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 -

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"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 -

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"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