What does the word "Christmas" stir in you?

I think a lot of people--and being a women--this is what it use to mean to me--HELP!

It was a time of finding the perfect gift for the person! Getting the house ready and planning a meal (we had the biggest house, so Christmas was celebrated at our home!)



Does any of this have anything to do with Christmas? Sadly, it has become the normal and a quick visit to a church on Christmas Eve to satisfy the guilt of what we celebrate most at Christmas!

But about 20 years ago, it got easier. I worked with a lady that had all presents bought and wrapped by Thanksgiving, then she could enjoy the holidays.

What does enjoying the holidays mean to you? Celebrating the birth of my Savior, that is what it means to me.....and the following image had a great part of putting Jesus back at the center of my Christmas!



I'm lucky, I had loving Christian parents and even though there weren't a lot of presents, Christmas was great! Hear below are two of my many favorite Christmas memories of Christmas pasts!



My mom and dad were wonderful Christian parents. Mom was the stay-at-home mother, and dad was the sole financial supporter. Dad finished concrete for a living. Living in St. Louis, that meant that he was lucky if he got 10 months of work in for the 12 month year. Luckily, his profession had a strong union and he got ‘vacation stamps’ for every hour her worked and unemployment in the winter, when there was no work. Mom was in charge of paying the bills and stretching 9 or 10 months worth of pay over 12 months. There were three of us girls, and dad wanted all his girls to go to college. In the months of plenty (lots of summertime overtime) we lived modestly, so there would be money in times of little. (Both coming from farm families, this must have been born in!)

We got a few little presents, usually clothes for Barbie and tights (like pantyhose, but thicker and in colors and kept our legs warm) and then one nice new toy. Be the middle daughter, I always got hand-me-downs—clothes, toys and bikes. One year I wanted a new (not just new to me—but new) bike. They had just come out with skinny wheels and sleek bikes, and I wanted one.

Mom and dad had a way of making Christmas exciting, but that Christmas morning, when I went down the hall and saw there was no bike in front of the tree, I was very disappointed, but faked it as well as I could. We all took turns opening one present at a time, and thanking each other for the gift. I remember that after all the presents seemed to have been opened, daddy reached underneath the tree skirt and there was a small flat box with my name on it. I open it, and there was a note, telling me to go to the bathtub. Our shower curtain was never closed, but this morning it was! I threw back the curtain, expecting to see my new bike, and there was an envelope, with a note in it, telling me to go to the back porch, so I tore down the hall, through the dining room, through the kitchen and throwing open the back door, and there on the table, another box! I opened it and surprise, another note, telling me to proceed to the basement and to look behind the furnace! As my mother told me to be careful going down the steps, I flew down the step and went behind the furnace, and low and behold, another note! It said to go to the bathroom—what—been there! So, a little slower, I went back upstairs, through the kitchen, through the dining room, down the hall, into the bath room, and to my surprise, the shower curtain was closed again. I pull the curtain back, and there with a big bow (made out of tissue paper) was a bright shiny black, skinny tired new bike!

The bike has probably rusted away many years ago, but the fun my parents put into Christmas lives on forever!


Same great parents and another Christmas. My parents only left us once a year—the bowling banquet. Our church had a bowling league and it was a very small bowling alley with only 12 lanes, and our church took it over every Tuesday night. We normally had to take our homework down to the alley and do our homework there. Mom and dad rented the shoes and borrowed the alleys bowling balls. Most couples had their own, but not my folks.
Dad wrapped moms’ present early that year. A completely square small box about 4x4x4 and very heavy. None of us girls knew what it was! It was the game for the next 6 weeks—guessing what was in the box and what would daddy have gotten mother for Christmas.

So Christmas morning comes and daddy makes a quick trip downstairs and sneaks back upstairs, just as mom is opening her present. She tears the paper off and it’s a box of shotgun shell! What’s this we asked and dad, standing behind mom lays a brand new bowling bag, with an undrilled bowling ball in it and a gift certificate for bowling shoes! Mom cried and dad smiled from ear to ear! It was a great Christmas, and again, the present is long gone (mom’s going to be 88 in January) but the fond memory of the way the gift was given lives on in my mind forever!



This is what I want to leave my daughter! When the presents are long gone, I want the memories to bring a smile and maybe a little tear of joy, for what a great feeling it puts in her heart!

How honest are you?

Our church recently had our 10th Birthday party. Before the celebration, our music worship leader, thought it would be great to show how God had changed lives in our church. She had seen a YouTube video on 'cardboard testimonies'. They are 'short and sweet' and were very moving. Not long after she put out the call, she personally contacted me through email and asked if I would participate. Again, without much 'thought' (which was a good thing) I felt God saying, tell the world what I did for you!

This means showing the ugly pit you dug for yourself! These are people I see at least once a week in the 'house of God'! Who wants to see the nasty part of my life? Who wants to remember and share something like that?!? But isn't that how God advertises? Doesn't everybody want to be known by their successes?

So here is my church, and I, my husband and my daughter are the last ones to show our struggles. I'm handicapped, so I wasn't on the stage, but she wanted to use me anyway.


Cardboard Testimonies from Jan Owen on Vimeo.

Well, if that doesn't tear you up, and stir up any emotions in you, I don't know how much hope there is for you!

I want to thank Jan Owen, our worship minister, for listening to God, and for putting together this video and her son Daniel, who video taped it and edited it. What a day it was! The picnic afterwards, was great and the day was perfect! God must have been pleased to see His children be so faithful to share their dark times and how we now live in His light.

You are never too gone, and it is never too late......all you have to do is ask, repent and accept Jesus Christ as your Savior and ask Him to live inside you! Then find a good Bible teaching church and read the Bible and follow the word. Don't wait until you clean your life up--it's never going to happen, and God can do it with the twinkle of an eye!

God Bless!

This makes my best friend smile.......

I like it when she smiles, so here it is.....watch it and listen to it as much as you want!

And this one is one of my favorite and makes me smile!



Watched this yesterday and decided to put it one here!



I felt led to post this one.


Any of you that know me, know that music, real worship music, moves me! I feel like I am so 'praising' the Lord my God, when I raise my arms and sing with feeling the words of the song. All of you on the worship team have seen me wiping tears. This is another one that moves me!

This has been a strange day. I've spent in prayer and worship and in song (another form or worship for me) and in my Bible! May God continue to Bless America!

I'm being stretched......AGAIN!

$450 Billion dollars! I'm an old accountant, and it would take me awhile to figure out how many zero's to put on the back of that figure, if I were to write it out!

$10 Billion dollars! Another large number....and what are the significance of these numbers you ask!


Watch this:



Advent Conspiracy Intro - 2008 from Robert Terrell on Vimeo.

This was played at our church on Sunday.

As I pulled out, I thought of all the diseases that our country fights. Heart disease, cancer, high blood pressure, diabetes, alcoholism, drug addiction, obesity and the list goes on....but isn't clean water plentiful here. I would be starteled if the number of people dying from dirt water was high in this country.

Laura, my 16 yr old and I began talking about what we had seen on the screen (the above video) and how we could make things. She has a soap maker and just bought a 'tye-dye' kit. Of coarse, I knit a crochet and do some plastic canvas things....so gifts and ideas were just poor out of our mouths. Then I said, I wonder how much of that $450 billion dollars is later claimed on bankrupcy and never collected...and then we end up paying more for items at the store!?!

Our intrum pastor, Richard, is really making us all think! Just because it's always been done that way, don't make it right!



Have you ever heard this (supposedly) true story? Once there was a woman who cut the front part off her ham before placing it in the oven. The woman's daughter asked her, "Mommy, why do you cut off the front part of the ham?" The mother thought for a minute and said, "Well, I don't know. I suppose I do it because my mother always did. I'm sure she had a good reason. I'll have to ask her why." The next Sunday she visited her mother, the child's grandmother. "Mom," asked the mother, "Why did you always cut off the front part of the Christmas ham? The older woman sat and thought a moment. "Well, I'm not sure. I did it because my mother always did. Why don't we ask her?" Granny was sitting by the window in the living room when the three generations of women approached her. "We have to know," said the mother, "why you always cut the front part of the ham off before putting it in the oven?" "What?" asked the old woman, moving closer to hear more clearly. "Why do you cut off the end of the ham before baking it in the oven?" they repeated. "We know there must be a very good reason. Do the juices flow better? Do you get a better flavor? Does it cook more evenly?" The old woman laughed. "Oh, no, no, no, dear," she said. "It's simpler than that. Cutting off the end of the ham was the only way it could fit in my little oven."

Now my big question is, how do you please non-christian families that are very materalistic?

Got the answer?

Well, if you do....please share! I'm praying on this one, because I always get very nice gifts and think it would totally hurt their feelings to ask for not so much. And when you get something that you know cost alot (we got a new GPS tracker for the car last year).... you really feel you must give them something just as nice in return.

Well, let's take Thanksgiving now! It's just around the corner...and it means eating! Now that's what I call a holiday.....but wait.....I forgot....I'm on a diet! Oh dang!

Well, as bad as that is (turkey is a very good diet food), think of the day the Turkey is having! Is that known as his 15 minutes of fame?!?

I have a cartoon for you:





Don't ya just love it!?!

Well, I've said my peace and believe this is what I was suppose to do today!

May God Bless!

How would you prepare to celebrate a church birthday......

maybe like mom use to say, 'get your Sunday-go-to-meeting clothes on and let's go!'

I remember fighting with 'tights' (similar to pantyhose, but thicker [so younger kids couldn't destroy them as easy]) and the color had to match the outfit mom had picked out for us to wear or even worse, the ruffled socks--and the most frightening thing that could happen--mom pulled out the outfits that matched your sisters'!--Like you really wanted people to know you were related to HER. And to cap off the outfit, pretty shoes that squeezed your toes and left a red-mark or worse, a heel blister (that would just be healing by the time next Sunday rolled around--when you had to squeeze your foot into them again!) Yea, they were cute, but it's hard to hear God talking to you when your feet are YELLING that they hurt! Oh yea--those were the good old days--well not at our church!

I got up Sunday, slipped in to some casual black slacks, put on a casual top, put on a little make-up and my tennis shoes, grabbed my Bible, and off to church we went.

What else was different? I was amazed that number one, we were on the way to church and number two, the topic in the car was football! I just know the 'Body snatchers' have set pods down and changed who we are! These are not the people we were, ten years ago, before we started attending The Brook. Actually, our ten year celebration will be Palm Sunday!

Then I realized, as we had turned off of Hwy 72, onto the long driveway to church, past the neat new electronic sign--with color now--awesome---that I was doing it again! What you ask? Going past my comfort zone. Oh, yeah, I've been out of the closet to my friends, as a recovering alcoholic, for years, but I'm going to stand up and raise a sign with my 'dirty laundry' out there for everyone to see!

And here it is:


There I am--showing everyone that I was a drunk!!!

Then I turn the cardboard over:



And people clapped! They clapped! And I'm crying as I think about that! My ugly scar changed by God to a beauty mark! And I felt God's joy, for being obedient, for sharing, and bragging about how He had changed me! Only my Mighty God could have done that!


I want to thank so many people. I don't know where to start! Willowbrook Church in Huntsville, for their vision and obedience to God for supporting our little church until we could stand on our own--financially!

The dear repair man, who came to fix our recliners that had a recall and told us of the new church in Madison. (God always has his ducks in a row!)

For dear Steve and Felicia Lacy, for their years of dedication to God and the family members of this church.

For all the staff who worked with almost nothing but faith!

To Linda Jones, who became a friend and mentor to me as I began my walk with Christ.

And now to my dearest friend, Shelly, who calls me on the carpet, at times, but loves me unconditionally, whether we agree on things or not!

And most of all, to My Holy Father, who never gave up on me, even when I turned my back on Him and went and did things I'm not proud of! He has forgiven me and forgotten them! He is SO AWESOME.

It would be wrong of me not to mention a few more. To Jan Owen, our Worship Minister, for her, at times, exhausting work to make everything so wonderful to worship our Father! Her love of


and

are a great combination to fill God's church with a 'new song'. She gets to 'jammin' for Jesus' and I could sit there all day and listen to the Praise Team! You can visit her on A Worshipful Heart.


We also have a great youth leader for our middle school and high school students. Josh has a true heart for God that can't be contained when he speaks about his Lord. You can visit his blog just simply known as Josh Britt

And new to our family at The Brook is Richard Buckley, who not only brings a honest and true love of God, but a maturity, peace and joy that has truly helped heal our church! I know he was an answer from God when so many of us where wondering the desert, afraid that we had lost the joy forever! You can check out Richard's blog, NEW HEIGHTS and see for yourself what an amazing pastor our God sent us to give us His Amazing peace!

I'd like to thank Bill Rainey for the awesome pictures he took and posted on his site, Bill's Personal Website and that is where I got the two pictures of me above! Bill also plays a guitar in our church band.


As you can see, he's a real cool cat!

And since I always like to leave a smile on everyone's face, my greatest fear was that I would show the wrong side first. That I had been sober for 19 years and now I've been drunk for 18! LOL! Boy, that would have brought the rafters down! I love to say that I've finally been sober long than I was drunk! There's a saying among longtimer that have several years of sobriety. The further you get from your last drink, the closer you get to your next one! I pray my next one is due a few hours after I've been in Heaven!

And I know I post this alot....but it seems so appropriate with the 'cardboard testimonies'!



And I loved this, it really explains to me what God is doing in my life!



Enjoying every moment, while being excited about tomorrow!

Where do I put this one.....

Some of you that know me well, know I have several blogs.....it seemed only right, I have several passions.....but few great loves.....and as a wise man use to say to me all the time, the strongest dog is the one you feed the most.

I blog more on this blog than all my others put together! I guess because I'm learning to put God first, and all else falls into place! Yes, I love God the most! Why? Because He loved me when I wasn't lovable! He sent His Son, Jesus Christ, to live a PERFECT life and to die on the cross for my sins! I've heard that since I was a baby, but it came to life for me when I saw 'The Passion of Christ'! It wasn't the dying! It was the pain, the humility and the broken heart! God did something I could NEVER do.....offer my daughter's life (and it's not sin-less!) for scoundrels, thieves, drunks, murders and the lowest of the low!

So, now you know my greatest love, (God), here are some of my others!

Terry Lee Hortter--I know he is the man God chose for me! I don't think anyone else could put up with me! He is the Ying to my Yang! He is everything I am not..he completes me.

Laura Lynn Hortter--my miracle baby after my sinful life and 21 years of being childless! She is my gift from God and a little angel! What a heart this child has! I have never seen such an amazing kindness from the heart of a child this age!

Alma Ray Story--my father--the man who gave me my love for God, family and country! He had a passion to never meet a stranger! The man could talk to anyone and had a passion to leave everyone smiling! I miss him greatly, but look forward to seeing him 'at home'!

Maxine Story--my mother. A stay at home mom that instilled high morals and the belief that women could reach for the stars! She is a dear woman and 87 years young!

*********************

Now, my reason for this post!

On the way home from the football game Friday night (Bob Jones 46-Florence 22!), and we had gone to Steak n Shake--I saw the sign at Asbury church that said, Sept 13, 2008--and I realized it was an anniversary. I asked Terry, do you know what today is? He said, '12 Sept', to which I replied, 'it's after midnight!' He said, 'okay--the 13th".

Then I informed him and Laura and Adam (her boyfriend of 17 months) it was our 40th anniversary of our first date! I was a senior in high school and he was a freshman at the University of Missouri, St. Louis! Life was great! I had more fun and turmoil that year than should legally be allowed! But I had found the man I would marry!

It was a Friday the 13th! Who in their right mind would start a new relationship on that day?!?

Terry was a friend of my older sisters. She was a senior in college and they met at the campus Baptist Student Union and became good friends. Terry had just broken up with a girlfriend and Fran, my sis, didn't like the guy I was dating--no body did--that's probably why I was dating him!

Well, we went to a movie (For Love of Ivy with Sidney Poitier)

at the splendid

Fox Theater

(one of those extreme theaters of the late 40's--rehabbed and beautiful!) but as usual (I found out later) Terry got turned around and we ended up going through an alley in the city of St. Louis--and out jumped a black cat

--did I tell you it was
So as the drama queen I was, I 'demanded' he back up and un-cross the path we had just crossed--which he refused to do! So I knew the night was doomed! (but not in God's eyes!)

We then went to Ponticello's Restaurant, one of the great Italian restaurants in St. Louis county. There are greats in the city of St. Louis know as "The Hill", a quaint area of little Italians that live in their own little world! And we had Pizza

my favorite food in the whole world--I do believe I could eat it 3 times a day, 7 days a week, and never get tired of it!

Then it was time to end the evening, but to my surprise--out came running my sister (and Terry's friend) and demanded that he take us to the airport! I thought this was kind of rude! Then Fran explained that one of my cousins (I had 96!--Mama and daddy came from BIG families!), was at the airport on a long lay-over and was on his way to Vietnam! So I shyly look at Terry and asked if it was okay. I asked what time he had to be home, and he said he had to get the girl home before her curfew, and that was his only curfew! Mom and dad only had one car at the time and they and my baby sister, had already left for the airport. I think this is when the magic happened. My parents, yes even daddy, fell in love with Terry. He was respectful, kind, smart and not hard on the eyes at all, and he was my missing piece! We sat there until about 4 am and spent an amazing time with Joe Story, who would be serving the US and the Army for the next year in Vietnam. 1968 was not a good year to be going to Vietnam. I think the fact that we came to spend time with him, gave him some peace. We joined hands and prayed for him and his safety before he got on the plane. With having 96 cousins, there were only a few (girl cousins my age) that I was close with, so it was nice getting to really spend time with Joe.

Then Terry insisted on taking ME home, so the rest of the family loaded up in their car and I got in Terry's daddy Buick--a very nice--big car. I later found out Terry owned a Comet (known as the Vomit!) that sometimes ran and when it did it looked like a mosquito sprayer!

Well, that's a summary of our first date--just over 40 years ago--and I do it all over again to get to where we are now--a life with the love of my life--one of the best men and father's to ever walk this earth....how do I know? I was raised by one!

Thank you Father, my God above, for the man you gave me as my partner!

I'm so human......forgive me!

Fear....lack of faith?

I have a dear friend that has had so many traumatic things happen to her and her family in the last two years, that I hurt for her. Recently she lost her leg because of complications of childhood diabetes. But it didn't keep her down. She got an artificial leg and off she went. Then came rashes and stomach problems. She is so small and frail now. Now pains in her chest, which they thought might be pneumonia, now shown to be a heart attack and she needs triple bi-pass surgery.

I shouted to God.....where are you? She's your child.....she's been through so much! Are you there? Can you hear me?

And I remembered a story where a man lost his son and cried out to God in the same manner--where were you? I trusted that you would not let my son die! Where were you, God? And God answered him, 'The same place I was when my son died.'

My God is there, and knows the future, and will not leave us! Here is a great song to remind us!



Thank you Chris Tomlin, but most of all, for your comfort and love, thank you God!

I will keep my friend in my prayers, and know with confidence, God is in control and has it all worked out!

I was going to go someplace else today.....

but I do believe God wanted me to write this!

I want to share God’s amazing love in a real way today!

I use to hate history. Maybe because in my day, it was all about the dates. Memorize those DATES! I did not fall in love with history until I fell in love with genealogy. Genealogy, or family history, requires you to learn the whats and whys of the times, as well as the whens.

I am almost ashamed to be a southerner, since our visit several years ago to Camp Sumter in Andersonville, GA.

We ran across it by accident on a trip to Florida. It had two of my great loves—history and a cemetery (you have to love and embrace them in genealogy too!)
After seeing and hearing the horrific way the Northern Soldiers (Yankees) were treated, I was ashamed!



There was absolutely no ‘southern hospitality’. But, to their defence, no one could imagine that the war would last so long and cause the need for so much space and supplies.


Here another view:

Andersonville Prison as it appeared in August 1864. Drawn by Thomas O'Dea, former prisoner.
A Picture Worth a Thousand Words


I never drew a picture before in my life. Were I an artist, I could have completed it in a short time. I commenced this work in the winter of 1879 and finished it in 1885 devoting to it my leisure moments for over 5 years....

...In executing the work, I had no picture, map, plan or scale to guide or instruct me, but I relied upon and drew the whole subject from memory. To the casual observer, such a thing may be looked upon as absurd and impossible, that it is impossible after such a length of time for "memory" to retain such a perfect list and one of details as here portrayed and that I must have had assistance from some other source to be able to present such a vast combination of characters and situations in so perfect manner. Ah my friends, had you been there and experienced the sufferings that, in common with the thousands of other unfortunates who "were there," you too, like myself, would have the whole panorama photographed in your memory to remain there to your dying day....

Thomas O'Dea, 1887

Yet, even with this, God showed his grace and mighty love and mercy. I visited this site and it was awe inspiring—almost like you where on Holy ground. I can’t imagine what it must have meant to the men who had been drinking sewer water….here is a part of the story….

September 2005
ANDERSONVILLE/CAMP SUMTER
By Kevin Frye(to view this webcite click here.)
As presented to an American Civil War chat on AOL
The stream that crosses the prison site is Stockade Branch, the principal water source for the prisoners and one of the deciding factors in locating the prison here. From this small stream the prisoners obtained water for drinking, bathing, and laundry. In addition, the toilets, or sinks in Civil War terminology, were built along this brook on the downstream side of the camp. Stockade Branch may have been sufficient water supply for the 6 to 10 thousand men for which the prison was originally designed. However with the overcrowding, this stream was quickly overburdened. Wastes from the bake house and the guard camps upstream polluted Stockade Branch before it even entered the prison. In their search for a better water supply some prisoners located small brackish springs along the hillside or dug wells. Those who located water often sold it to their fellow prisoners.

John Ransom, a prisoner here, wrote in his diary on May 18th: "Some of the wells dug by the Yankees furnished passable water, am improvement anyway on swamp water. Well water, in great demand, is sold readily for such trinkets as the men have to dispose of." During the hot dry summer of 1864, the prisoners' need for water became so great that they began to pray to God for help.

In August, a heavy rainstorm transformed Stockade Branch into a raging torrent that washed away part of the stockade wall. It also gave the camp a greatly needed cleansing. According to legend, during the storm, lightning struck the ground. Upon investigation a spring was discovered flowing were the lightning had struck. Since many prisoners felt this was the answer to their prayers, it was named Providence Springs. John Ransom simply wrote on August 13, "a nice spring of cold water has broken out in camp. Nearly enough to furnish all here with drinking water. God has not forgotten us.

A memorial building over Providence Springs was erected in 1901. The spring still flows today.


Okay, this was a stretch for me to put together....because I'm not all that smart, but I do believe God gives me messages to blog about.......



No, I don't hear voices and I don't get a meesage on 'my space' or emails from Him, but when something catches my eye and heart in a certain way, I file it for possible future use.

I haven't been blogging much lately, because I don't blog just to stay busy....I'm a mom and a wife....get real, I gots lots to do! But I open myself to God to be obedient, therefore I have this blog!


My Father is the King of Kings, therefore I am a Princess!

But I did feel God letting me rest and really get some Bible studying, lots of Bible reading, and the hardest for me, from Psalm 46:10--Be still, and know that I am God. Oh, I know He's God, that's not the hard part....it's the BE STILL part...but to know God's heart....it's a must, therefore, before I actually publish a post, I pause, and yes, some of them have gone on the back burner and some have actually been deleted, because I felt it was my message and not God's!

So, here is the verse He gave me today:

John 16:33 (New International Version)
33"I have told you these things, so that in me you may have peace. In this world you will have trouble. But take heart! I have overcome the world."

I finally got it with the Andersonville thing, the water thing and boy, they had trouble! In this world you will have trouble!

Boy, I can testify to that! But until you have truly experienced PEACE that comes from God, you haven't experience anything!

And then the last part--'I have overcome the world.' COOL!

I wish when I became a 'card carrying' Christian, I would have been given new words, or a new language (the official Christian language). It just doesn't seem right to use the same words I used for worldly things, before my devotion to Christ, and now use these same words to describe the love and peace and mercy and grace and joy that I get from God!(and by the way--we don't carry cards--it's just I began to walk in the way of the Lord, my Savior and my guide.)



I hope this flowed together for you, because it became so clear to me. I have learned how hot is miserable it can be here in Alabama and I'm sure Andersonville, GA is at least as bad, so these men need a sign from God.

And I'll leave you with this sign from God:




Not some things, not most things, not really hard things....but

ALL THINGS

May God use these words to bless you!

When........

was the last time you really prayed?



Was it at dinner....because it was a habit.....



or was it during critical times and you knew you needed intervention to change something?



I once heard that prayer does one of two things. It either changes the circumstances your going through or gives you the Power to go through it!


Why is it we don't turn to God during the good times as much or as automatically as we do during bad times?






Have you ever listen to a little child's goodnight prayer? My daughter use to bless everyone and everything....sometimes because she was that sweet, and honestly, sometimes because she didn't want to go to sleep yet!

I recently saw a sign on a church that said:

The Power inside me is greater than the task ahead of me!

That power is the Holy Spirit, paid for by the death of Jesus Christ on the cross for all of us!

Prayers are always answered. Sometimes things change, sometimes we need to wait for God's timing and sometimes it's 'NO, but here is MY amazing strength to get you through this!'

I KNOW one thing........



I'm more a constant prayer than a formal, sit down (can't kneel anymore--bad knees), bow your head and don't get up for an hour kind of prayer! I find my morning prayers go better if I journal them, and I have a list close by to remind me of things I've said I would pray for, or people I need to include.

I'm also trying to use God's words to pray back to Him,


it's a great lesson and His words and promises are great.

If I try to pray off the top of my head, my mind starts to stray! I think of what going on with Laura and school,


if I need to get something from the store


and any other chores that pop into my mind

and before long


and I'm

until I make it about God! Anyone else have that problem? I'm in training, but I know it's a process, or as Joyce Meyers say, I'm not where I want to be, but praise God, I'm not where I was!

I'm going to use a youtube item that our music minister sent as an encouragement of an upcoming celebration of our church. I truly believe each one of these people had to be in prayer and received God's amazing strength to air their 'dirty laundry' and praise God for their new robes He supplied! Get the tissue boxes out!


My cardboard testimony:

Drunk for
18 years!

By the Grace
of God
Sober for 19!

God can change the whole world and here is only one plan to do it:

Psalm 67 (New International Version)

1 May God be gracious to us and bless us
and make his face shine upon us,

2 that your ways may be known on earth,
your salvation among all nations.

3 May the peoples praise you, O God;
may all the peoples praise you.

4 May the nations be glad and sing for joy,
for you rule the peoples justly
and guide the nations of the earth.


5 May the peoples praise you, O God;
may all the peoples praise you.

6 Then the land will yield its harvest,
and God, our God, will bless us.

7 God will bless us,
and all the ends of the earth will fear him.

We have local elections tomorrow and just in a few months we choose new power in the White House. I ask everyone to bow and ask God to lead their decisions. Not the polls, not the news casters and not the politicians, but give the power to God and let Him choose our next leader.





May God bless you all!

TIME.........

How many of us have recently sat and looked at our children (or in my case....my child) and wondered where has the time gone!

I think we are all so busy with the day to day routines and 'madness' of what needs to be done, that we lose track of 'time'.

Here is a story behind a beautiful song:




Now, here is the beautiful song, 'Cinderella' by Steven Curtis Chapman:


Now, as Paul Harvey would say, the rest of the story:


Last night, on Larry King, I watched the Chapman family, first Steven and his wife, and then the three older children, including Will, the son that has to live with the fact knowing he was driving the car, that caused the fatal injuries.

I was so proud to be in God's family with them and their continued faith, that the mercy of our God is getting them through, day by day and moment by moment.

And now there is my daughter....where have the 16 years gone? It took us 21 years after marriage to have her....and now in a few short years....she will be gone!

Here is our darling daughter at her 14th birthday party.......




notice the headband.....I guess it's my fault the child loves to wear something on her head, because I loved buying outfits with hats......



this one she 'borrowed' for the picture, because, oh, my, she had a 'naked' head!




And this one she was happy to model the hat mom had made for her!




This was a picture 'dad' snapped of her for an id card we made for her school trip to Washington, DC.



And this one of her 'compitition' of Guitar Hero at the famous Moulton, AL 'Chicken and Egg' Festival!




And now our Cinderella prepares for the ball---actually it is the Bob Jones Homecoming dance--but notice the 'crown' on her head!





And then along comes this BOY!!!

But look at that smile on her face!





And now they are together alot!




Is HE her prince charming? Is this the one God has chosen to be there for her? I don't know, but I do know he comes from a good family that has raised him in a Christian home and church and has impressed on him good morals and the imporatance of education.

To end this today, I want to say, don't miss an opportunity to enjoy those moments we still have together....whether it be with our parents, siblings, spouses, children and friends......we never know when the time we see them will be the last, until we cross over..and we must never ignore God's timing in spreading the 'Good News'.....




I miss you my friend!



Majesty(Here I am) - Delirious