R&R

We are heading to the mountains for a little R&R since my vacation was painful (kidney stone) for most of the week. Audrey is out of school on Friday and she has volunteered to work for me. I will sit and listen to this creek, read on a book and look for Mars in the very dark sky. Joey and I are in the process of making some very important decisions for our life. I want to know without a shadow of a doubt that we are heading right where God wants us. We are throwing down some fleece and waiting to see God's answer.

sparrow

Why should I feel discouraged, why should the shadows come. Why should my heart be lonely and long for heav'n and home. When Jesus is my portion, My constant friend is he. His eye is on the sparrow and I know he watches me. His eye is on the sparrow and I know he watches me.
I sing because I'm happy, I sing because I'm free,
for his eye is on the sparrow and I know he watches me.
Let not your heart be troubled, His tender word I hear, And resting on his goodness, I lose my doubts and fears, Though by the path he leadeth, but one step I may see. His eye is on the sparrow and I know he watches me. His eye is on the sparrow and I know he watched me.
I sing because I'm happy, I sing because I'm free, as for his eye is on the sparrow and I know he watches me.
Whenever I am tempted, whenever clouds arise.when songs give place to sighing when hope within me dies, I draw the closer to him, from care he sets me free, His eye is on the sparrow and I know he watches me. His eye is on the sparrow and I know he watches me.
I sing because I'm happy, I sing because I'm free,
for his eye is on the sparrow and I know he watches me.

I was reminded of this song last night, while reading this new book, I haven't sung this song in a long time. The book had written out all three verse and I remembered that I am free, so I can be happy. I know he watches me closer than he does the birds, I am his child. Like any good parent we keep a watch on our children. I might not always know the next step in life, I might sigh, I might have discouragement but I can still sing.....

school days

I remember a few years ago, thinking " when will school start back" since I was a stay at home mom, by the middle of August the kids were ready for a routine and I needed a little break. I was with my kids everyday. We played, went to the pool, VBS, lunch with grandparents, built forts in the den, and just laid around. I think back now and try to figure how I got everything done. In saying all this I miss those days sometimes... I like my grown-up kids, but I also miss the days when we just played, they had no responsiblities other than to help pick up their rooms, and take out the trash. That was why life went so slow for them, They didn't have to figure out how to make the next house payment or electricty bill. Life for them was not monthly like it is with us who own money to people. I heard my cousin fussing last night about her kids, they are 7 and 4 and cute as can be and how she couldn't wait to get them out of the house and back to school and I remembered.......

"It Is Well With My Soul" By Wintley Phipps

I love to hear this man's voice... I think if I close my eyes this is a little bit of how God's powerful voice will be..

Today's church

Last night I cooked dinner for a couple that goes to our church and a lady who is in her eighties and has moved here and wants to join our church. Joey is her elder so he and Al another elder had to do a brief interview. I laugh at the end and asked her if they decided that she really was saved and could join our church. We had a really nice evening, with it being so hot out I decided to cook light, Cheese Quiche, homemade Banana Bread, brown sugar bacon, and a fruit salad with this concoction I came up with. It was sour cream, powdered sugar and lime juice and zest. It turned out great. I use to get worked up when I fixed dinner for people, worried did I have enough, was I fixing the right stuff, and never did it change the outcome. We always have enjoyed everyone's company, no matter the food. Our college kids have been discussing the purpose of the church and how they think we do it wrong today. In Acts 2 the believers devoted themselves to teaching, fellowship, sharing meals and prayer. They helped those in need and worshipped together regularly. I don't see our church failing in these areas. Sure maybe we having to many orderly services, may be don't always go with the spirit(because it scares us)
maybe there isn't enough singing and to many announcements, but in saying all of this on the day to day I think alot of churches are doing their part, the reason many don't know it is working is because it is done at home, in quiet, away from the self glory, but done for the right reason, as the new testament church started. I think you will see a working, growing, healthy church when you look at the day to day contacts that are made, not just the Sunday morning routine.

heat...heat...heat...

Will I complain about the heat......

Do you remember the cold...


Actually I like cold better than heat...


But I try to remember that as the Bible says there is a time for everything, and a season for every activity under heaven.
A time to live and die, to plant and harvest, to kill and heal,a time to tear down and build, to cry and laugh, to mourn and dance, a time to scatter and gather, to embrace and refrain, to search and to stop looking, a time to keep and time to rid ourselves, to tear apart and to mend, to talk and to be silent, a time to love and a time to hate, and time for war and time for peace. What season are you in and know that it is always changing....

church family

Last night we were invited to a little surprise birthday party for a guy at our church. His mom and my mom sang in a trio called the "3 J's" in college. Until about 13 years ago I had not seen Jill since I was a baby. My mom(Judy) had me in June, Jewell had Hank in July, and Jill had Todd in August. We had a wonderful time last night. Dinner, Homemade carrot cake and homemade vanilla ice cream. It was so neat to see how sometimes life comes full circle. My mom and Jill were great friends in college and then they went separate ways due to jobs, marriage and everyday life. Now I enjoy the friendship of Jill and her family. She is a great spiritual mentor if I need one. We laughed and told old stories, on our way home Joey commented how great it was to have such a good church family. I know that I get frustrated with church sometimes, and usually it is me that is the problem, but I don't know what I would do if I didn't have my church family to depend on. Our quirks and all......

Smile by Uncle Kracker - Lyrics

This is one of my favorite songs. Whether it is your husband, wife, children or grandchildren. Someone makes you smile. They make you want to get out bed. So enjoy the song.....

Beach pictures

These are the kids we met on the beach, They saw no strangers. The boy is 3 and the girls are 2 and 1

There poor momma....She was as laid back as they come. The little boy Cayden has Type 1 diabetes and had to wear a pump during the day, His mom said he about died 2 months ago.

The girls are Cayleigh and Cassidy. These children made me want grandchildren more than ever.

This is my niece (the blond one) and her wonderful friend Haley. Haley went with us last year to the beach.

These children need prayers. Haley comes from a very dis functional family, When she left with us she had only seen her mother about 1 week total this summer because she had been shipped to camps and other places. She is a kid with a great personality, but we see signs of trouble ahead when she becomes a teen. She has just started having contact with her real dad. She really loves Joey and attaches herself to him, He tries to talk to her like he would our kids, about God, school and boys. He sees how she loves attention from men and he knows how dangerous this can be, so when he is with her he tries to talk to her about things. She understands about Jesus dying on the cross for her but I'm not sure she completely grasp it all.

The others kids we met, I don't think their parents are Christians, mainly by their lifestyle we saw on the beach, I took their pictures so I could send them a e-mail and try to keep up with them, especially since Cayden is sickly, I though I could use this opportunity to tell them we would pray for them.

Home again

I left last week for the much need vacation. As I was pulling out of Lexington last Sunday, my Kidney stone decided to start moving. So to say driving and sitting still for 3 hrs was pretty uncomfortable. We went to the grocery store that night and my sister laughed, she said I looked just like Ms. Wiggins in the Carol Burnett skit with Tim Conway. I could not stand up straight and my butt stuck out. By Monday afternoon it had settled down, through out the week I had pains here and there but nothing that would stop me from going out to the beach. Tomorrow I will show you this family we met that had the cutest kids in the world. Joey came down on Wed and we had a nice time. The weather was great. Saturday night my stone decided to start moving again, so Sunday's ride home was rough. By 6:00 last night it had settled down once again. It's still there and sometimes the pain will bring me to my knees out of no where. But with that said, my life is good, I have new perspective, I got rest and just enjoyed the scenery. While at the beach we received news of a friend of ours here at home, he took his life Friday night. I went to see his wife today, and she is angry, sad, angry, scared, and hurt. He fell about a month ago and a screw driver went into his temple area about 4 inches. It was a miracle he didn't die then. The Drs. said he was fine and sent him on his way. The family is thinking that this had something to do with his thinking because he had been fine up until this, he had forgotten how to get home from the beach (they have a house there and he goes about every week), forgotten how to fix a computer (he does this for a living) little things that they are now putting together. Please pray for Sherry and Phillip. Sherry's other son Ryan died about 8 years ago in a car wreck, so now she has just her son Phillip and his new wife Lauren. Pray that her anger will subside,that she will come to peace with the many questions she has and that she will feel God's arms wrapped around her and Phillip.