FINDING COMFORT

{My friend Patsy's husband died suddenly and unexpectedly on October 15. He was a godly preacher and preached all up and down the east coast as a "circuit rider". Patsy wrote this article just after his homegoing for a preachers' wives' newsletter, "The Weaker Vessel". I think it will be a help and inspiration to many of us.}

Psalm 94:17-19 says, "Unless the Lord had been my help, my soul had almost dwelt in silence. When I said, My foot slippeth, Thy mercy, O Lord, held me up. In the multitude of my thoughts within me Thy comforts delight my soul."

Our faith must endure many things during a lifetime. A lot of times in our life we may be called upon to trust our Lord, even when we cannot see the way clear. I sing a song written by Ginny Owens that says, "The pathway is broken, the signs are unclear, and I don't know the reason why you've brought me here, but it's just because you love me the way that you do, then I'm going to walk through this valley if you want me to. I'm not who I was when I took my first step but I'm clinging to the promise you're not through with me yet, so if all of these trials bring me closer to you then I'll walk thru the fire, if you want me to. It may not be the way I would have chosen, as you lead me thru a world that's not my home but you never said it would be easy, you only said I'd never go alone. So take me on the pathway that leads me closer to you, and I'll walk thru this darkness Lord, if you want me to."

Fain preached a message on what to do when our souls need comfort and where to find that comfort. His points are: 1) The first place we can find comfort is in the scriptures, the Word of God. 2) In the Holy Spirit, because He is our comforter; 3) In the church, the House of God. I just didn't realize when he was preaching it how soon I would be practicing it. We've been married for 41 wonderful years. We have 4 children and 11 grandchildren. Our life together has been so blessed. There have been sorrows especially when our oldest son had leukemia but the joys we've shared far outweigh any heartaches. As my children and I sat round our kitchen table the Friday morning after his homegoing on Thursday we all agreed that there wasn't one bad memory that we could think of about him. He was always loving, always gentle and kind. He wasa playmate to our children when they were smaller. He taught them by example how to slide down red clay hills, how to roll up their pants legs and splash in mud puddles, how to walk in the rain. Some of their fondest memories of when they were small is all of them lying with him on the floor in front of our stereo listening to stories and songs on the big, long-play albums until they all fell asleep or sitting on the porch in the winter all wrapped up in blankets looking at the stars and him telling them stories. He carried these traditions on with our grandchildren. He was their best buddy and they couldn't wait for him to get home from his preaching trips so they could come over and play with him and spend the night. They were his joy and delight.

I can truly say he was everything Ephesians 5:25 says a husband should be, "To love his wife as Christ loved the church and gave Himself for it." Everyone who knew him could see this in him. He treated me like a baby and he thought he still had to take care of our children and help them out even though they all have homes of their own and probably had more money than he did. He just enjoyed helping them out. Only his love for the Lord surpassed his love for his family. He delivered his heart each time he preached and had a great love and compassion for people. The morning of his sudden homegoing we calledhis sister from the hospital to tell her what happened-that he had a heart attack and didn't make it and she said, "No, that can't be so. Giants don't die, just little people." That's just what Fain was to all of us, a gentle giant of a man.

He was a donor, so the eye bank took his eyes and I hope someone sees more clearer today through his eyes. His heart was the best part about him but he gave it to God and to the church.

I've been amazed at the mercy of God to me and the children during this time. He truly is the God of all comfort and is proving Himself every day to be that ever present help in time of need. The Bible is full of promises and I find comfort in these verses. He said He would never leave, nor forsake me. Isaiah 54:5 says, "Thy Maker shall be thy husband..."

Fain was my sweetheart, my darling, and my life but I find comfort in knowing that he is with the Only One he loved more than me. I thank God for letting us enjoy 41 years together and I know it won't be long until we will be together again forever.

Flooding in Georgia

THE CREEK IS OUT!!!

Last year Georgia had a drought and the weathermen said it was so bad that it would take years to catch our lakes, etc. up. But "with God all things are possible". This year we have had an abundance of rain and everything is "catching up" quite nicely as you can tell here by the "river" that runs down my driveway and across the road to the overflowing creek!

My Front Porch View

I love this picture. That's my childhood home, my play place, my horseback riding spots. The creek, the woods..it all brings back memories. At night we sometimes hear coyotes howl and that starts our dogs off. My husband and sons have seen the coyote dens. This farm was given to me by my mother. After her death, it was disputed in court by my siblings and my mother's wishes were not honored.

Philadelphia- where the U.S. Constitution was signed in 1787.

The Constitution is the law of the United States.

Constitution Day was September 17. The Constitution was signed on this day in 1787. Pennsylvania had the most signers with 8. My home state, Georgia, had 2 signers. New York had only 1 signer. They were a total of 39 delegates who signed the Constitution.

"We the people of the United States, in order to form a more perfect Union, establish justice, insure domestic Tranquility, provide for the common defense, promote the General Welfare, and secure the Blessings of Liberty, to ourselves and our Posterity, do ordain and establish this Constitution for the United States of America."

This is the Preamble to the Constitution. It is not law. It is simply a declaration of intent and purpose of the document. I'm studying a book on our Constitution by Dr. David Gibbs called UNDERSTANDING THE CONSTITUTION: Ten Things Every Christian Should Know About the Supreme Law of the Land. It's available from Christian Law Association, P.O. Box 4010, Seminole, Florida 33775-4010 or www.christianlaw.org

MORE COUNTRY ROADS

This country road leads to my home. I love this scene. We get to see this each morning as we check our mail ('cept Sunday, of course.)

TAKE ME HOME COUNTRY ROAD

This beautiful photo was taken in Virginia by Levi Wilson.

More pics of Ft. Mountain

Fort Mountain State Park ~ Chatsworth, GA.

This is where we spent Labor Day.

The steps to happiness

Thursday night after church Bro. Ed took a group of us to the Rocky Steps in Philly. We also got to see the William Penn building and statue. MANY people were on the streets including prostitutes, etc. We all ran or walked up the steps in front of the art museum. We sang on the way. Ashley, Kirbie, and Autumn sang for us. It was a sweet time. It brought tears to my eyes as I thought of the many places my daughters could have been on this night had it not been for the Lord Jesus Christ in their lives. Here were these multitudes walking the streets, women selling themselves as if they were just an object, people searching for peace and happiness in drugs, alcohol, promiscuous behavior,etc. and here in our van were a happy, joyful, pure, group of young people singing praises to their Creator.

There is a statue of Rocky Balboa out front and beside the steps. At the top there is a set of footprints of "Rocky's" in the concrete. All this will burn up one day--only what's done for Christ will last. Only one life--'twill soon be past.

Patriot's Day 9-11

...I know not what course others may take, but as for me give me liberty or give me death! ~Patrick Henry

On a carriage in Philadelphia

Matt (left) and Bob--they lifted up their voices and cried aloud to warn the lost of their impending doom and tell them of a loving Saviour Who longs to save them.

It looks like, if the Lord wills, that Bob will one day be my son-in-law.

My daughter, Jessica, singing a duet with Cohen Miller

Cohen's sister, Lara, is his usual duet partner , but since she had fallen asleep this late night at church, Jessica nervously filled in and did a great job.

A Lovely Amish Farm in Lancaster Co.

Friday in Pennsylvania

On Thursday on the way back from Hershey to our hotel in Chester we almost left Matthew and Clint at a Hess station. We had been doing head count as we all reboarded the bus each time but this time only 4 or 5 got off and as we were pulling out we saw them coming out of the station! My daughter has "fallen" for a Pennsylvanian and she and he got to sit together on the bus and enjoy each other's company at the restaurants. I have briefly mentioned their courtship in earlier blog entries. They have only written letters since November '08 and gotten to know one another in the "good ol' fashion way". Bro. Shankles, our main driver, took an interest in their relationship and gave them both some good, godly advice. He also talked to me and was a help since he has grown married daughters that evidently made the right choices. Whitney (24) is quite shy and doesn't usually eat in a crowd. This greatly irritated Bro. Shankles as he worried about her not eating. I assured him I was taking her food each night back to the hotel and that we had food in our room. Bro. Shankles calls himself a Tennessee hillbilly (which he is not) and he warned Whitney that "Pennsylvania is a long way from Georgia." He meant in more ways than distance.
Thursday night at church our pastor, Bro. Sammy, preached a great message. I watched as the Pennsylvania visitors to the church looked at him as he preached in authentic southern hell-fire and damnation way. They had a look of wonder like they had never heard anything like what he was saying. Oh, how my heart prayed for them to know God as personal Lord and Saviour! Two local policemen that are now members of the church there gave their testimonies of salvation on Thursday night and what a blessing it was to hear how they came under Holy Ghost conviction and cried out for mercy and forgiveness. Throughout the week we heard Bro. Pinocetti (sp?) and Bro. Clark preach. Bro. Clark's message on "Personal Revival" was wonderful. He said, "Soul-winning is not what I do, a soul winner is what I am." He exhorted us to "seek the Lord while He may be found..." (Isaiah 55) and implored us to ask God for help not to be discouraged and joyless.
A dear Oriental lady in a wheelchair who was saved on Monday night was back every night. It was a joy to see the JOY on her face.
Well...finally we get to Friday... my favorite day as we went to Amish Country. Our bus was repaired now as Bro. Fuerst had labored hard and found a machine shop to help with the pulley. He was right in his diagnosis of what was wrong and the machine shop charged us nothing for their help. We thanked God for showing us favor with them. So, in our newly repaired bus we drove through beautiful rolling farm country. We were able to stop and receive a wagon ride driven by an Amish man named David. Our group was in several different wagons but my group's driver was David. He gave lots of info about the Amish lifestyle and politely answered several absurd questions from some of the wagon's riders. We saw the "church wagon" in front of the house where church was to be that Sunday. The wagon was used to haul the benches. The community had a one room schoolhouse and we were able to buy some water and homemade cookies from some young Amish girls at their farmhouse. The farms were immaculately kept up and absolutely beautiful.
We ate a restaurant that served country style food and it was GOOD. We shopped in a nice gift shop and I was able to purchase some t-shirts with Amish scenes and a documentary DVD. I also bought some jelly for my family and some for my son's family back home.
On our way back to Secane I dozed, joined in some singing, and listened sleepily to the conversations going on around me as we rolled on down the Lincoln Highway and other roads. Here are some conversation excerpts: "Whosoever was not found in the Book of Life was cast into the Lake of fire...Do we get to go that way?...You figure it out yet?... the horseshoe puzzle...He got a picture of it...sounds like a plan...What Lara?....Lara? *cell phone ringing..."

Hershey's Chocolate World

Thursday we left our hotel at 8:50 am for Hershey, Pennsylvania in our borrowed school bus. Bro. Ed had brought his backpack guitar and we had singing on the way both ways. When Bro. Ed was at the front of the bus Ben, Derek, Michael, and some others in the back sang, "Father Abraham" and some other Sunday school songs. At least we know they were listening in Sunday school:)
The Hershey Factory was great!! I didn't have my camera and Levi ( whom I have been depending on for some of these pics) didn't get to go so sorry~no pics. They would only make you hungry anyway;)
On the way to Hershey we saw some BEAUTIFUL farm country. I love to look at big, sprawling farmland. I told someone that the only tall buildings I like are silos. I live in the country and feel very crowded in the cities.
Jess and her best friend, Lara, got their picture on a Hershey's candy bar wrapper. It looks really cute. Our entire group squeezed together ( and I really mean squeezed since they were about 50 of us that day) for a pic on a wrapper. It read ,"We had a sweet time in Pennsylvania!" We got a 3-D movie on the history of chocolate and a "classroom" experience with a "real" professor. This was a lot of tasty fun because we got to sample how all the different chocolates taste. Lara got to be on stage with the Professor and "show" us how to crack a cacoa bean. Kendall was chosen to be on stage to show us how long his tongue is. This was for the benefit of the audience members who weren't members of our group because all of us already knew he had a big mouth.:) We toured through a ride-along that showed us how chocolate candy is made and then had lunch that cost twice as much as it should have and was nowhere a good as it could have been. But all in all the Hershey day was a fun day. While we were in the Chocolate World Bro. Matthew Fuerst went back to our bus to pray at noon and while he was in the bus a large camper hit the front bumper and almost tore it off. If Bro. Matt hadn't been in the bus we feared the other driver might have just have driven away. But again , God's hand was leading and Bro. Fuerst was able to get insurance information from the driver. He was from Hawaii and had never driven a big camper before.
On the way back to the hotel, Lara, Jess, Ben, Derek, and Cohen sang, "Rejoice in the Lord always" and "This Little Light Of Mine", etc. Bro. Ed came to the back of the bus where we were and sang a number of songs with us. Later, Bro. Fuerst played and we had another sing-a-long.

Inside Martin Guitar Factory in Nazareth, PA.

In the guitar factory

More on the Pennsylvania trip

On the city bus we met "John", an elderly man who had lived in the Philadelphia area all of his life. My friend Milly sat next to him and they enjoyed a conversation as I listened. John was not saved but he hoped he'd make it to Heaven. When the conversation was on Philly and our choir trip he was a lively communicator but when it took a turn to things eternal John politely let us know he was finished talking and when the bus arrived at our mutual stop he said he was glad to have met us and hoped we enjoyed our trip. When the assistant to the pastor of the Pennsylvania church where we were to sing told John that he could know and not hope of a home in Heaven John didn't answer and bade us goodbye.

We went to Jim's Steaks for lunch. This was supposedly a famous restaurant and known for it's Philly Cheesesteak sandwiches. I am from the south and I am a staunch, dogmatic, conservative Independent Baptist. I come from a broken home and the main problem in the home was alcoholic drink. Therefore, I have not visited a restaurant that sold alcoholic drink in about 30 years. Down here in the south we usually have a choice. I looked at the beer neon light in the window of Jim's and thought about what to do. I began to pray and look up and down the streets for a McDonald's or some similar place. I asked Bro. Bob ( a Pennsylvanian) if there was not a restaurant near that did not sell alcoholic. He informed that many restaurants open up just to sell beer and sell pizza just so they can be considered a "restaurant". I was a at a dilemma. Had I just had myself to consider I would have politely waited outside and ate back at the motel. Our church covenant does say that we are to abstain from the sale of and the use of alcoholic beverages. I don't like my money (nor money from my church cookbook sales) being used to buy the strong drink that is consumed by the customers. Perhaps our dollars are pulled from the cash register to pay the beer delivery man and the beer from the carton he put into the cooler is consumed by a person who is involved in a fatal car wreck or goes and commits a murder. Yet I know my friends who disagree will say that I shop our local Wal-Mart even though it recently began selling these items. But I still don't like it. Anyway, as we started into the restaurant a drunk man was led out cursing and crying. My 10-year old was hungry and she didn't know of the confused thoughts in my mind. So I went in and we shared a hoagie. As we were leaving she quietly said to me, "Momma, that's the first time I've ever been in a place where people were drinking." To which I replied, "And I hope it's the last time."

Historic Philadelphia was a beautiful place and the security was tight. Our entire purse contents was searched several times.

On Wednesday we went to the Martin Guitar Factory in Nazareth, Pennsylvania. This was an interesting trip and also a bit boring for my daughters and I. But for the guitar players in our group ( including our youth choir director) it was the favorite day of the trip. We used a borrowed school bus for this trip as our bus was still being repaired by Bro. Fuerst and others. Our school bus read on the side Pemberton Township Schools. We ate at the Hard Wok Cafe on the way back. My first experience in a Chinese restaurant and I liked it. No alcoholic beverages sold either!:) I had General Tso chicken and a Chinese donut. Very good!! I saw many country farms on our way to Nazareth and we even went through a town called Bethlehem.

In the church service that night we had three saved. The ladies of the church served us tacos, salad and desserts after church. The fellowship was sweet. Oh, and I forgot to mention the one fellow in our tour group at the guitar factory who kept falling behind because he was witnessing to the workers. I wish we could have had an F.B. Meyers "revival in the factory" experience.

The men in our group enjoyed a pickin' and grinnin' time in the picking parlor at the factory. They played hymns , etc. Stay tuned for Wed. journal~a visit to Hershey's Chocolate World in Hershey , Pennsylvania!!

I mistakenly put a New York city street scene on my last post. That pic is from my daughters' trip a couple of years ago.

Trip to Pennsylvania part II

Tuesday morning we were up and ate breakfast in the hotel's free breakfast room. My ten year old doesn't eat until she has been up for and hour or so. She couldn't eat and watching the rest of us eat made her sick so she threw up in the hotel lobby restroom. Our day wasn't starting out to well.:( We boarded the hotel shuttle van and it took us to the train station. From there we rode the city train, city bus, city subway. This was a first for some of our party. Jess began to feel better and finally we were in historic Philadelphia. It made us all feel better and more at home to ride the horse and carriage. Our horse's name was Spot. Our driver said he was the "best Spot in Philly". We passed out many tracts as we walked the streets. Bro. Matt Fuerst and Bro. McGonigal did some street preaching. At one street corner our whole group sang ,"O Happy Day" as we waited for the bus. Many people walked on reading the gospel tracts and some threw them away. One young man read the front of the tract, "Heaven or Hell" and said, "We don't like Heaven." How sad!! My eyes filled with tears after this comment and my heart was broken for these people hustling and bustling about with never a seeming thought about their eternal destiny.

The beautiful moutains of Virginia

Trip to Pennsylvania

Our church choir group left Sunday, August 9, about 11:30 pm for Secane, Pennsylvania. The first couple hours almost everyone was too excited to sleep and watched movies or surfed the internet but after that most of us got some sleep before our breakfast stop in Lynchburg, Virginia. We caught up with our pastor there and ate a Shoney's breakfast bar. Not long after getting back on the road we were informed that the bus (a large, nice Greyhound-type) was running a little hot. We made several stops on the side of the road. I don't remember the order of these but we had lunch at a Taco Bell and made a couple of other bathroom stops and one stop at a truck repair shop. We all 36 used two little bathrooms and waited and waited while the mechanics checked out the bus. Finally, we were told it would cost about $500 to repair our thermostat. A pastor from the area came and was about to take us by vanloads to his church to await the 1 1/2 hour fix-it job. At least at the church there would be plenty of seats and that would beat the showroom where we were sitting in chairs , on the floor , and some just milling about. But before we loaded up in the van for the first "evacuation" our own mechanic, Bro. Fuerst decided we should go on. He didn't think it was the thermostat and thought he could fix the bus after we arrived at our Pennsylvania destination. We went on few miles and stopped at a little store/antique shop/restaurant. We all got out again and went to restroom and got drinks. Yes, drinks. That's why we had to make so many bathroom stops. Sometimes it seemed the bathroom stops were too few and too far between! At our stop just mentioned Bro. Fuerst took a good, LONG look at the bus motor. We all just sat around in the parking lot next to the bus and near to the trash dumpster and fellowshipped and perspired. Bro. Fuerst made his diagnosis of a damaged pulley. He and Bro. Clark explained to me the problem but I barely understood. We slowly made our way on toward Pennsylvania and our pastor sent word that he had arrived at our hotel just as we left this parking lot somewhere near Fredricksburg, Virginia. We went through Washington, D.C. ( the edge of it) traffic right about 5:00 pm with our bus running hot and our driver doing the best he could in a traffic jam. God's hand was definitely on our bus and His wisdom with our driver, Bro. Shankles. We finally arrived at our hotel about 8:15 and hurriedly cleaned up and dressed. We arrived at the church around 9:15. Of course, service was almost over so we went straight to the basement. When service was completed 2 had been saved!! We rejoiced in the Lord! The church ladies had prepared lasagna and salad complete with desserts for all of us and the congregation. We told of our troubles and trials although they already knew in this day of cell phones, etc. We had already prayed and thanked our Lord. We knew there was a reason for all the delays and we trusted Him with it. We arrived back at our hotel around11:30 eager to sleep in a good bed and rest up for Tuesday. We went to sleep with visions of traffic, lasagna, and the historic Philadelphia we hoped to sightsee in on the morrow.

Pleasure and Pain

I attended a Ladies' Meeting a week ago and was blessed. The pastor's wife was a former Sunday school student of mine. She was in my class when I taught the 7-12 old girls. I was so proud and happy to see her standing before the crowd with poise and dignity. The guest speaker from South Dakota I have also known since she was a girl. These girls have grown and matured into beautiful young ladies. But as I listened to them I realized they have grown into the type of women they are because of the pleasure and pain God has allowed into their lives. If they had been allowed to live lives of ease and wealth they would not have had reason to lean on God as hard as they have had to. The pastor's wife has a rare disease that she has had to live with now for over 10 years. She is very often in a lot of pain and often hospitalized. Yet she had no gripes and complainings only praise and thanks to a good God.
The speaker has had many physical problems as well and just one year her family of 7 was in a tragic car wreck that has left her husband with brain injuries. At the time of the "accident" it looked like he would not live and also one of her twin daughters was not breathing when her mother knelt beside her on the busy highway. Our miraculous God has amazed us over and over in the almost year since the wreck. Her husband and daughter are doing well. Thanks be unto God. Keep them in your prayers. Last week Lori (the speaker) said on trials,"Bear it , don't begrudge it" and Rachel (the pastor's wife) said, "Trials will either conquer you or conform you to His glory." Coming from 2 women who have known both great pleasures and great pains I treasure these words and dedicate this poem to them.

I walked a mile with Pleasure,
She chattered all the way;
But left me none the wiser
For all she had to say.

I walked a mile with Sorrow,
And ne'er a word said she,
But, oh the things I learned from her
When sorrow walked with me.

~Author unknown

August Campmeeting

August campmeeting is underway. Bro. John Morgan preached Sa. night and Su. morning. Dr. Rufus Edmisten preached Su. night on how to avoid the judgment of God. His son, Bro. John Edmisten preached last night on "Jesus". Also Bro. Joe Arthur preached last night. Be sure and go to www.wkjv.com and listen live each night at 7:30 EST or go to www.faithbaptistcamp.org and hear the messages at your convenience.

The Deer

As the deer panteth for the water

So my soul longeth after Thee

You alone are my heart's desire

And I long to worship Thee
You're my Friend and You are my Brother

Even though You are the King

I love You more than any other
So much more than anything

I want You more than gold or silver

Only You can satisfy


You alone are the real joy-giver

And the apple of my eye

(Chorus) You alone are my strength and shield

To you alone may my spirit yield
You alone are my heart's desire

And I long to worship Thee

This is a beautiful song. It is copyrighted but I don't know the author just now. Will try to post the name later. The pics are some of the many deer at that reside at Berry College in Rome, GA. It is the most beautiful college campus I've ever seen. (I have tried to get this to post right and not so stretched out and I can't seem to get it right.)

To buy a cookbook...

Go to http://www.churchchoirmusic.com/ and go to the music store . On the left you will find a tab for Concord Cookin'. $18. ea. or 2 for $30. + S&H Tell them mother of six sent you.

This is a pic taken at our church camp of the biscuit making crew. They sometimes make 700+ in a day. The recipe for these delicious,mouth-watering ,southern style, country biscuits is in this book. Of course, it is for about 18 biscuits and not 700! ;)

Missin' Momma

Last night at church we were singing ,"In the Sweet By and By" and I was remembering my grandmother playing that song on her harmonica. Someone sang it at her funeral in 1977 and at my mom's funeral in 2008. My mom died of Alzheimer's and I'm going to do a post on that here soon. It is still difficult to write about and to think too deeply on. But last night, a Wednesday prayer meeting, brought to mind a memory. One Wednesday night in late 2007 or early 2008 we were at church and Mom kept wanting to stand up. I'd let her for a while and then persuade her to sit down. We have a country church and everyone knew her condition so it was no distraction to the service. However, this night she got a bit loud in trying to talk to me about who the preacher was. I took her out in her wheelchair into the vestibule and began to talk with her. She actually had known this preacher for over 35 years and had been close friends with his wife. I explained in detail who he was , who his family was, his daughters, how Mom used to work at his house with his wife in a sewing business, etc. Mom was remembering! She knew then who Brother Denver and Sister Vera were. I asked if she understood now and wanted to go back in and hear the service. She looked at me with still a bit of confusion. I said, "You know who I am , don't you?" She said, "You're Denver's daughter?" I had to laugh. Brother Leon was in the vestibule also with his young child and had heard the whole exchange. He just looked at me and smiled. Mom is in the sweet by and by now where she knows "even as she is known."

Maya and Apples

This is my horse, Maya, and her colt which was Jessica's, Apples. Jess was thrilled to finally have a horse of her own, but her joy was short-lived as the colt only lived 3 days. We don't know what was wrong . Apples seemed a little weak from the start and on his third day here he just really went down. He never nursed good from the beginning. We were going to give Maya a rest and breed her again next year but she had other "plans" and broke out of her pen and went to see our neighbor's stud. This stud is also the father of Apples. So , hopefully we'll have another foal next March. We are hoping for a healthy filly this time.

Avonlea's parents holding an iguana!

Now that they have Avonlea they enjoy holding her more than an iguana:)!

Actually if you'll notice , Paige isn't holding the iguana and isn't looking too excited about Juston holding it!

My precious God-given gift~my granddaughter, Avonlea

"Lo, children are an heritage of the LORD: and the fruit of the womb is His reward. As arrows are in the hand of a mighty man; so are children of the youth. Happy is the man that hath his quiver full of them: they shall not be ashamed, but they shall speak with the enemies in the gate." Psalm 127:3,5

"Yea, thou shalt see thy children's children, and peace upon Israel." Psalm 128:6

"Every good gift and every perfect gift is from above, and cometh down from the Father of lights, with whom is no variableness, neither shadow of turning." James 1:17

And since we know Avonlea is not actually perfect but made of imperfect flesh just like the rest of us my prayer for her is "The Lord bless you and keep you . The Lord make His face shine upon you and give you peace and give you peace forever." Numbers

View looking to the right from my back porch

I spent a good bit of time in this chicken house that's now being used as a barn as a child. My parents used to raise approximately 40,000 broilers at a time. There were 3 chicken houses. Two of them they had built but this one was on the farm when they bought it I believe. At any rate it is OLD. I remember spending a lot of time here. It still stands and I can see it from my kitchen window. I know that it has been standing for over 50 years. I was a "tom-boy" when I was younger and I remember once hiding behind the huge feed bin to this #1 chicken house dressed in black jeans and a black hooded jacket. I put the hood on my head and was carrying a little toy rifle. My mom had been working in #2 chicken house just below this one and she thought I was at home. She had no idea anyone was around and when she came up the small hill from #2 back up to #1 I jumped out at her and almost scared her to death. I was probably just about 8 or 10 but what a dumb thing to do! I am crying now even as I type this. I am sure she laughed about it later but her heart gave a jump at the moment. Funny how just a look at an old chicken house can bring back a flood of memories. I had one of the best moms in the world. I wish I could hug her just one more time. But actually, I wouldn't bring her back to this old world if I could. Well, I just meant to put that pic up to show the view from my back porch and kitchen window and the memories and tears just started flowing so I got an unplanned post out of it. Hope you enjoyed it and if you are one of the fortunate ones who knew my mother you are indeed a blessed person and if Mom could speak to us right now she'd say that it was worth every mile and every trial and she'd ask us to be sure to meet her in Heaven. I will meet you in the morning Mom. Miss you and love you. But in the meantime I will do my best to be "stedfast, unmovable, always abounding in the work of the Lord, forasmuch as [I] know that [my] labour is not in vain in the Lord." I Corinthians 15:58

The view from my back porch

What's Going On With Us

I thought I'd try and tell what's going on with us and stay as private as possible. I know many of my readers and many I don't. Each time I check my blog I am awed and excited to see how many pageviews and the new flags as they pop up. I appreciate that anyone would come here and read what I write and I am very pleasantly surprised that once you come you actually come back. Thanks to all of you. I am new to computers at all so I am not sure just how much info to put on here about my family and I.

My husband is an artist by trade. He has been in the rug and carpet design business for over 30 years. There are rugs he has designed in the White House, homes of Princes and Princesses, homes of country music singers, etc. But recently, with the economy like it is the job he has had for the 30 years laid him off. What we thought would be 2-3 weeks has turned into almost 3 months now. Thank God I have a husband willing to WORK and work he does. He janitors at night, is doing a mural for a little league team, and just now he is in Virginia and will be for several days inventorying convenience stores in the interest of theft management. When the economy gets bad the theft goes up so inventorying is needed more than ever. He doesn't particularly enjoy the job but bills have to be paid. Please help us pray that his old job picks back up or that he will be directed to the new job God would have for him.

Our oldest son and his wife and their new baby that you have read about on here are doing good. They just bought their first house. They are appreciating the room after a 1 bedroom apartment. They had Sunday dinner with us today. We had gorditas. They were pretty good but Ty and I left off the seasoning . The rest however had plenty of seasoning and Ranch. :)

Our oldest daughter is writing to a young man in Pennsylvania. She has waited and stayed pure in mind and deed so we are praying God's will be done. The courtship by mail and email is going good and to God be the glory both of them are very careful in what is said. She met this young man on a youth trip with our pastor and he has been able to come to Georgia to our campmeetings a few times. I am appreciative of them both being sensitive to God in every step they take in getting to know to each other better.

Our 22-year old daughter sang in a trio tonight with her twin sister friends. The youth choir backed them up . They sang ,"Waiting at the River". They did a really good job. God is so good. I was thinking as I sat in church how blessed I am to have all 6 of my children , my daughter-in-law ,and my grandaughter right there in church with me.

Our second son is 19 and right now works at a fast food restaurant while he is going to college studying Criminal Justice. He hopes to be in detective work someday. He is keeping his grades up and we are thankful for him and his diligence. When his dad is gone on these trips he and his sister also keep up the janitoring job. Autumn is assistant director at a daycare and is also lead teacher in the 2-year old room. She does a good job with these children and is even learning sign language to be able to communicate with a new special needs child. She loves her work and puts her heart into it.

Our 15 and 9 year old help Whitney (oldest daughter) in her home business of caring for children in our home. They are enjoying summer off from their homeschool studies and I am excited about school starting back for them in late August.

Well, this is just a little vignette into our lives. Jess and I are planning to go out next week and sell cookbooks to help fund our "free" trip to Pennsylvania next month. I can't wait see Amish country again. The last time I was there I was 15 so that was 33 years ago. We don't travel much...well, Ty does :) but hopefully soon things will be looking up and I just may have some travel stories to tell to you on here! Right now I am just enjoying writing. I love to write. And I love to read. I am reading a great book called "The Velvet Curtain" by Trudy Harvey Tait. It is about a girl who escapes the Iron Curtain to come to America and finds that liberty and popularity have their curtains as well. The addresses for Harvey Christian Publishers are:

British address:

P.O. Box 510, Cheadle

Stoke-on-Trent, ST10 2NQ

email: jjcook@mac.com

or in the U.S.:

3107 Hwy. 321

Hampton, TN. 37658

emailbooks@harveycp.com

http://www.harveycp.com/

Don't forget if you want to order one of our church cookbooks the website is:

www.churchchoirmusic.com

The pic with this post is all my family that is at home. Maybe I'll have one of Juston and family later.

Cookbooks for Sale!!

Our church youth choir is making a trip to Philadelphia, Pennsylvania next month. I am not a youth , but I get to go too! We are selling cookbooks to fund this trip. They are $18.00 each or two for $30.00. These books have over 500 recipes in them including my mom's "famous" Italian Cream Cake! Go to churchchoirmusic.com to order. Add $2.00 S&H for U.S. orders and not sure for foreign orders . If we get any we'll check into how much more shipping and handling. The books are called "Concord Cookin'"and include such delectables as Spicy Beef Enchiladas, Smothered Pork Chops, Easy Peach Cobbler,Upside Down Wheat-free Cheesecake,White Chocolate Buttercream Icing, Mamaw's Fudge, Haystacks, Canned Tomatoes, Easy Canned Pickles, and even some funny ones of Friends of Animals Sandwich, Elephant Stew, Popped Duck, and of course being from the South we had to put one in for 'Possum! I'll try to have a pic of the cookbook up here tonight after I get in from church. I'm late now, gotta go!

Watching the hay balers

Accept all truth and except no truth

Have you decided to accept truth? Do you accept truth? Then you must accept all truth and except no truth. (except-leaving out, keeping out, or even shutting out)

Pilate asked, "What is truth?" But he incorrectly used the word 'what'. Rather, he should have asked, "Who is truth?" For he was standing face to face with TRUTH. Jesus said, "I am the Way, the Truth, and the Life." Who is the Way? Jesus is the Way. Who is Truth? Jesus is Truth. Who is Life? Jesus is Life. If we reject the Way, we reject Jesus. If we reject the Truth, we reject Jesus. If we reject the Life, we reject Jesus.

What if we only reject some of the Way? Then we have rejected ALL the Way. What if we reject only a part of the Life? Then we have rejected ALL of the Life. There must be a total surrender to Him as Lord.

Must I accept all Truth? May I not, perhaps , cast aside or ignore some Truth? Perhaps I do not fully understand it or I have a difficult time accepting it as Truth. It hurts me. It would force a change on me. It would cost me a friendship, a pleasure, a place. I cannot accept it. I will not accept it. And so , I except that Truth. And in so doing, I except a part of Christ. I refuse to cling to a Truth for which Christ stands. I will accept some Truth, most Truth- but I have accepted all I will. I want no more Truth.

Will you stop at half Truth? Would you accept Deuteronomy 22:5 and except Psalm 101:3? Will you accept I Corinthians 7:39 and except the Mark chapter 10 statement that remarriage without the death of one's spouse is always adultery? Will you accept John 3:16 and except IITimothy 3:12? If you will do this- accept half the Truth and except half the Truth-you will allow a cancer to enter the church and instead of seeking to cast it out, you will indeed gravitate toward it and feed it and fellowship with it. Will you feed and fellowship with the very thing that will drain away your life? Will you laugh and jest with the very thing that will one day lead your children astray? These Truths you will not accept, your children may one day blatantly reject. "A little leaven leaveneth the whole lump." The psalmist David said, "I hate the work of them that turn aside."

Our churches in ages past sought for Truth, fought for Truth. They did as Proverbs instructs, "Buy the truth and sell it not..." Proverbs 23:23

Of what price is truth to be bought? It is often at the high price of loss of friendship, loss of family ties, loss of wordly pleasure, loss of place. Many have gladly, willingly paid this price and many have paid the much higher price of death.

Will you pet, pamper, feed , and accept this cancer that others have boldly sought to annihilate? They have fought to rid the Christian church of these evils and it has cost them dearly. It has cost them relationships with sons and daughters. It has caused them to sometimes lead lonely lives in order to be obedient to the whole Truth. Will you flaunt before them the very thing that has cost them so?

Will you stand for the Truth or will you help usher into the church the cancer that will seek to bring it down? (Though the gates of Hell shall not prevail against it.) Accept Truth. Fight for Truth. Stand for Truth. Live out Truth. Teach Truth. Preach Truth. Die, if need be, for Truth. Is this not what our Lord meant when He spoke this truth to the multitude in Luke 14 - "If any man come to Me and hate not his father, and mother, and wife, and children, and brethren, and sisters, yea, and his own life also, he CANNOT [emphasis mine] be my disciple."?

Is this Truth too much for you? Or is this TOO MUCH TRUTH for you?

In many churches 60 years ago women wore dresses, divorce was frowned upon, remarriage was forbidden, and fornication was grounds for excommunication from the church. Today in many of these same churches the dress code for the members is "come as you are", divorce is sometimes "necessary", remarriage is encouraged, and fornication is normal behavior. Is it any wonder that now these same churches are endorsing second , third, fourth... marriages, women in the pulpit, and " worship team dancers"? At the rate our independent Baptist churches are accepting the very sins we stood against just 20 years ago one has to wonder how soon our churches,too, will go the way of the world. "Ye shall know the Truth and the Truth shall make you free." "Thy Word is Truth." Accept His word. Accept all of it.

From Evan Hopkins "Broken Bread"

Let us remember that is never because of anything in us that we are accepted at all. The measure of our acceptance is what Christ is to God; and that remains ever the same. ~ Evan Hopkins

A Tearful Sunday and Thoughts on Lightning Bugs

I don't like goodbyes and often try to avoid them. So this past Sunday at church was both a sad and joyous occasion. We had two missionary families who have been on furlough leaving to go back to Mexico and Australia. These are families with whom we are very close.

Then we had a family who have been here attending Bible College ( or at least the dad has been attending ) getting ready to head back to Texas. Bro. Rick has earned his three year degree and he and his family are eager to serve the Lord out west. This family grew from six to eight while here in Georgia. When they came they had four children and Patty was expecting. That precious baby now abides in Heaven where he/she has never had to experience diaper rash or skinned knees. I know it is a tug on the heart of this family to leave behind the small grave at our church cemetary. God took one to Heaven while they lived here in Georgia. But He Who giveth and taketh away gave them two more- a boy and a girl - born here in Georgia now to be raised as Texans. We will miss this family and I will think of them often, especially when I see the lightning bugs flashing above the little mound they have left behind. I will be sure and put buttercups there each February as they bloom to announce that spring is just around the corner. As I carefully place flowers on this special spot of earth I will think of the mother and father, the sisters and brothers who labor for our Lord on the plains of Texas and look forward to that great reunion day. Perhaps I will be standing nearby when the trump shall sound and the graves of the saved and the "safe" burst open and we shall all meet together in the air and so shall we ever be with the Lord.

Another sad goodbye was to another soldier who is leaving for Afghanistan soon. In our church circle we have four young men now serving in Afghanistan and Iraq. Two are members of our church and two are from North Carolina. The two from North Carolina are linked to our church by a girlfriend and a wife. Our prayers are with the military - the brave men and women who serve our country well. Our prayers are also with the families and friends who stay behind with a heaviness in their hearts each day. They are also serving our country well and for this I am grateful.

So we had a tearful Sunday with a mixture of sad and joyful tears. Sad because we will miss them and joyful because we have had the pleasure of getting to know them and love them and because we have the awesome privelege and responsibility to pray for them and share in their reward. What helps make these sad partings a little easier is that CHRISTIANS NEVER REALLY SAY GOODBYE. As Bro. Charles ( one who has served in Mexico for over thirty years and is now returning for another term) always cheerfully tells us: "WE'LL SEE YOU HERE, THERE, OR IN THE AIR!!"

More Campmeeting News

You can go to churchchoirmusic.com or concordmissionarybaptistchurch.com and hear some of the messages that were preached last week at camp. Bro. James Jones preached a message on "Thorn in the Flesh". It was a great help. We can make the most of our trials rather than let them break us. Bro. Larry Brown from Iowa preached , "Putting God in the Equation" and "Get in the Driver's Seat". Bro. Don Green, a favorite preacher of mine since I was a young girl, preached a message called ,"A Starting Place with God." His text was Ephesians 3:20. He exhorted us to take our hands off our lives and give in and give over to God. He gave the examples of Hannah in I Samuel, John the Baptist, Jochebed ( the mother of Moses). He asked us to commit to pray just a little more, give a little more, think purer, read our Bible more. Give God a little start and see what He will do with a yielded life. We can sure see that in Bro. Green's life. Dr. Stinnett Ballew preached Thursday on ,"Home Sweet Home". The singing was great with The Marksmen, The Ward Family, and others who are a blessing from the Lord. My family and I made approximately 200 gallons of good ol' Georgia sweet tea. What a wonderful life to live and work for the Lord Jesus Christ, the Creator of all that is!

Little Cowgirl

Lovely Lady Liberty

Emma Lazarus published this after watching refugees coming in from Russia. It was used to raise funds for the Statue of Liberty's pedestal. These words are inscribed on the statue's base:

Give me your tired, your poor,

Your huddled masses yearning to breathe free,

The wretched refuse of your teeming shore,

Send these, the homeless, tempest-tossed to me,

I lift my lamp beside the golden door!

God Bless America by Irving Berlin1918

God bless America,

Land that I love

Stand beside her and guide her

Through the night with a light from above

From the mountains to the prairies

To the oceans white with foam

God bless America

My home, sweet home.

Little Cowboy

You can listen live to the night services at 7:30 p.m. EST on http://www.wsof.org/. Meeting ends on Friday, July 3 after the night service.

Hummingbirds

It's Old Fashioned Campmeeting Time!

The 40th annual campmeeting is underway at Faith Baptist Camp in Resaca, GA. We started off Saturday night with 2 Spirit-filled messages. Bro. Roger Henson preached on Stephen out of Acts 7. Stephen was looked out for his faith and it affected his conduct(v.3), looked on for his faith and it affected his countenance(vs. 10,15), he looked up for his faith and it affected his crossing(vs. 54-56). Such a good message on Stephen's life. Bro. Ricky Gravely preached from Psalms on turning problems into praise. On Sunday Bro. Henson preached again in the morning. On Sunday night our services moved over to the campground and Bro. Ricky Gravely preached on David out of Psalms 63. David was longing for God and was hungry for God. David was in a dry and thirsty place yet he was still looking for something from God. We had several messages in the day on Monday and then we were convicted and blessed by a message from Dr. David Gibbs (attorney and preacher from the Christian Law Association) on being a "Second Mile Christian". It was one of those messages that you wanted to hear but you didn't want to hear. His points were: Be a second mile Christian in the home, in the workplace, in our relationships, and with our enemies. We as Christians are forbidden to get even. The hope of America is second mile Christians. A wonderful and thought provoking sermon. May it make it from our heads to our hearts and manifest itself in our lives. I have much to work on in these areas of my life. Today we have had messages in the morning and afternoon services. I am down in the dining hall making the tea for our visitors so usually only make it to night services. We set 42 tables at our noon meal today. Each table seats twelve, I believe. That's a lot of sweet tea, believe me! We served meat loaf , beans, corn, mashed potatoes, and corn bread. In the night service Bro. Ronnie Simpson from North Carolina preached another encouraging message on "When you're climbing up the rough side of the mountain, God's coming up the other side to meet you at the top." I've been going through a lot for about 5 years now. Bro. Simpson said , "Many of you sitting here tonight thought this time last year that you could never make it . Yet here you sit and you did make it." I could only weep and thank God for what He has brought me through in the last year and how His grace is sufficient! More on campmeeting later later in the week. God is so good and He will always do right! Hallelujah! And as my momma used to say, "There'll be a pay day someday."

WHEN I GOT OUT OF THE GRAVEYARD

I made a profession of faith in theLordJesus when I was ten years old. But I lived in doubt of my salvation from that very day throughout the next twenty years. At times it was worse and at times it was better. My Christian uncle died unexpectedly when I was twelve and I heard my widowed aunt say she gathered their five children and two daughters-in law around the casket and asked God to not let the circle be broken but let them all be together again in Heaven one day. I remember thinking, "I wish I could have been in that circle...maybe then God would have to be sure that I was saved before I died." I went through my teen years and kept out of gross moral sin yet went through the wordly dating scene and used the same "little" bad words at times that those around me used.
At eighteen I married and when we had our baby in 1982 I really got concerned about the Lord coming back and my baby being raptured up and me left.
I am a very shy person and my shyness could have caused me to spend an eternity in Hell. Actually my sins and my rejection of Jesus as Saviour from those sins would have sent me to Hell but my shyness was the cause of my refusing to go to the altar many times.
I talked to our neighbor who is a preacher about it. I talked to my mother-in- law, my best friend, and another friend about it. No one seemed to be able to help me. I'd thinkIwas saved for a while, then I'd think I was lost. I didn't think I was losing my salvation. I knew my Bible better than that. I just couldn't figure out if I'd ever really been saved. It was an emotional roller coaster. During some altar calls at church I was scared, yet ashamed and embarrassed to make a move. By 1986 I was a Sunday School teacher of the seven to twelve year old girls. What would people think? When I was thirty years old (1991) our church began a meeting that lasted twelve weeks! Many were saved and many got their hearts right and began to be serious about serving the Lord and living lives that were pleasing to Him. The meeting began in September and went on through November. As the meeting progressed I came more and more under deep Holy Ghost conviction. In October, I cast myself on the Lord and His mercy. I trusted Him for my soul's salvation. I told Him I was sorry for all my sins and that I was casting myself on Him and trusting His everlasting arms. I was released from that heavy burden I had been carrying.
Later I realized that when I was ten I repented of my sins. I was sorry for them and wanted to be saved, but I never believed on Him. I never trusted that He would save me. I never accepted Him into my heart by faith. It was some time later that I began to pray, "Lord, since that night I haven't doubted. I need to know if I just got assurance that night or that is when I got saved." I had been pregnant and doctors feared I was losing the baby so I was traveling back and forth to my doctor forty miles away and I was praying and seeking God's face on those eighty mile round trips. God showed me the truth I previously wrote above: That I never trusted Him at ten. I knew in my heart it was the truth. I had asked Him a thousand times to save me but I had never up to that point in 1991 cast myself fully on Him and believed that He loved me with an everlasting love and died for me and would have died for only me if needed and that He would save an old sinner like me! But hallelujah! God opened my sin-blinded eyes to the truth of the gospel that had been put in me "from a child" by my godly momma.
I did miscarry the baby and he/she went to dwell with the Father. Thank God, as David lamented, that though the baby was not to come to me I will one day go to be with the baby! At this time, I was (and still am) teacher of the young ladies (ages 18 to around 35) Sunday School class. I went right in the next Sunday and told them the whole story. They were thrilled for me. My cousin had died and our family is a bit estranged so I left Sunday School and went to the funeral home to view the body and sign the book while no one was there. I rushed back to church and lo, and behold , my pastor was standing on the front porch. I knew God was in that. I marched my shy self right up to him and quickly and concisely told him. He was so happy. He knew I had been troubled about it. I asked him if he would open the doors of the church ( for membership) that morning so I could join and be properly baptized. He did and I did. And that is the story of how I got out of the graveyard!
Are you out of the graveyard? Or are you still dead in trespasses and sins?

You must realize you are a sinner. "There is none righteous,no , not one." Romans 3:10 You will never be saved until you acknowledge you are a sinner. "For the wages of sin is death." Romans 6:23 God loves you and gave His only Son , Jesus, as your substitute. He died in your place. "Who His own self bare our sins in His own body on the tree, that we, being dead to sins , should live unto righteousness:by whose stripes ye were healed." I Peter 2:24 Believe on the Lord Jesus Christ. Turn from your sin and turn to Him. Are you under conviction? Do you feel the heavy load of guilt? You can be out from under that load. If you refuse God's free gift of salvation you will die in your sins and suffer eternally in the fire of Hell. You don't have to. Trust Him today. Accept Him as Lord (Master) and Saviour. He is a wonderful Friend. His yoke is easy and His burden is light. Come on, get out of the graveyard and begin to really live!!

His Plan For Me

HIS PLAN FOR ME

When I stand at the Judgment Seat of Christ

And He shows me His plan for me,

The plan of my life as it might have been,

Had He had His way; and I see

How I blocked Him here, and I checked Him there

And I would not yield my will,

Will there be grief in my Saviour's eyes,

Grief though He loves me still?

He would have me rich and I stand her poor,

Stripped of all but His grace,

While memory runs like a hunted thing

Down the paths I cannot retrace.

Then my desolate heart will well nigh break

With tears that I cannot shed;

I shall cover my face with my empty hands;

I shall bow my uncrowned head.

Lord of the years that are left to me,

I give them to Thy hand;

Take me and break me, mold me to

The pattern Thou hast planned.

~Martha Snell Nicholson

Something for dads and moms on Father's Day

Educate children without religion, and you make a race of clever devils.~ Willington

TO ANY LITTLE BOY'S FATHER

There are little eyes upon you,

And they're watching night and day;

There are little ears that quickly

Take in every word you say.

There are little hands all eager

To do everything you do,

And a little boy who's dreaming

Of the day he'll be like you.

You're the little fellow's hero;

You're the wisest of the wise;

In his little mind, about you,

No suspicions ever rise.

He believes in you devoutly,

Holds that all you say and do,

He will say and do in your way

When he's grown up just like you.

There's a wide-eyed little fellow,

Who believes you're always right;

And his ears are always open

And he watches day and night.

You are setting an example

Every day in all you do,

For the little boy who's waiting

To grow up to be like you!

~Selected

More from the Mother's Day S.S. lesson

Zachary (3) was just coming downstairs carrying the hand vac. Juston (10) said that on the third step from the bottom Z sat down wearied and said, "God, help me." God sent help in form of Juston.

This was Autumn's Bible lesson on Nov. 18, 1992:

Mom: Where did Joseph of Arimathea take the body of Jesus?

Autumn(5): To a rock

Mom: Why did Pilate put soldiers outside to guard the sepulchre?

Autumn: They was afraid He would die.

Mom: Autumn, He was already dead.

Autumn: Oh.

Mom:Why did the women come to the tomb?

Autumn: To see Him dead.

Mom: No, they brought perfume... What did they find at the tomb?

Autumn: They found perfume.

Whitney (7): No, they brought perfume.

Autumn: Oh.

Mom: They found an empty tomb.

Autumn: But Momma, you just said He was dead!

We all laughed and I did much explaining. We went on.

Mom:What does 'much perplexed' mean?

Autumn: That they were very nice.

Mom: No...worried... What did the women do when the angels told them that Jesus had risen?

Autumn: They went to see Him.

Mom: No, they went to tell others. Should you tell others that Jesus is risen?

Autumn: YES!!!

Mom: What did Peter and John do when they heard Jesus was not in the grave?

Autumn: They ran to tell others!!!

Mom(laughing): No. They went to see if it was true. How long was Jesus in the grave?

Autumn: About a month and a half.

Mom: Three days and three nights, Autumn.

Autumn: Well, Mrs. Jonnie [her S.S. teacher] said about a month and a half or two months.

Mom: No she didn't. What is Easter about?

Autumn: God gettin' born.

Mom: No, that's Christmas. Easter is about how Jesus rose from the dead. Now, what is Easter about?

Autumn: God bein' a baby and gettin' on earth.




Zachary (3) had on an apron and wanted if off. He said , "Take my curtain off."


Jess was learning to ride a bike when she was about 5. She took off down her Granny Serritt's driveway and lost control and ran up onto the carport and crashed into the doorstep. Granny, standing at the doorway watching said , "Well, that was funny. Why don't you do it again?"
You'd have to know my mother to enjoy that one. She was teasing Jessica and Jessica loved it!

From my Mother's Day Sunday School Lesson

These are some things I read in S.S. on Mother's Day. Some are funny and some are serious. Hope you enjoy and get a blessing!

April 19, 1991 (from my journal): I just asked Autumn , age 4, where she got her blue eyes and she answered, "From Jesus!!!"
My prayer for Autumn that day was a bit naive but from the heart of a 29 year old mother: Thank You, Father, for giving her those beautiful blue eyes. May they never cloud over with impurity or shame and may they never shed tears over a hurt that could have been avoided had she listened to and obeyed You.

A prayer for Whitney ( age 6): Father, bless and strengthen Whitney. Use her for Thy glory. May the devil not deceive her, keep her pure and her future husband pure for her.

Mon., August 30, 1999:
Today Zachary is ten. It's also Mrs. Jimmie and Anita Carnes birthday.
Rachel (5) wanted to fix Zachary's breakfast for his birthday. He wanted cereal. She went in kitchen, got two bowls, let Z pick which one he wanted, went back in kitchen. I heard something hit the floor. "Don't wowwy (worry) Diane Wison, I'll get it." I had to smile. As she's putting in cereal and milk she's calling out, "Don't wowwy!!" She's knows I'm afraid she can't do it without spilling. But she did. What a sweet, kind sister to do this for her brother on his birthday

Have a Good Day!

What constitutes a good day? Store clerks tell us to have a good day. We say to others, "I had a good day", or we whine, "This just isn't my day!" We ask our friends and families, "How was your day?"
Is it a good day only if things go my way? Is it a good day only if the sun shines? Is it a good day only if no one crossed us or reproved us?
It can be a good day even if things don't go my way if I realize , "All things work together for good to them that love God..." (Romans 8:28)
It can be a good day even if it rains if I realize, "The Lord hath His way in the whirlwind and in the storm, and the clouds are the dust of His feet." (Nahum 1:3) He " sendeth rain on the just and on the unjust." (Matthew 5:45)
It can be a good day if I learn from my mistakes and if reproof is needed learn from that and make necessary changes. (James 1:19,20; 4:6) "He that regardeth reproof shall be honored." (Proverbs 13:18)
This isn't my day anyway. "This is the day which the LORD hath made; we will rejoice and be glad in it." (Psalm 118:24)
Want to have a good day? It's up to you. As Dr. Robert Cook used to say,"Walk with the King today and be a blessing!"

HAVE A GOOD DAY!!!

My Life is Changing

In the last few months there have been several "bends in the road" in my life. My mother left earth and was escorted by a band of angels to Heaven. I miss her. It's a sad, lonely feeling to have no mother to go to. Then my oldest son was married. He married a wonderful girl and they are very happy, but the day he packed up everything and left for his own new home marked the end of an era in my life. And now, bless my heart, eleven months after their wedding they've made me a grandma.
It seems only a few years ago I was a young mother living in a mobile home, happily married. My oldest four children were then from newborn to age seven. I certainly enjoyed these years when they were little, yet at the time there were occasions when I thought I could never handle it :) We didn't even have a television; didn't want one. And a computer? Were they invented yet?:) In 1989 I doubt we'd ever heard of a cell phone.
Now twenty years later, my oldest four are grown. Three of them are still at home, thank God, as well as the younger two. They still love God, church,and momma and daddy. Sunday dinners are a delight at our house with all the children, daughter-in-law, Zachary's girlfriend, and now grandbaby. There aren't enough seats for everyone, but the floor has always worked fine. I usually serve at least eleven for Sunday dinner. Well, actually Avonlea doesn't eat my cooking yet, but her precious momma feeds her a God-blessed "meal".
Yes, my life is changing--instead of my old green '83 station wagon with kids looking out of every window, I ride around in a blue '98 mini-van that seats seven but usually has no more than three occupants. Instead of searching for a pay phone to call the grandma and see if the kids are okay, I just reply to the text messages they send to ask where I'm at.:) Instead of newborn to age seven, their ages range from nine to twenty-six. We do have a television now but we have no channels. You see, we haven't cable and don't want it. We have a converter box but we unhooked it. We choose what we want to watch and we choose carefully. We're partial to "Sheffey", "Anne of Green Gables", and "Old Yeller". Once in a while we pull out an old John Wayne western or war picture, but we thank God for the T.V. Guardian on our vcr that deletes all the foul language. Yes, we have a computer and more recently, even the internet. We also thank God for cleaninter.net. The filter that reminds us to guard our eyes and "set no wicked thing" before them.
We used to eat Sunday dinners at my mother's or Ty's mother's. Now I enjoy the laughter and playful banter of my four girls in the kitchen as we rush to do the final preparations to our Sunday meal. This past Sunday Zachary even blessed us with a little guitar music. We all take our turns holding Avonlea and believe me it's a lot of turns! Juston tells of how many times Avonlea awakened last night and Paige swears she smiles at her. Whitney takes more pictures and Autumn insists on an early turn with Avonlea because she (Autumn) needs to go take a nap. Autumn is justified since she gets up through the week at 4:30! Zachary sits and looks proud (and thankful) that he has such a sweet and beautiful girlfriend. (And one that loves God and hates evil this proud mother will add). We beg Rachel to play her mandolin along with Zachary on guitar, but she refuses today. Jess leaps around like a happy deer and when she does sit it's usually near her big brother, Juston. Avonlea sleeps, nurses, sleeps, and dreams of being home away from these aunts and grandparents who keep passing her from one to the other. But before she can go home she must wait while her mom has a thirty minute romp on the trampoline with Juston and Jessica. Being pregnant for nine months, Paige has missed being able to jump!!:)
Yes, indeed my life is changing... I am growing to look like my momma, or so I've been told, and act like her as well, so my daughters tell me! I am enjoying this phase of life just as I did the ones before it. God is so good! I am so blessed. As our pastor would say, "Bless the Lord, O my soul and all that is within me, bless His holy name. Bless the Lord, O my soul and forget not all His benefits."

Mother of six, mother-in-law of one, grandma of one, and oh yes, I am the mother of that good-looking, muscled guy with the really pretty girlfriend...:)