Check out the collection of other 7 Quick Takes Friday posts, hosted at Jennifer Fulwiler’s blog, Conversion Diary. 

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Spent last weekend with my kids. It was a lot of fun to hang out together. It usually involves some silly shenanigans, so when my oldest daughter shared this photo of a momma duck with her three ducklings, it totally warmed my heart. The bonus? There’s a joker cutting up in the line. Typical.

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Here’s what we were doing: celebrating Soldier Sally’s graduation from the Defense Language Institute. We’re so proud of her achievement and service to our country!

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Then we did the touristy thing. Did I say how much I enjoyed hanging out with them?

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Well, it’s finally over, for a few years, anyway. The Southern Association of Colleges and Schools Commission on Colleges approved our reaccreditation process with no recommendations. None! You know what that means: we start writing the report for the next visit. LOL…it never ends.

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I visited Alcatraz while we were in California. I was pleasantly surprised by a number of things…especially the beauty of the gardens. I was struck by the stark reality of the violence against humanity that led to the incarceration of so many men, and how some were able to find redemption. While many perpetuated violence within the walls of the prison, some few found peace in the creative outlet of gardening. The symbolism of this hope was moving — that what was once a destructive force in their lives was replaced by the desire to create beauty in living things.

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My parents are so cute. My dad recently liked a post here, the weekly photo challenge by WordPress. The idea is simple; they give a theme and you post a photo interpretation of it. You can see my response to this week’s theme, Mine, here.

My dad evidently wanted to play along but couldn’t post his picture in my combox, so he sent me an email. I’m gonna make a blogger out of him yet.

In the meantime, here’s his entry since he wanted to share:

Blue Skies, The spray of the ocean in my face while boating, and the love of my life with me….Wow, God is good.

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Finally, had this wonderful treat: Pat Gohn invited me to join her on episode 146 of Among Women for a delightful conversation about friendship, specifically praying with friends. I invite you to listen as we share some highlights of our friendship, but also discuss incorporating prayer into our relationships with friends.

Among Women 146: The Power of a Praying Friend