Friday, April 17, 2009
Writings
I decided to transfer over some of my favorite writings and some I just wanted to keep from my Facebook notes. You will find them here if you scroll down - 4 0r 5 things. I love to write. I love to put into words how I feel, my thoughts and reflections, memories, and opinions. I'm sure that no one will ever be interested enough to read my babblings, but I still get joy from seeing them in print. It is a form 0f therapy, perhaps. I have written a lot of things that I have just organized on my computer and I will probably be transferring some of them to my blog. BUT not tonight! Think I'll call it a night!
Benjamin Ellis Parks
Facebook post
Thursday, January 3, 2008 at 9:04pm
Yes, it's true!! I am a grandmother twice now. I know it is hard to believe but it is true! Today, Kelly gave us our second grandson in 15 months! He is 8 lbs and 3 oz and 20 inches long. I told her that no one should have such an easy birthing experience...and that the only birth that I know of that was easier was Simon Birch's...his mother sneezed! She is doing great and the baby is doing great. I really think the most tired of them all is Aaron! They are such awesome parents and God has blessed them richly. Kelly has decided to be a stay at home mom and is very excited about getting to live her dream. Pray for them as they begin a new phase of life. Oh, and you can help support the dream...Kelly will soon be on I tunes! BG
PS...I should have mentioned Asher...he is pure joy to this nanna and I can't believe that I'm allowed to have this much fun! When he firsts saw his baby brother, he gave him lovin' and then clapped his little hands!
Thursday, January 3, 2008 at 9:04pm
Yes, it's true!! I am a grandmother twice now. I know it is hard to believe but it is true! Today, Kelly gave us our second grandson in 15 months! He is 8 lbs and 3 oz and 20 inches long. I told her that no one should have such an easy birthing experience...and that the only birth that I know of that was easier was Simon Birch's...his mother sneezed! She is doing great and the baby is doing great. I really think the most tired of them all is Aaron! They are such awesome parents and God has blessed them richly. Kelly has decided to be a stay at home mom and is very excited about getting to live her dream. Pray for them as they begin a new phase of life. Oh, and you can help support the dream...Kelly will soon be on I tunes! BG
PS...I should have mentioned Asher...he is pure joy to this nanna and I can't believe that I'm allowed to have this much fun! When he firsts saw his baby brother, he gave him lovin' and then clapped his little hands!
Life - After the Wedding!
In a series...a Facebook post
Thursday, June 5, 2008 at 1:48am
Well...it is over. Chase and Lacey are now married and the wedding and reception have come and gone - but the marriage still goes on! The wedding was beautiful, Lacey was a beautiful bride and Chase a very handsome groom. The wedding party all behaved themselves and looked impeccable! I made it through the wedding without throwing up (even though I spent most of the "getting ready" time on the bathroom floor trying to recover from some unknown illness which caused me to lose my cookies violently)! I made a vow that if I could get up and be at the wedding and hopefully part of the reception, that I was not going to care what happened or didn't happen as far as our plans...just to be there was my goal. My family and dear friends did an awesome job in pulling it all together and everything was perfect. My dear friends and the bridesmaids who knew I was sick (and kept it from the bride!), prayed for me and I know that is why I was able to pull myself together and walk down the isle on my own groom's arm - I'm sure that my sister-in-law's help of "anti-throw-up" syrup helped, too! The day was pretty much perfect...but NONE of it happened by accident! People who love me and Mickey, Chase and Lacey, and the church just came out of the wood works to make sure it was an awesome day of celebration to be remembered. God provided a beautiful day - cool breeze and sunny skies - after a spring of heavy rains and flooding and saturating the ground! Chase and his best buds mowed and worked on the grounds and our friends, the Gillmores worked magic on the muddy gateway to the parking area to solve our last problem! The tent was whopper-jawed but still "looked" safe enough and beautiful from the highway! The dance floor was worth the trouble and money and everyone had fun! I want to name people and express my gratitude, but there are too many!So...away they rode into the sunsets of Jamaica!Mickey and I spent the next week just returning things and tying up loose ends and resting. On Sunday following the wedding we sadly said goodbye to Ozlem and Sebastian, our German friends, and to Aaron and Kelly and our precious grandsons. It was also our dear friend, Mark's, last day at our church...NOW...we have several busy things to do this summer, but mostly we are trying to figure out what we must do for the Kingdom and how God is directing us. Some unexpected things have happened...Chase and Lacey are now acting as Youth Interns for our church for the summer and so they are living in Batesville and attending First Baptist with us. Many of our ministry jobs cross over and we are weeding through to see how that will all work. Mark is gone. For five years, he has been a huge part of our lives...in ministry, family, and personally. We spent a lot of nights playing games, talking, and laughing (or crying) together. There is a void in that place that we aren't sure how to fill. In the immediate, we have to figure out transportation...I wrecked the Yukon.I hit the Sonic. That is right...I hit the Sonic...the building, and I took out a speaker along with it and messed up the Yukon pretty well. (I thank God that a car hop wasn't in my way!) DON"T drive in flip-flops!! It got hung on the gas and took it to the floor and there was nothing I could do! SO, the police came and investigated and turned in an accident report...only they got my name wrong and so "Betty White" ran into the Sonic...not me, apparently.Mickey is going to a sleep doctor specialist tomorrow...he apparently has idio something or another, hyper sleep disorder (I can't remember what it is really called). I don't believe it and so we shall see.We will be married 30 years on June 17 and he still likes me enough to take me to Florida on a mandatory work trip so that we can be together on our anniversary day. We are going to the Perspectives National Conference first and then fly out of LR for Florida. In August we will make a trip to Gulf Shores for Kevin and Amy's wedding...and a side trip to play some Settlers of Catan in Montgomery, Alabama! So...now that I've bored you to death with our lives...I think I'll go to bed with my own version of the elephant man (Mickey in a c-pap machine - that I LOVE!) Happy day to anyone who is psycho enough to read all of this!!
Thursday, June 5, 2008 at 1:48am
Well...it is over. Chase and Lacey are now married and the wedding and reception have come and gone - but the marriage still goes on! The wedding was beautiful, Lacey was a beautiful bride and Chase a very handsome groom. The wedding party all behaved themselves and looked impeccable! I made it through the wedding without throwing up (even though I spent most of the "getting ready" time on the bathroom floor trying to recover from some unknown illness which caused me to lose my cookies violently)! I made a vow that if I could get up and be at the wedding and hopefully part of the reception, that I was not going to care what happened or didn't happen as far as our plans...just to be there was my goal. My family and dear friends did an awesome job in pulling it all together and everything was perfect. My dear friends and the bridesmaids who knew I was sick (and kept it from the bride!), prayed for me and I know that is why I was able to pull myself together and walk down the isle on my own groom's arm - I'm sure that my sister-in-law's help of "anti-throw-up" syrup helped, too! The day was pretty much perfect...but NONE of it happened by accident! People who love me and Mickey, Chase and Lacey, and the church just came out of the wood works to make sure it was an awesome day of celebration to be remembered. God provided a beautiful day - cool breeze and sunny skies - after a spring of heavy rains and flooding and saturating the ground! Chase and his best buds mowed and worked on the grounds and our friends, the Gillmores worked magic on the muddy gateway to the parking area to solve our last problem! The tent was whopper-jawed but still "looked" safe enough and beautiful from the highway! The dance floor was worth the trouble and money and everyone had fun! I want to name people and express my gratitude, but there are too many!So...away they rode into the sunsets of Jamaica!Mickey and I spent the next week just returning things and tying up loose ends and resting. On Sunday following the wedding we sadly said goodbye to Ozlem and Sebastian, our German friends, and to Aaron and Kelly and our precious grandsons. It was also our dear friend, Mark's, last day at our church...NOW...we have several busy things to do this summer, but mostly we are trying to figure out what we must do for the Kingdom and how God is directing us. Some unexpected things have happened...Chase and Lacey are now acting as Youth Interns for our church for the summer and so they are living in Batesville and attending First Baptist with us. Many of our ministry jobs cross over and we are weeding through to see how that will all work. Mark is gone. For five years, he has been a huge part of our lives...in ministry, family, and personally. We spent a lot of nights playing games, talking, and laughing (or crying) together. There is a void in that place that we aren't sure how to fill. In the immediate, we have to figure out transportation...I wrecked the Yukon.I hit the Sonic. That is right...I hit the Sonic...the building, and I took out a speaker along with it and messed up the Yukon pretty well. (I thank God that a car hop wasn't in my way!) DON"T drive in flip-flops!! It got hung on the gas and took it to the floor and there was nothing I could do! SO, the police came and investigated and turned in an accident report...only they got my name wrong and so "Betty White" ran into the Sonic...not me, apparently.Mickey is going to a sleep doctor specialist tomorrow...he apparently has idio something or another, hyper sleep disorder (I can't remember what it is really called). I don't believe it and so we shall see.We will be married 30 years on June 17 and he still likes me enough to take me to Florida on a mandatory work trip so that we can be together on our anniversary day. We are going to the Perspectives National Conference first and then fly out of LR for Florida. In August we will make a trip to Gulf Shores for Kevin and Amy's wedding...and a side trip to play some Settlers of Catan in Montgomery, Alabama! So...now that I've bored you to death with our lives...I think I'll go to bed with my own version of the elephant man (Mickey in a c-pap machine - that I LOVE!) Happy day to anyone who is psycho enough to read all of this!!
Lacey's Wedding - a LONG story
Another Facebook post
Saturday, June 21, 2008 at 1:20am
Hello everyone! I wanted to be able to send some pics with news of the wedding, but we haven't really gotten any yet! I know!! Hopefully, we will get a peek at some next week...if you have any and want to send them to us...PLEASE!! I am talking about Lacey's wedding, of course. Actually, we have a FEW snaps that some friends and family sent by email, but the pro's pics aren't ready to look at quite yet and so...we would love to see any that you have.OK...here is the run down. First of all, if you didn't know or have forgotten...Lacey is now Mrs. Chase Moore. Chase is a true-blue Texan and over the last three years Mickey and I have gotten to know him very well. You see, while Lacey was overseas, we dated him! HA! Really, we spent a lot of time together because he blessed us with weekend visits while he was in school and honored us with his presence. We love him very much and count him as our own. Chase is a Christian Ministries major from Williams Baptist College as of May 3, 2008. He is very gifted with words and public appeal. He is a quick thinker and any public delivery whether it be announcements or preaching a sermon is well received and much admired. We are very proud of him. Mostly, we love his character and the way he cherishes the Word of God and loves the Lord with all of his heart. He unashamedly loves Lacey and would not hesitate to make that clear in any public setting. Chase is a risk taker...he loves rock climbing, caving, jumping off of high cliffs into pools of water (doing as many back flips as possible) and all water sports, and playing and watching soccer and football. He is daring and adventuresome and in the past, sometimes it has gotten him into some tight spots but we also love that part of him. Chase and Lacey will go back overseas to reach an unreached people group...probably not an easy place...and we are comforted that this time, Lacey will have him there with her...and we are confident that they will take care of one another well. Right now, they are living in Batesville and working with our Youth at First Baptist for the summer...and then we will see...Now...to the wedding...the day was unbelievable! It had rained so much in April and May and Batesville had flooded BIG time twice and the ground was totally saturated...and the week of the wedding CALLED FOR MORE rain! We planned an outdoor reception at some friends' house and the parking lot (a field) was pretty much "mushy" going into the week and the "ditch" where we planned to cross over into the field was really just mud and goo! We prayed a lot...and worried some...and talked...and went back and forth and I tried to follow Lacey's lead...which was to just wait and trust! Whew! It was stressful - BUT - with Chase and Mickey and great friends and church family and relatives...the day came and all of our issues were taken care of and God provided a beautiful sunshiny, but not too hot, day! I have to mention that I had planned a very stress free day...for myself! ALL of our family came in by the droves and took OVER and moved EVERYTHING that had to be moved and put the WHOLE reception together (Mickey did SO much work that morning...my hero!) My dear friend, Kathy Brooks, helped so much and I can't leave out our caterer and my dear friend, Joella Huddleston, who worked herself almost to death that day!! As I said, my day was SUPPOSE to be smooth sailing as I had asked my two dear long time friends to "kidnap" me from it all and "take me away"! So Jeannie Whitener and Susan Parker came and got me...and took me for a pedicure (that was awesome...I loved it so much and it WAS a great time for me!) The trouble came when they took me to lunch at our local "special events" place "Elizabeth's" and I took one look at my food and KNEW it wasn't going down...they graciously took me to church (quickly) and well...I lost all of my cookies - and lay in the bathroom floor trying to get well enough to get ready for the wedding. Jackie Martin...my niece whom I knew I could count on, took care of me...while not letting Lacey know that I was sick and getting herself ready, too ( She didn't know going in that taking care of a sick mother of the Bride was going to be a job for the Maid of Honor!) My God is so good! He not only allowed me to get up and get dressed right on time, I also got to go watch Lacey's dress go on and walk her to her private meeting with her Groom before the pictures began. The wedding was beautiful...with so many people! Lacey had 9 (I know!) Brides Maids and Chase had 7 groomsmen with an honorary one (Matt Duran - serving in Iraq)...There were 6 (I know) flower girls and 3 ministers involved. The Bride's Maids wore copper skirts with either a copper or espresso brown top and some wore sashes and belts while others didn't...they each had a different top on...kind of like a fashion show! The little girls wore rings of baby's breath in their hair and tea length off white dresses and went barefoot...they were so cute! They all came down the isle together throwing flowers as they went...and we had benches at the front for them to sit on when they got there. They were perfect! 3 of them were Lacey's little cousins and 3 of them were Chase's little cousins (all either 4 or 6-7 years old). The men wore black tuxes with copper colored vests...so handsome. The sanctuary was decorated with two black wrought iron candle stands with chunky candles, and lamp post stands on each of the banister posts. They had wide off-white ribbon tied in single bows with the ribbons cascading to the floor. Each window had black wrought iron candle holders which filled the windows with 4 chunky candles in each of them. The first six rows of pews had off white bows cascading to the floor on each end. The unity candle was on a wood and glass table in front of the baptistry with the curtains open and the lighted cross visible and lighted. There was an off white swag on the top of the table which just lay over the edge of the table in the front in a half circle. We didn't have any flowers or plants except the vase of calla lilies in the foyer. All of the girls carried calla lilies and the men had calla lily bouts. Flanking the sides of the stairs, we had backless benches which were covered with off-white and tied off with a big off white bow in front for the flower girls to sit upon. Some of the highlights of the wedding are...Sebastian - our German friend - playing a German/French original love song on guitar and singing, Lindsey - Chase's twin sister, placing a rose on the Unity Candle table in memory of their mother, Christian and Megan Baxter, Tim Byers and Brandon Smart playing praise and worship, Todd Kaunitz - Chase's youth pastor, speaking about marriage before the wedding, Lacey in her stunning off white Danish designer dress which we bought in Paris, Chase's love poem and declaration to Lacey - spoken during the processional of the B. maid's and flower girls, Mark McLendon - our precious friend - marrying Chase and Lacey as his last act as a minister at our church (the next day was his last day in Batesville), the slide show - which Aaron (our other son-in-law) put together and made very special, Kelly playing and singing a special song that she and Chase had collaborated on for the lighting of the Unity Candle, the three ministers (Mark, Todd, and Bro. Gary Buckner) commissioning Chase and Lacey with a prayer time over them, and our dear friend Marcus Buckner pulled it all together on a great DVD!
Saturday, June 21, 2008 at 1:20am
Hello everyone! I wanted to be able to send some pics with news of the wedding, but we haven't really gotten any yet! I know!! Hopefully, we will get a peek at some next week...if you have any and want to send them to us...PLEASE!! I am talking about Lacey's wedding, of course. Actually, we have a FEW snaps that some friends and family sent by email, but the pro's pics aren't ready to look at quite yet and so...we would love to see any that you have.OK...here is the run down. First of all, if you didn't know or have forgotten...Lacey is now Mrs. Chase Moore. Chase is a true-blue Texan and over the last three years Mickey and I have gotten to know him very well. You see, while Lacey was overseas, we dated him! HA! Really, we spent a lot of time together because he blessed us with weekend visits while he was in school and honored us with his presence. We love him very much and count him as our own. Chase is a Christian Ministries major from Williams Baptist College as of May 3, 2008. He is very gifted with words and public appeal. He is a quick thinker and any public delivery whether it be announcements or preaching a sermon is well received and much admired. We are very proud of him. Mostly, we love his character and the way he cherishes the Word of God and loves the Lord with all of his heart. He unashamedly loves Lacey and would not hesitate to make that clear in any public setting. Chase is a risk taker...he loves rock climbing, caving, jumping off of high cliffs into pools of water (doing as many back flips as possible) and all water sports, and playing and watching soccer and football. He is daring and adventuresome and in the past, sometimes it has gotten him into some tight spots but we also love that part of him. Chase and Lacey will go back overseas to reach an unreached people group...probably not an easy place...and we are comforted that this time, Lacey will have him there with her...and we are confident that they will take care of one another well. Right now, they are living in Batesville and working with our Youth at First Baptist for the summer...and then we will see...Now...to the wedding...the day was unbelievable! It had rained so much in April and May and Batesville had flooded BIG time twice and the ground was totally saturated...and the week of the wedding CALLED FOR MORE rain! We planned an outdoor reception at some friends' house and the parking lot (a field) was pretty much "mushy" going into the week and the "ditch" where we planned to cross over into the field was really just mud and goo! We prayed a lot...and worried some...and talked...and went back and forth and I tried to follow Lacey's lead...which was to just wait and trust! Whew! It was stressful - BUT - with Chase and Mickey and great friends and church family and relatives...the day came and all of our issues were taken care of and God provided a beautiful sunshiny, but not too hot, day! I have to mention that I had planned a very stress free day...for myself! ALL of our family came in by the droves and took OVER and moved EVERYTHING that had to be moved and put the WHOLE reception together (Mickey did SO much work that morning...my hero!) My dear friend, Kathy Brooks, helped so much and I can't leave out our caterer and my dear friend, Joella Huddleston, who worked herself almost to death that day!! As I said, my day was SUPPOSE to be smooth sailing as I had asked my two dear long time friends to "kidnap" me from it all and "take me away"! So Jeannie Whitener and Susan Parker came and got me...and took me for a pedicure (that was awesome...I loved it so much and it WAS a great time for me!) The trouble came when they took me to lunch at our local "special events" place "Elizabeth's" and I took one look at my food and KNEW it wasn't going down...they graciously took me to church (quickly) and well...I lost all of my cookies - and lay in the bathroom floor trying to get well enough to get ready for the wedding. Jackie Martin...my niece whom I knew I could count on, took care of me...while not letting Lacey know that I was sick and getting herself ready, too ( She didn't know going in that taking care of a sick mother of the Bride was going to be a job for the Maid of Honor!) My God is so good! He not only allowed me to get up and get dressed right on time, I also got to go watch Lacey's dress go on and walk her to her private meeting with her Groom before the pictures began. The wedding was beautiful...with so many people! Lacey had 9 (I know!) Brides Maids and Chase had 7 groomsmen with an honorary one (Matt Duran - serving in Iraq)...There were 6 (I know) flower girls and 3 ministers involved. The Bride's Maids wore copper skirts with either a copper or espresso brown top and some wore sashes and belts while others didn't...they each had a different top on...kind of like a fashion show! The little girls wore rings of baby's breath in their hair and tea length off white dresses and went barefoot...they were so cute! They all came down the isle together throwing flowers as they went...and we had benches at the front for them to sit on when they got there. They were perfect! 3 of them were Lacey's little cousins and 3 of them were Chase's little cousins (all either 4 or 6-7 years old). The men wore black tuxes with copper colored vests...so handsome. The sanctuary was decorated with two black wrought iron candle stands with chunky candles, and lamp post stands on each of the banister posts. They had wide off-white ribbon tied in single bows with the ribbons cascading to the floor. Each window had black wrought iron candle holders which filled the windows with 4 chunky candles in each of them. The first six rows of pews had off white bows cascading to the floor on each end. The unity candle was on a wood and glass table in front of the baptistry with the curtains open and the lighted cross visible and lighted. There was an off white swag on the top of the table which just lay over the edge of the table in the front in a half circle. We didn't have any flowers or plants except the vase of calla lilies in the foyer. All of the girls carried calla lilies and the men had calla lily bouts. Flanking the sides of the stairs, we had backless benches which were covered with off-white and tied off with a big off white bow in front for the flower girls to sit upon. Some of the highlights of the wedding are...Sebastian - our German friend - playing a German/French original love song on guitar and singing, Lindsey - Chase's twin sister, placing a rose on the Unity Candle table in memory of their mother, Christian and Megan Baxter, Tim Byers and Brandon Smart playing praise and worship, Todd Kaunitz - Chase's youth pastor, speaking about marriage before the wedding, Lacey in her stunning off white Danish designer dress which we bought in Paris, Chase's love poem and declaration to Lacey - spoken during the processional of the B. maid's and flower girls, Mark McLendon - our precious friend - marrying Chase and Lacey as his last act as a minister at our church (the next day was his last day in Batesville), the slide show - which Aaron (our other son-in-law) put together and made very special, Kelly playing and singing a special song that she and Chase had collaborated on for the lighting of the Unity Candle, the three ministers (Mark, Todd, and Bro. Gary Buckner) commissioning Chase and Lacey with a prayer time over them, and our dear friend Marcus Buckner pulled it all together on a great DVD!
Sometimes God asks us to do hard things...
More of my writings transferred from Facebook
Friday, August 29, 2008 at 2:45am
My friend and boss once told me this...and I know it is true. I've been thinking about doing hard things. The first hard thing I remember doing was moving. I was 17, had a boyfriend and had grown up in the same hometown with the same people, loved my high school, church and friends and was about to enter my Senior year in high school and my parents told me we were moving...to Batesville (a rival town which was too far away!). I literally cried all night! I grieved (and sometimes still do...) for my loses. The next hard thing that I can remember is my Father-in-Law dying when I was 25. I had to tell Mickey that he had to quickly go to his mother's house...she thought his dad was dead...and he had to go alone because Kelly was small and I had to stay with her. It was hard when I had to move to Oklahoma when I was 33 with my mom telling me that she would NEVER come to see me because she was so hurt (she did though). AND living there was numbing...too much sky! I had a giant hole in my heart...aching for Arkansas and home. Mickey's business failed...we had no money and no job and were facing our children needing braces, driving cars, their Senior years and college. It was the hardest time of our married lives...but He was there and we wouldn't trade what we learned of Him through it all. Physical Therapy...boring, tiring, burned out...when I had frozen shoulders and had to go three times a week for 6 months...it was hard (it was successful and I can put on a coat now because of it). Watching Lacey walk down to the gate to get on a plane that would take her away for 2 long years to a third world country, in many ways, with no one that I knew and I couldn't get to her if I needed to was very hard...I decided to allow myself to cry about it every day (not for long, but unashamedly...and I did). The first time I had to shoot my self in the belly with an insulin shot (in fact, I didn't...Lacey did it for me!)...it was hard, but really nothing to it now. Recently, I had to share bad news with my precious son-in-law...that his dad was seriously ill...perhaps the hardest thing I've ever done. Maybe "hard" is relevant to the moment. All I know is my God is a great sustainer and even though he asks us to do hard things sometimes, He is always there. Sometimes all we can do is just sit in His lap and watch while he takes care of things...a safe place to be.
Friday, August 29, 2008 at 2:45am
My friend and boss once told me this...and I know it is true. I've been thinking about doing hard things. The first hard thing I remember doing was moving. I was 17, had a boyfriend and had grown up in the same hometown with the same people, loved my high school, church and friends and was about to enter my Senior year in high school and my parents told me we were moving...to Batesville (a rival town which was too far away!). I literally cried all night! I grieved (and sometimes still do...) for my loses. The next hard thing that I can remember is my Father-in-Law dying when I was 25. I had to tell Mickey that he had to quickly go to his mother's house...she thought his dad was dead...and he had to go alone because Kelly was small and I had to stay with her. It was hard when I had to move to Oklahoma when I was 33 with my mom telling me that she would NEVER come to see me because she was so hurt (she did though). AND living there was numbing...too much sky! I had a giant hole in my heart...aching for Arkansas and home. Mickey's business failed...we had no money and no job and were facing our children needing braces, driving cars, their Senior years and college. It was the hardest time of our married lives...but He was there and we wouldn't trade what we learned of Him through it all. Physical Therapy...boring, tiring, burned out...when I had frozen shoulders and had to go three times a week for 6 months...it was hard (it was successful and I can put on a coat now because of it). Watching Lacey walk down to the gate to get on a plane that would take her away for 2 long years to a third world country, in many ways, with no one that I knew and I couldn't get to her if I needed to was very hard...I decided to allow myself to cry about it every day (not for long, but unashamedly...and I did). The first time I had to shoot my self in the belly with an insulin shot (in fact, I didn't...Lacey did it for me!)...it was hard, but really nothing to it now. Recently, I had to share bad news with my precious son-in-law...that his dad was seriously ill...perhaps the hardest thing I've ever done. Maybe "hard" is relevant to the moment. All I know is my God is a great sustainer and even though he asks us to do hard things sometimes, He is always there. Sometimes all we can do is just sit in His lap and watch while he takes care of things...a safe place to be.
The Devil Wears Prada - and so do I
This is a fun little post that I put on my facebook a while back...just didn't want to lose it, so here it is!
I just picked up my cute little black and red purse that I bought at Macy's in NYC a couple of years ago...it started a series of thoughts running through my head and I decided to share. What got me to thinking was..."I like this purse...it is light weight and just the right size for the things I carry." From there my mind drifted to the purse that I have been carrying for quite some time. It is sitting across the room, waiting for me to remember to take it to the repair shop because a handle broke. Any way, I really buy purses for the convenience factor...not for fashion. You know, I decide if it would "go with most things" (I never change purses ...too much hastle and usually I am running out to go somewhere). I also look at the way it is made...will it sit flat on the bottom or when I put it down, will it go all limp and fall over or be unbalanced. I also look inside...is there a cell phone pocket...which, by the way, I NEVER use! AND of course, I look at the price...is it reasonable and affordable! I really wish I could be like the Baxter girls...Megan, Nicole and Alison - buy it and use it because it is so cute!Well, let me tell you about the former purse that I carried, which is what made me write this note. Lacey sent home this purse with Jackie when she visited her in India a couple of Christmases ago. I thought it was cute and so I called to ask her if she wanted me to put it back and keep it for when she got home. She said, "Oh, no, Mom. I will NEVER carry that purse...it is way too pretentious for me! I bought it on impulse and knew that I really could never carry it...but you can." Well, I didn't know what all of that meant but I liked the purse (the color, the shape, the cell phone pocket and the price (free to me!), so I loaded it and began carrying it. I asked a friend...What is PRADA anyway? I was told that it is "what the devil wears" and was satisfied so I began using it. Now when I look back on it all, it just tickles me. I can not tell you how many people NOTICED my purse!! Random strangers would stop me to tell me how much they liked it. Young store clerks would "Oooo and awww" over it...almost drooling. A few of the teenagers at my church checked it out. I decided to go on line and look at PRADA purses and discovered my PRADA purse was listed at $2000!! How funny!! NO ONE ever said they liked any other purse I carried - ever, and suddenly my purse had made me trendy and fashion aware! Now to me it was - practical. It served it's purpose! Anyway...I was just thinking of all of this and it made me laugh. OH - by the way, for those of you who are skeptical and ask...."Is it real?" Well, all I know is there is a "certificate of authenticity" in the pocket! You decide...
I just picked up my cute little black and red purse that I bought at Macy's in NYC a couple of years ago...it started a series of thoughts running through my head and I decided to share. What got me to thinking was..."I like this purse...it is light weight and just the right size for the things I carry." From there my mind drifted to the purse that I have been carrying for quite some time. It is sitting across the room, waiting for me to remember to take it to the repair shop because a handle broke. Any way, I really buy purses for the convenience factor...not for fashion. You know, I decide if it would "go with most things" (I never change purses ...too much hastle and usually I am running out to go somewhere). I also look at the way it is made...will it sit flat on the bottom or when I put it down, will it go all limp and fall over or be unbalanced. I also look inside...is there a cell phone pocket...which, by the way, I NEVER use! AND of course, I look at the price...is it reasonable and affordable! I really wish I could be like the Baxter girls...Megan, Nicole and Alison - buy it and use it because it is so cute!Well, let me tell you about the former purse that I carried, which is what made me write this note. Lacey sent home this purse with Jackie when she visited her in India a couple of Christmases ago. I thought it was cute and so I called to ask her if she wanted me to put it back and keep it for when she got home. She said, "Oh, no, Mom. I will NEVER carry that purse...it is way too pretentious for me! I bought it on impulse and knew that I really could never carry it...but you can." Well, I didn't know what all of that meant but I liked the purse (the color, the shape, the cell phone pocket and the price (free to me!), so I loaded it and began carrying it. I asked a friend...What is PRADA anyway? I was told that it is "what the devil wears" and was satisfied so I began using it. Now when I look back on it all, it just tickles me. I can not tell you how many people NOTICED my purse!! Random strangers would stop me to tell me how much they liked it. Young store clerks would "Oooo and awww" over it...almost drooling. A few of the teenagers at my church checked it out. I decided to go on line and look at PRADA purses and discovered my PRADA purse was listed at $2000!! How funny!! NO ONE ever said they liked any other purse I carried - ever, and suddenly my purse had made me trendy and fashion aware! Now to me it was - practical. It served it's purpose! Anyway...I was just thinking of all of this and it made me laugh. OH - by the way, for those of you who are skeptical and ask...."Is it real?" Well, all I know is there is a "certificate of authenticity" in the pocket! You decide...
Things I love about my church!
26 Things I love about my church - plus 12 more and 2 more - and 10 more makes it 50!
Here are the first 26 things that popped into my head...I know there are more, so I will add to the list as I think of them. I just want to start accentuating the positive...rekindle a lost love...encourage the body...remind myself of things of which I have lost sight. By the way, they are randomly placed...God is first and his Word being preached is of utmost importance, so don't freak out that it wasn't first on the list! I would LOVE to see some more from YOU...
1) I got married there, Kelly got married there, and Lacey got married there
2) My church loves missions
3) Our Youth are the most amazing people in the world!
4) Kathleen Hill, Sylvia Pegg, Thelma Parker and Marian Fulbright
5) We have very talented people who attend our church
6) Special needs adults attend our church, are comfortable there, love it, and participate without inhibitions
7) My family - Mom and Dad, Curt and Marcia, Chase and Lacey, and Mickey and I all worship together there
8) We have a rich heritage of community and family surrounding us there
9) AWANA
10) Terrific Tuesdays
11) Vacation Bible School - still in the mornings
12) Chelli Pollet - an EXPERT early childhood professional
13) A very good facility for our preschool and children
14) New property - completely paid for and a dream for a new church plant
15) ESL
16) Men who work on the Disaster Team! Heroes - every one!
17) A great Main Street facility that lends easily to community events (Main street Halloween, Christmas Parade, Garage Sales, Give away events, Election site, Perspectives, emergency shelter)
18) People...some that I have known and worshipped with for over 30 years...some that are long time friends...some that are new
19) We are debt free
20) Many sweet memories
21) God's name is famed
22) The Bible is preached here
23) The Angel Tree
24) Lottie Moon Christmas Offering - worthy goals are set and met
25) College student care packages
26) We have a vision for the future!OK...you encouraged me...
27) I LOVE to hear the men in our choir sing...they are soooo good!
28) Codi Richardson - Lyon College student who has been so faithful to our church - joining, attending and serving and loving Jesus!
29) NEW lightweight tables!!!
30) Codi Richardson, Gloria Vaughn, Lacey Moore and Kristi Price - young ladies who love to sing and honor us by singing in the choir!
31) Taylor Toon - College girl, loving on our Junior High girls and teaching Sunday School - you rock!
32) The way the church pulls together (old, young, male, female) to pull off big events - we may not commit very early, but we show up and get 'r done. (Fall Festivals, Steak Dinner for Revival, Garage Sale give-away, Outreach events)
33) An AWESOME preschool playground!!
34) The quilt in the West Annex that is patterned after the stained glass windows in the Sanctuary that many of our women worked on...so creative!
35) That we have missionaries who are on the field but have chosen to entrust us with their membership while they are overseas!
36) That almost every room in our church is USED on Wednesday nights!!
37) Diane - a great custodian who does her job well and is one of the sweetest people on earth.
38) That even though I don't know everyone well, it makes me warm to see their faces on Sunday morning and delights me to greet them...greeting time on Sunday morning is one of my favorites
Oh, and one more - how could I forget...actually, I'll do two and make it 40...
39) My church overwhelmed us and Lacey with love, gifts, notes of encouragement, Christmas cards, prayers and a beautiful commissioning and reception when she went overseas...so much so that her partner was AMAZED - commenting that Lacey has an awesome church who supported her and loved her and even she felt included! Thank you, church - THIS is the body of Christ at it's best!
40) The Worship Project and Youth Praise Band - girl DRUMMER! yea...Heather!
I have 10 more...I want to let everyone share in these thoughts of loving my church
41) We still gather on the front steps for VBS - children still want to walk down or slide down the wide concrete side guards of the front steps
42) When we have pot lucks or meals, so many people stay to help clean up - it is almost like a party
43) Showers - wedding and baby
44) Weddings and Funerals - the place we meet to rejoice new beginnings and the place we say good-bye for a while - sometimes the church (the body) goes to another location other than our building to help celebrate and mourn...I love that!
45) I know that my brothers and sisters pray for me - they tell me so
46) Invitation for response - a thing of the past in some churches...seeing my Daddy praying at the alter, knowing it is for the church
47) The youth - down front and to the left - the place they have been for at least 35 years (they were sitting there when I came to Batesville as a 17 year old youth)
48) The preschool greeters desk and that we care enough to protect our babies and preschoolers!
49) Celebrating the Lord's Supper together in whatever form that takes AND that we stepped out of the box this year and did a foot washing - very moving! (lets do it again!)
50) The return of college students - to Sunday School or worship - Christmas Break, Spring Break and Summer Break - I love to see their faces dotted over the church!
Here are the first 26 things that popped into my head...I know there are more, so I will add to the list as I think of them. I just want to start accentuating the positive...rekindle a lost love...encourage the body...remind myself of things of which I have lost sight. By the way, they are randomly placed...God is first and his Word being preached is of utmost importance, so don't freak out that it wasn't first on the list! I would LOVE to see some more from YOU...
1) I got married there, Kelly got married there, and Lacey got married there
2) My church loves missions
3) Our Youth are the most amazing people in the world!
4) Kathleen Hill, Sylvia Pegg, Thelma Parker and Marian Fulbright
5) We have very talented people who attend our church
6) Special needs adults attend our church, are comfortable there, love it, and participate without inhibitions
7) My family - Mom and Dad, Curt and Marcia, Chase and Lacey, and Mickey and I all worship together there
8) We have a rich heritage of community and family surrounding us there
9) AWANA
10) Terrific Tuesdays
11) Vacation Bible School - still in the mornings
12) Chelli Pollet - an EXPERT early childhood professional
13) A very good facility for our preschool and children
14) New property - completely paid for and a dream for a new church plant
15) ESL
16) Men who work on the Disaster Team! Heroes - every one!
17) A great Main Street facility that lends easily to community events (Main street Halloween, Christmas Parade, Garage Sales, Give away events, Election site, Perspectives, emergency shelter)
18) People...some that I have known and worshipped with for over 30 years...some that are long time friends...some that are new
19) We are debt free
20) Many sweet memories
21) God's name is famed
22) The Bible is preached here
23) The Angel Tree
24) Lottie Moon Christmas Offering - worthy goals are set and met
25) College student care packages
26) We have a vision for the future!OK...you encouraged me...
27) I LOVE to hear the men in our choir sing...they are soooo good!
28) Codi Richardson - Lyon College student who has been so faithful to our church - joining, attending and serving and loving Jesus!
29) NEW lightweight tables!!!
30) Codi Richardson, Gloria Vaughn, Lacey Moore and Kristi Price - young ladies who love to sing and honor us by singing in the choir!
31) Taylor Toon - College girl, loving on our Junior High girls and teaching Sunday School - you rock!
32) The way the church pulls together (old, young, male, female) to pull off big events - we may not commit very early, but we show up and get 'r done. (Fall Festivals, Steak Dinner for Revival, Garage Sale give-away, Outreach events)
33) An AWESOME preschool playground!!
34) The quilt in the West Annex that is patterned after the stained glass windows in the Sanctuary that many of our women worked on...so creative!
35) That we have missionaries who are on the field but have chosen to entrust us with their membership while they are overseas!
36) That almost every room in our church is USED on Wednesday nights!!
37) Diane - a great custodian who does her job well and is one of the sweetest people on earth.
38) That even though I don't know everyone well, it makes me warm to see their faces on Sunday morning and delights me to greet them...greeting time on Sunday morning is one of my favorites
Oh, and one more - how could I forget...actually, I'll do two and make it 40...
39) My church overwhelmed us and Lacey with love, gifts, notes of encouragement, Christmas cards, prayers and a beautiful commissioning and reception when she went overseas...so much so that her partner was AMAZED - commenting that Lacey has an awesome church who supported her and loved her and even she felt included! Thank you, church - THIS is the body of Christ at it's best!
40) The Worship Project and Youth Praise Band - girl DRUMMER! yea...Heather!
I have 10 more...I want to let everyone share in these thoughts of loving my church
41) We still gather on the front steps for VBS - children still want to walk down or slide down the wide concrete side guards of the front steps
42) When we have pot lucks or meals, so many people stay to help clean up - it is almost like a party
43) Showers - wedding and baby
44) Weddings and Funerals - the place we meet to rejoice new beginnings and the place we say good-bye for a while - sometimes the church (the body) goes to another location other than our building to help celebrate and mourn...I love that!
45) I know that my brothers and sisters pray for me - they tell me so
46) Invitation for response - a thing of the past in some churches...seeing my Daddy praying at the alter, knowing it is for the church
47) The youth - down front and to the left - the place they have been for at least 35 years (they were sitting there when I came to Batesville as a 17 year old youth)
48) The preschool greeters desk and that we care enough to protect our babies and preschoolers!
49) Celebrating the Lord's Supper together in whatever form that takes AND that we stepped out of the box this year and did a foot washing - very moving! (lets do it again!)
50) The return of college students - to Sunday School or worship - Christmas Break, Spring Break and Summer Break - I love to see their faces dotted over the church!
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