01.02.06 -- Talk about a Holy Spirit Appointment! Today, I ran into Anonymous while we were both picking up craft supplies! In fact, I was picking up 6" x 6" page protectors to hold my Signs of Hope printed scrapbook pages! It's funny, because I had been feeling badly about not getting out there to capture more signs and update the site, because Anonymous has been active; I just haven't had the time. Seems like in the fall and early winter, my little world is about 2 miles square...except on Sundays when we go to church! Everything I do is very close to home most of the time. But, running into Anonymous let me know it's okay and that we're still just doing our part of this amazing work of God as He leads.
Unfortunately, the signs in my own neighborhood have been removed. I think that was part of the county's recent efforts to de-clutter signage around the area. There was an article in the paper about that, but Anonymous told me a lot of the signs are still up, and there are new ones I've just GOT to check out. So, I will definitely be making an effort to get out there and take more photos. I may change the format for adding new signs to the site, just to speed up the process a bit since my physical scrapbook is done.
Anonymous also told me about some new things she's been working on! She's had the opportunity to place some signs in businesses, and she just happened to have a few with her. She asked me if I had my camera, and guess what? I actually did! I hadn't even planned to take it with me, but right before I left, I stuck it in my purse! God at work! Slow down! Take notice! So, anyway, I took some photos of these signs that you can see here. She's also working on getting some vinyl clings produced so that the signs can become mobile in car windows! I'm so excited about that--will definitely stand in line for one of those! And when Anonymous lets me know how those will be made available, I'll let you know, too.
She also told me a wonderful story about a woman wanting to take a sign about not losing hope up to the hospital where a man was in ICU. The nurses wouldn't let her take the sign into the patient's room, but did allow her to place it in the waiting room. It has already touched hearts there! And the woman was so encouraged, she wants to see about putting signs on other floors! Praise God!
So, the work continues. All to the glory of God! I am hoping people have not stopped checking in on the site since I was not diligent about keeping it updated. I do still keep a link to it in my email address, and through my blog I think I will probably continue getting some visits (especially from my Studio Friday friends--hello!). Eventually, Anonymous will probably have a web site, too. So, keep checking back for updates. You never know when something new and exciting will happen, like today!
01.01.06 -- Due to terrible entries on the guest book, I've decided to delete it from the site. There's no way to block unwanted spam from this version of the Guest Book, and maintaining it was becoming problematic. Please feel free to email your comments to me, though. I always love to hear from visitors to the site!
08.22.05 -- We learned via e-mail that the CBS piece our local station did was seen in San Antonio, Texas! A big ol' howdy to anyone from Texas visiting the site! Added six new signs today! They are: Love Your Wife; Be Slow to Anger; Appreciate Your Mom; Be Thankful; Love Your Family; Love Your Neighbor. It still gives me a little burst of joy every time I see a new sign when I least expect it!
08.17.05 -- Due to the seemingly systematic vandalism of several of the signs, we have decided to remove the location of signs from all scrapbook pages and the index. So sad that someone would be so filled with enmity that they need to be so destructive. The Lord warned us that we would be hated for His sake (Matthew 10:22), so it's not surprising. Just sad. Pray for them.
"But I say to you, love your enemies, bless those who curse you, do good to those who hate you, and pray for those who spitefully use you and persecute you..." (Matthew 5:44)
08.15.05 -- My thanks to Cathryn Stephens of KVAL, our local CBS affiliate, for her lovely report on the signs which aired this evening! It was great fun and a wonderful privilege showing her how all this came about and sharing my thoughts on the nature of the signs. If you saw the segment and linked through the KVAL web site, WELCOME! I'm so glad you're here!
08.12.05 -- Last week I was blessed to be interviewed by Amy Baumann of the K-Love radio network via phone. Her story about the signs was heard several times throughout the day on Christian radio stations across the country. A link to the Bob Welch article appeared on their web site. A big thank you to Sheila for letting them know about the web album! Thank you Amy and K-Love for bringing the signs to a broader audience! Stay tuned, dear readers, for more media coverage!
08.08.05 -- Added an alphabetical index to the Index page. Also, want to give a special shout out to Shannon B. for keeping the ol' eyes peeled for signs! Thanks to Shannon we now have "Remember: Be Faithful" and "Embrace Your Kids." Anonymous gave me a few, too! But not all of them. I didn't want to have all the fun spoiled! If you know where any signs are, please give us a heads-up!
08.06.05 -- It was my great privilege and honor to hear from Anonymous this week! WOW! I really was NOT expecting that! Part of me was hoping they might; but another part was just fine if I never ever heard from them. Well, Anonymous emailed me to let me know that they appreciate the Signs of Hope web album. They knew people were out there "getting it" and have been touched by the previous response from the community; and now they are moved by the expansion of the signs to the Web. We met today, and I dare say it was the most exhilarating conversation I have had in quite a while! I was so excited to hear the vision for the signs firsthand. The full scope of that vision is for Anonymous to share when the time is right, but suffice it to say that they are basically People Out Loving Everyone at the direction of our loving God. Anonymous, as I think we all had hoped, still wishes to remain anonymous, but they will be checking the Signs of Hope Guestbook for people who might be interested in starting a similar outreach in their own community. So, if that's something you feel the Lord is directing you to do, please don't hesitate to email me or sign the Guestbook, and we will prayerfully proceed. Thank you, Anonymous, for your confirmation from the Lord! We love you!
08.03.05 -- Added a Guestbook on the front page thanks to email from Heidi P. I really appreciate the suggestion! Also, late yesterday afternoon, I added a hit counter on the front page. I wish I had done that earlier, but hadn't really thought of it. I'm just curious to see if people are coming to visit.
08.02.05. -- LATER: Really felt it was important to include a link to a web site that has information about beginning a relationship with God. Thanks to Sheila for the link to 1-888-NEED-HIM
08.02.05 -- Yesterday I did an interview with Register Guard columnist Bob Welch about the signs. (I admit it. I contacted him first. I thought he'd be interested. And I was right!) His column runs on Sundays, Tuesdays and Thursdays. He did a piece for today on the signs called A Time of the Signs: Enjoy While They Last (the article was not yet posted at 6 a.m. today, but will be later and will stay online for 30 days). I have to say, I understand the cynicism he expressed in his column. I get that way, too. But then, I'll see one of these signs in town, and I really do start to feel hopeful--at least about my own attitude. Anyway, thanks Bob for bringing the web site to light! I really do just want this to be an extension of what Anonymous is doing. I did have to laugh, though, because I told him I had currently documented 30 signs up to the point of our interview...and then went out and found three more!
07.25.05 -- I was just driving home from the McDonald's in my neighborhood this morning, feeling kind of mopey, when what to my wonderin' eyes should appear, but another sign! Right by Clear Lake and Shasta schools! It said "you're loved." Well, I certainly needed to hear that! Made me very excited to find a new sign! That means Anonymous is still at work! Cool! But, Anonymous must've been very busy last night, because they had replaced "applaud your kids" right by the Dari Mart on Barger with "be gentle." Wow! Two signs in my own neighborhood! No, could it be!?! There was ANOTHER sign! Right past the bus stop at Praslin and Barger. "hug your kids." I will get these into the album as soon as possible, but I was just so excited, I had to post the news!