, friends...

I hope this blog entry finds you all well!

I've been very busy since my last posting. The STARS business is going well. In fact, we received a couple new jobs in SE Ohio. God continues to be so good!

I have been putting the final touches on an online class I have developed for OU. I also just found out I'll be teaching another course in January...which is VERY cool!

My motorcycle club, Capital City is having it's last ride of the season this Sunday--the "Beanie Weenie" ride. Its a wonderful time of fellowship and food with some really nice people. If anyone is interested, let me know and I'll send you the information. We sure would like to have a terrific turnout for our final ride! Everyone is welcome.

I've also been helping the Ohio Women's Law Enforcement Network (OWLEN) plan a one-day conference in January, 2010. If anyone--male or female--is interested in some excellent and free training, let me know and I'll send you the details. S/Lt. Sue Rance-Lock, of the OSP, is an excellent instructor and has been gracious to volunteer to teach a class entitled, "Are you ready to lead law enforcement into the future?" We are also hoping that our new director can come and speak as the keynote speaker when we open the course.

My family and friends are looking forward to coming over for the annual cul-de-sac bonfire on Halloween night. My sister, Terry is making her famous chili spaghetti and we'll be terrorizing...uh, I mean passing out candy to the youth of my neighborhood! A good time should be had by all!

My friend Trish and I hiked 6 miles this week at Deer Creek State Park. We encountered 2 snakes--both of which looked alike. I have no idea what kind it is, but the picture above is of one of them. Can anyone identify the type of snake? How close did we come to dying? Let me know!

Please keep the following people and organizations in your prayers, as they are fighting some type of battle these days:

-Joyce Petty (cancer)

-Jake Valerio (H1N1)

-Kobi Salyers (H1N1)

-Mariah Salyers (bronchitis)

-John Rowland (H1N1)

-Dave Huff (recent surgery)

-OSP (search for superintendent)

-Lex the mali dog (tumors)

Congratulations to:

-Scott and Tami Rike, who are expecting twins!

and

-Carla Garnes, on her retirement!

Quotes for the Day:

"Never fear the shadows. They simply mean there's a light somewhere nearby."

- Ruth Renkee -

----------------------------------------

"Nearly all men can stand adversity, but if you want to test a man's character, give him power."

- Abraham Lincoln -

This video was sent to me by my buddy, Terri West. It is the epitome of love, compassion, and empathy. I hope it touches you like it did me.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=oIrDbzoOxZc

Until next time, be blessed!

Lisa - 1095

september 21, 2009 - "happiness comes to those who are fair to others and are always just & good" psalms 106

What's your excuse??

top of the afternoon, friends!

i hope this blog entry finds you all well.

things continue to go well for me and my family. dad seems to get stronger each day and his nausea seems to be slowly diminishing. thanks for your continued thoughts and prayers for him. God continues to be so good to us!

praise report--i visited my orthopedic surgeon last week and he said that i don't need to ever see him again unless i have other issues with my leg!

i did, however, have to visit my orthopedic doctor this week on an unrelated issue. he injected my right (uninjured) foot with two shots. i have two mortons neuromas (inflammed nerves) that he's attempting to treat. the condition makes it difficult to walk without pain. unfortunately, the doctor inadvertently ran a needle completely through my foot today, so i'm a bit sore. hopefully, this will provide some relief. i've battled this issue for about 10-15 years. as you can guess, i don't want to have another surgery, so please pray that this works.

second praise report--i recently found two lumps in my left breast. having just had a mammogram about six months ago, i wasn't overly concerned. but, i went and had an ultrasound this week and the doctors do not believe it is anything to be worried about, but we will continue to monitor it.

third praise report--i hiked lake hargus again this month--the second time since my crash. it is a pretty long & arduous hike. the cool thing is that i cut my time down significantly from my last attempt! i am getting better with every passing day!

fourth praise report--our motorcycle club--capital city motorcycle club recently sponsored a charity ride for "kids & kamp," a camp that benefits kids with cancer. this month, the club and riders raised about $2,000 for this wonderful charity!

please keep the following people in your prayers, as they are facing some type of battle:

wayne (motorcycle crash)

joyce petty (cancer)

toni daniels (relationship issue)

terry & mike salyers (jobs)

dave huff (heart surgery)

congratulations to the following people on their recent retirements. may God bless you in future endeavors:

colonel collins

s/lt. allard

captain tina phillips

quotes for the day:

"the great pleasure in life is doing what people say you cannot do"

- walter bagehot -

---------------------------------------------------------

"finish each day and be done with it. you have done what you could; some blunders and absurdities have crept in; forget them a soon as you can. tomorrow is a new day; you shall begin it serenely and with too high a spirit to be encumbered with your old nonsense"

- ralph waldo emerson -

the first above picture is at an amish furniture store in lancaster. my friends thought that this dining room table & chairs were just my size. they think they are pretty funny. not so much.

i received the second above picture through an email this month and felt compelled to share it with you. when i start to feel down about some of the "bumps in the road" that have happened over the last couple of years, i simply need to be reminded of this little guy. he really put things into perspective for me!

until next time, be blessed!

lisa - 1095

august 29, 2009 - "my instruction is far more valuable than silver or gold" prov 8:11

top of the evening, friends!

unfortunately, it's been a while since i've posted anything. for some reason, i was locked out of the site and had to have one of my "techie" friends help me get back in.

hope all is going well in your world. things are great here. dad had a bowel blockage about a month ago and had to have another surgery. praise God, however, he's doing well. his doctors can't believe how much energy he has!

a friend and i just returned from a 12-day, 12-state, 3,000 mile motorcycle trip. we travelled up the east coast and through the new england states. we rode through 4 mountain ranges (white mountains, green mountains, adirondak mountains, and the allegheny mountains). although i probably got way too much sun, it was a wonderful trip that i will always fondly remember. the seafood was also unbelievable! i actually saw lobster as cheap as $1.25 a pound! the wild blueberries are to die for as well! the pictures above are from the trip. the top picture is of me after i ran out of gas 3 miles from home! this, of course was after i drove 3,000 miles! my buddy elzie bailed me out. he and trish thought it was extremely funny. unfortunately, now everyone in franklin county knows about it (lol!) in my defense, however, my gas gauge quit working on the trip--at least that's my story! thanks to the circleville trooper who also came to my rescue! the second picture is kayaking on beautiful lake wilson in new hampshire, and the third is on top of cadillac mountain in acadia national park.

i recently completed a 5-mile hike around lake hargus this month! it took me about 3 hours, but i hadn't done that walk since before my crash....so it was such a victory! the dogs greatly enjoyed it too!

our business (stars consulting, llc) continues to increase--in fact we just received another case in eastern ohio this week. we'll be mapping it out soon. my online class starts in september, so i'm just about ready to resume teaching. this is my first of this type, so i'm both excited and a little apprehensive. i've worked very hard on it, so i hope it goes smoothly.

please keep the following people/entities in your prayers as they are going through some tough times:

OSHP

ODPS

joyce p.

jenny t.

toni d.

terri s.

mike s.

jerry p.

terri's m.'s dad

quotes for the day:

"people who consider themselves victims of their circumstances will always remain victims unless they develop a greater vision for themselves"

- stedman graham -

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"opportunities are like sunrises--if you wait too long, you miss them"

- william arthur ward -

hopefully, next month i will be able to write in a more timely manner.

until next time....be blessed!

lisa - 1095

july 6, 2009 - "by His stripes, we are healed"

top of the morning, friends....

i hope this blog entry finds you all well.

things are going well here. i've been very busy with yardwork, therapy, and the business. of course, motorcycle riding continues to be a significant theme this summer ;). my "farmers tan" is evidence of that!

well, once again, prayers have been answered in the taylor household! my dad went in for a bone scan last week, and it came back clean--praise God! there was, however, a small spot on his lung they are checking out, but it's been there a while and hasn't changed, so the doctors don't seem to be overly concerned. it's been exactly a year since his last ordeal, so we are very pleased that his report was good. thanks to everyone for their thoughts, prayers, and phone calls. we appreciate you guys more than you can know!

for the first time in 2 years, i was able to participate in the 2009 special olympics torch run with the patrol. while most either ran or biked, i, of course, walked! terri mikesh, tony & laney bradshaw, suzie roark and i walked 3 miles from the OSP academy to the OSU stadium to cheer on the olympians. even though i was slow, they were extremely patient with me and we had a great time! the picture above is at the end of the walk. i was talking to my buddy steve morgan at the end of our journey.

the other picture is of a recent campfire in my cul-de-sac. every now and then, my neighbors and i get together to enjoy a fire and each others company. i even tried out a new pie iron i had just bought in amish country. we had everything from cheese, peanut butter, marshmallow, and raspberry pies. once i got the technique down, they weren't too bad!

for the motorcycle enthusiasts among you, there will be a 2-day ride at capital city motorcycle club this month. on saturday, july 18 & sunday, july 19, there will be rides, food, and music at the club. all are welcome for a day of fun and fellowship with some really great people. email me or post a note on the blog if you're interested in more information.

quotes for the day:

"only i can change my life. no one can do it for me."
- carol burnett -

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"don't look to become a person of success, look instead to become a person of value.
- albert einstein -

please keep the following people in your prayers, as they are all fighting some type of battle:

diane raubenolt

joyce petty

toni daniels

congratulations to the following people on their OSP retirements. i wish them the best in future endeavors:

mark atkeson

lance mathess

cindy drake

terry ernst

here's a very inspirational video compliments of chris laner:

http://www.thegolfchannel.com/golf-videos/meet-butch-lumpkin-9477/?ref=26000

until next time, be blessed!

lisa - 1095

June 11, 2009 "suffering produces endurance, endurance produces character, character produces hope" romans 5:3-4 NRSV

top of the afternoon, friends!

i hope this blog entry finds you all well!

just an update on what's going on in my world.....

the first above picture is of me, trish, some unknown crazy guy, terri, and jen in put-in-bay. we have no idea who this guy is, but he wanted his picture taken with us. we rode about 300 miles last sunday to the island. jen just had to try out her brand new harley road king! we visited all the sites as well as the winery. i'll just say this....what happens in put-in-bay....stays in put-in-bay! lol

the second picture is my first experience in eating crawfish while traveling through louisiana. while they were okay, i'm not in a rush to eat them again. they are a lot of work to eat!!! the locals call them "mud bugs!" sounds appetizing, doesn't it???

the third is a better picture of my the new bike i picked up last month in san antonio, texas. although it's much newer and had a lot less miles, it's certainly not as comfortable as the road king i currently ride. dad, however, loves it and has already put it in a bike show. he won second prize! i've ordered a chrome pig for the front fender for him for father's day.

things are going good here, although it's been a costly month! i had to replace my central air unit, as it died during the hottest week of the year so far. then, my bathroom sink started leaking, so i had to replace it. unfortunately, it's a double sink, and i couldn't match it, so i had to replace both! then, as i was traveling to my chiropractor yesterday, a truck threw up a rock and broke my windshield! it's being replaced today. it's always something! (lol) although it sounds bad, i don't have to look far to find others with MUCH worse problems! praise God that everyone in my family is healthy and well!

the business (Stars Consulting, LLC - http://www.starsconsultingllc.com/) is continuing to do well. we do a tremendous amount of advertising on the internet. we hope that will eventually pay off.

several of my former grad student friends and i met for dinner recently. di, viv, marla, tonya and i met at the rice bowl and caught up. i also had coffee with another former classmate, mark. although he and i have GREATLY differing political views, it's always fun to taunt one another with our opinions....lol

i've been asked to speak at girl's state again this year. i'm so honored that they've asked me to come up again. that was definitely one of my favorite programs to work as a state trooper. i plan to speak on the importance of being prepared for anything, attitude, and the problem of impaired drivers on our highways.

congratulations to the following people on their upcoming or recent retirements. i wish them the very best in their retirement and in future endeavors!

- stephanie atchison

- lance mathess

- mark atkeson

happy birthday to my friend terri west! she never failed to keep me lifted up after my crash!

thanks to wendy forbes too....i don't think there's been a week go by that i haven't received an uplifting card or note from her!

please keep the following people in your prayers, as they are all suffering a loss or fighting some type of health battle:

- joyce petty

- barb moore's mom

- my cousin boo

- jon haney

quote for the day

(compliments of barb moore)

"be the kind of woman that when your feet hit the floor each morning the devil says "oh crap, she's up!"

until next time....be blessed!

lisa - 1095

may 14, 2009 - "though sins fill our hearts, you forgive them all..." psalm 65:3

top of the morning, friends!

i hope this blog entry finds you all well! i am doing well and healing more each day.

this past month has been pretty eventful. i flew to san antonio texas and bought a trike for my dad and me to ride. it is a beautiful 2006 HD softail heritage with a motortrike conversion kit. he absolutely loves it! after riding it 1400 miles back, however, i was never so glad to see the ohio state line! the seat is not near as comfortable as the one i normally ride. the picture above is the new trike.

i also attended the police memorial last friday. although it's a sobering event, i did have an opportunity to talk with old friends. it was great to see lynda & gary b., whom i haven't seen in almost 25 years!

i also had the privilege of participating in a special olympics event with my church motorcycle group on saturday...that was a lot of fun! the kids sat on our motorcycles and put on our gear for photos.

the business continues to blossom...in fact, we participated in a ohio trucking association trade show this week and made a tremendous amount of great contacts. i also was able to visit with some old OSP friends who were in the booth right next to ours.

i have 3 more weeks to teach before i take the summer off....i will resume teaching again in the fall. i look forward to the break, but have enjoyed the opportunity immensely!

please keep my friend joyce petty in your thoughts and prayers as she is getting treatment for pancreatic cancer. praise God she received some good news last monday!

congratulations to skip dodd and bubba brooks on their retirements--best of luck on future endeavors!

also congratulations to chad neal on his upcoming promotion!

happy birthday to my brother allen! my siblings and i are all relieved he's finally in his 40's!

quote for the day....

"no one would allow garbage at his table, but many allow it served into their minds"

-fulton john sheen-

keep in mind that even though the economy is less than desireable, God is still in control....

until next time,

lisa - 1095

april 13, 2009 - "create in me a new, clean heart, O God" psalms 51:10

top of the morning, friends!

i hope this blog entry finds you all well. it's been a while since i've written, as i don't have a lot of news...but here goes.

well, i finally sold my beloved harley softail deluxe! but, it went to a good home! my friend terri m. bought it and loves it as much as i did! the picture above is her "maiden voyage." we rode about 100 miles on saturday and almost froze to death! by the time we were done, i couldn't feel my hands...but it was a lot of fun!

i still have my black/gray kawasaki drifter 800 for sale too. if you are interested, please either call me or write a note on the blog. i'll make you a deal....

i visited my orthopedic doctor last month and he was pleased with my progess. in fact, he didn't even x-ray me this time. i don't have to see him again for another 6 months. i'm still working out almost daily and am up to 5+ miles a day on the eliptical. i also walk the dogs as well. i'm working on minimizing my limp as much as possible--and making progress! currently, i have about a 91-92 degree bend on my left leg.

the business and teaching are going well...i'm busier than ever! we even bought some new reconstruction software for the business to make our jobs a little easier.

dad continues to improve too. in fact, he's itching to ride motorcycle again, so i'm continuing my search for another trike. i guess you can't keep a good man down!

i would love it if you could keep the following people in your prayers, as they are fighting some significant battles:

- pastor randy wallace (cancer)

- joyce petty (cancer)

- my mail lady gail costa (cancer)

- kelly salyers (possible glaucoma)

alan and wendy f. came over last week for "movie night." alan picked the movie ("Bolt") and i provided the pizza. the movie was great, but company was even better! we had a nice time catching up. alan continues to deny that he cheats on board games, however.

quote for the day:

"i can't change the direction of the wind, but i can adjust my sails to always reach my destination"

- jimmy dean -

until next time, be blessed....

lisa - 1095

february 21, 2009 - "in everything you do, put God first, and he will direct you..." proverbs 3:6

top of the morning, friends....

i hope things are well for you and your families--and i really hope things are better for you than for this poor cat! there really is no reason for the picture other than it made me smile. as you have probably noticed, my time between blog entries continues to increase. i've been very busy with my continuing rehab, teaching, and my new business venture. two of my friends and i have formed a traffic crash reconstruction consulting firm (Stars Consulting, LLC). check out our website at: http://www.starsconsultingllc.com/ if you ever need this type of service, please give us a call. while we handle ALL traffic crash reconstruction, we specialize in large, commercial vehicle type crashes. the above picture is of a recent "vehicle autopsy" we conducted. for those motorcycle enthusiasts who might be thinking of buying a motorcycle this spring, i have two for sale. while it breaks my heart to sell these bikes, i need to get another trike for my dad before spring. he is doing well, but it would give me great peace of mind to have him on three wheels, rather than two. pictures of the bikes are above and the info on the bikes is as follows:

2005 Harley Davidson Softail Deluxe
Blue/White
Windshield
Running Lights (with visors)
Running Boards
Chrome Pig on Front Fender
Windshield Bag
Tank Bra
Custom Pipes
Quick Release Sissy Bar
Luggage Rack
Lowering Kit Installed
Tool Bag
"Live to Ride" Gas Cap Cover
Custom Deluxe Hard Leather Saddle Bags
Crash Bars
Approx. 10K miles
Have over $20K invested
Will take $15K
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2004 Kawasaki Vulcan Drifter 800
Black/Silver
Indian Light on Front Fender
Studded Fender Mud Flaps
Custom Luggage Rack
Windshield
Running Lights
Running Boards
Crash Bars
Windshield Bag
Tank Bra
2 in 1 Exhaust
Studded Solo Seat
Approx. 6K miles
Have over 9K invested
Will take $7K

these bikes are immaculate and have been serviced as required, babied, and garaged every day. give me a call or leave me a note on the blog if you're interested. please remember the following people/entities in prayer this week, as their all fighting some type of battle:

- becky costas

- my dad

- cindy kollin

- ed & prudy white

- mrs. salyers

- tom taylor

- our nation's & state's leadership

- our economy

- our troops

quote for the day:

"the strongest single factor in prosperity consciousness is self-esteem: believing you can do it, believing you deserve it, believing you will get it"

- Jerry Gillies -

until next time....be blessed

lisa - 1095