50 - Almost my age!!

1) My favorite things when I was growing up were paper dolls, Barbie Dolls, and stuffed animals
2) I just had a flash back - when I was little, me and my next door neighbor and best friend used to love a TV show called "Honey West". She was a secret agent. We played like we were secret agents all the time. We couldn't both be Honey West, so we made up Connie West (that was me) who was her side kick. Wonder why I wasn't Honey?
3) I am crafty - I like to scrapbook - wish I had more time for it
4) If I ever go bald, please don't look at the mole on the side of my head
5) I like to work jigsaw puzzles - especially at Christmas and when I feel stressed out
6) I am the only grandchild on my father's side that my grandmother never knew about. She died before I was born and I am the youngest. I hope to meet her and talk a long time with her in Heaven.
7) I really like rainy days when I can stay in doors - and thunderstorms
8) My favorite vacation was to New York City last year with my girls, son-in-law, Mickey and our friend, Mark. I think I could vacation there and never get tired of it.
9) I don't like rap but I love Toby Mac concerts - "...ticket to ride..."
10) I totally avoid alcohol and with the exception of an accidental drink of a strawberry daiquiri (I don't even know how to spell it!) in High School and trying a sip of champagne at a wedding after I was an adult (which I hated, by the way), I have never partaken of it. I think it is a bad decision for the most part, but not necessarily a sin.

OK - next time I will be on the downhill side of 100 and maybe I won't take the liberty to preach so much!! Catch you then.

Only 10 more to the halfway point

1) I get into the water slowly - no jumping in for me
2) My favorite thing to wear is a new warm sweatshirt and a pair of jeans
3) I hang up on telemarketers - immediately - don't even respond or say a word - just hang up.
I used to try to be nice, then I started lying - I decided the best thing to do is just hang up.
4) It looks like I (actually, we - Mickey is going, too) will be moving back in with my parents soon - never thought that would really happen - but it is a life cycle. They are excited. I am ok with it.
5) I need to memorize more scripture - I am bad at it.
6) If I could change two physical characteristics about me, one would be my teeth and the other would be my poochy-out stomach (thanks mom and grandma!)
7) I like to watch Westerns, Make-overs of all kinds, Court TV shows, Antique shows, and HGTV. I don't like "Reality" shows. BUT I do like The Office
8) If I could live at any other time in history, I think I would choose the 1800's. But I would want the option to return to modern day times at any time.
9) If I could have one super-power it would be to teleport from place to place
10) If I had the chance to be 20 once again, I would finish my college education and I would get a degree in Writing or Religion. I would write article for magazines and other publications,

OK - that is 40 - just 10 more to go for the first half - Are you bored with me yet??

More things about me

1) Even though I only have biological daughters, I have several young men that I count as almost sons
2) Mickey makes me laugh more than anyone!
3) I wish that I would not stink - I would NEVER take showers if I didn't
4) I would like to make a whole pan of Rice Krispy treats and eat them all in one sitting
5) I have never been snow skiing - and have no great desire to go
6) I hate coffee - but I am discovering a new love of cappuchinos
7) I love to have my back and neck rubbed - the harder the better
8) I have never been skinny dipping and think that I will probably never go - way too modest for that
9) I detest communication to India!!
10) My favorite color is purple!!

Second try-Second posting of ten things about me

1) I can whistle REALLY loud - to get a crowd's attention
2) I don't have a college degree, but I think they are very important!
3) I have zebra stripes in my bathroom and I have one leopard print pillow on my bed.
4) If it were socially acceptable for someone my age, I would have my hair cut really short and died bright blue - I did it once, and I really liked it.
5) I would like to attend a multi-cultural church
6) Ozlem is our "international" daughter - she is a Turkish/German girl.
7) Johnnie Johnson, the debated Godfather of Rock-n-Roll, (of Chuck Berry's "Johnny B Goode") entertained at a private Christmas party in Houston, which I attended. I sat on the piano bench with him as he played. My only claim to fame.
8) I broke my toe about six weeks ago. Will it ever heal??
9) Once, when I was dating - way back when - I snapped a clip on tie on my lip! Stupid thing to do. Don't try this at home.
10) I LOVE Settlers of Catan and Cities and Knights of Catan. My main two opponents are Mickey and Mark. We have a whole host of players and you can almost always find a game going at our house!

That is all for tonight!

Newly Inspired

I have been inspired to write a series of blogs about myself. I was inspired by Jennie when I read an old blog of hers - "100 things about me" or something like that. Now I don't think that I have enough time at one sitting to write 100 things so I decided that I will write a series of "10 things about me", beginning today. So here goes...

1) I grew up on a "half" street. I lived at 513 N. 7 1/2 Street in Paragould, Arkansas.
2) I had a couple of hiding places that I really liked growing up. The first one that I remember was a closet in my bedroom which was piled with blankets in the floor. I would go in there with a flashlight and read. The other one was in a mimosa tree in front of my house. In the summer, no one knew I was there. My dad knew that I used it as a get away and so he would keep stray branches from growing up in my "seat". The last time I sat in it, I was 17 and we were moving away.
3) I am a TERRIBLE match-maker (scarred because the only one I really think I had any thing to do with, divorced!). I talk about it, but would really NEVER do it.
4) I am not a very good long distance friend - in fact, I am NOT a long distance friend. I never keep in touch, even though I never forget people.
5) I like white, clean, new socks
6) I get bored at night when I am bed and everyone else in the house is asleep.
7) I hated math in school, but I am actually pretty good at it.
8) I discovered that I get satisfaction from doing very odd things - such as, folding paper with a nice sharp crease.
9) The sound of a train passing by is comforting to me - I remember listening to the distant trains pulling through Paragould after I had gone to bed as a child. I also enjoy the whirring noise of an eighteen-wheeler passing by on a lonesome highway - it reminds me of nights at my grandparents' house.
10) I am afraid of - alligators, grizzly bears, and sharks (stupid because we don't live near any of them - too much Discovery Channel, I think.

OK - that is all for today. I sure wish someone else would get inspired and do the same on their blog - and let me know. I really like reading blogs! (Oops, I think that was 11!)

Waiting and trusting

We are coming to the end of two months of "waiting". We have been waiting on so many things in our lives as of late. Some of those things have come around and the wait is over - Asher was born, my broken toe is getting better, we are home now, Perspectives will survive even if we must leave - all those are good things. Other things are still hanging out there - job hunting, my mom's health, the means by which I can participate in reaching the nations. Yesterday, God added a word to what he has been telling me about "waiting". It is "trusting". So I continue - "waiting and trusting".

More About Asher...

Well, the Parks family had their first "outing" today. Asher went to see his new pediatrician. He is 7 lbs and 5 ounces - just about right for his expected weight loss and regain. He is a little "pumpkin" colored - but I think he is just trying to be seasonal. Actually, the doc said it was fairly normal for newborns and the jaundice will begin going away in the next day or two. SO, he got to sunbathe a little today - not that he needs it for his tan (he looks very much like his mommy and appears to have her beautiful skin tone). His coloring puts ME to shame! He sleeps almost all the time and only fusses a little when he is hungry. He doesn't cry and scream a lot - yet, any way. So Dundee and I will be here for a few more days and then leave him in the totally capable hands of his parents. It has been wonderful to get to be here and get to know him. We will make it a more traveled path, I'm sure! Mickey and some great friends are playing for the FCA Mini-Conference in Batesville this weekend, so we need to go home for the event. I am looking forward to that!

Asher- One Day Old

Asher Everett Parks

Asher and his Nanna! Isn't he beautiful?




Asher and his beautiful mother, Kelly! She did so well - like a champ!

















Asher and his Dundee - that's right, Dundee!!

My grandson ...

He is finally here! And he really is beautiful! His name is Asher Everett Parks and he was born on Sept. 20 at 8:13 pm. He is 7 lbs and 9 oz and 21 inches long. We went in to see him and found him in his mother's arms, all bundled up and sucking his thumb! He has a lot of hair and it is a little wavy - dark, but I don't think as dark as Kelly's was when she was born. Kelly thinks his eyes will be blue, but I think it was like looking into her eyes as a newborn - they are blue, but not a really blue blue - so who knows. One thing for sure - he definitely has Kelly's nose!! He was alert and very happy. Asher was one of the tribes of Israel and means "happy" and Everett means "strong warrior". We stood and watched them weigh him in and give him shots and measure everything possible. Aaron is such a proud father, protector, and gentle, loving husband - my God ordained, son. I want to post some pictures, but that will have to wait until tomorrow - I'm about to crash and want to go see him early tomorrow!!

Talk Like a Pirate Day!!

September the 19th is just minutes away! If our grandson should happen to be born on the 19th, we would have another reason to celebrate on that day each year - he would be born on "Talk Like a Pirate Day"!! I have been talking about having a party on "Talk Like a Pirate Day" all year long and wouldn't it be just grand if we got to have a "pirate" birthday party every year? If he comes on that day, Mickey and I are going to wear eye patches and bandannas to the birthing!! We are thinking about bringing him a little patch, too. HA! So, the low down, maties, is that the little high seas ruffian hasn't kicked his way into the cruel world to receive his booty yet - so, shiver me timbers - if he does, we'll send ye all a note in a bottle!!

Not Yet, still

It is Sunday night and we are in Lowell. Mickey is snoring and I am AWAKE!! Kelly is a beautiful full nine months pregnant and Aaron is an anxious father. When we arrived, Kelly was dressed up to go to her 7th grade girls' group meeting. She was wearing her favorite "blue" maternity top and a cute blue jean skirt. She looks ready to pop! I don't know if I will EVER sleep - I keep listening for sounds of movement in the other part of the house. Any way, we are here! I called on my way today and asked to speak to my grandson- Kelly put the phone up to him and I told him that it will be ok for him to come now - I am here! I will post as soon as he complies!

NOT YET

I thought I would post once before "he" comes!! Mickey is snoring and I am "waiting"! We are so excited about the birth of our first grandchild - grandson!! We can't wait to meet him and know his name. Kelly and Aaron have chosen to keep that to themselves until they can "introduce" him to us. We will get the call first, because we are so far away. I don't want her labor to be long - just long enough for us to get there (4 hours, give or take). If he doesn't come by the weekend, we are thinking that we will go ahead and go to NWarkansas so that we can be there, for sure. Keep checking back each day - we will post from Kelly's house about all the details - and hopefully a picture or two!!

Nanna and Dundee (that's right - Mickey and Aaron are planning on teaching him "Dundee", Mickey's golf course name)

"Passion for the Heart of God"

I am reading a book called "Passion for the Heart of God" by John Zumwalt. I've heard John speak twice in Perspectives of the World Christian Movement, a college level course - basically concerning missions. He is a riveting speaker with stories of God's glory all over the world. He stayed in our home this year when he spoke at our Batesville class. Mickey and I enjoyed his company very much. I knew that I would like any book that he had written. I am not disappointed.

I have been reading it slowly - trying to soak it all in. I know I will go back and reread it, maybe many times. John gets it!! He expresses it, well, too. Sometimes he is a little sarcastic but it is well placed sarcasm. I like it.

You may ask, "What does he 'get'?" The ultimate purpose for our being is to glorify God by allowing Him to use us to bring the nations to know Him and to participate in the increase of his Kingdom. He has already won the victory - now He is preparing a place for some of every tribe, tongue, and nation to gather around Him, rejoicing together in Heaven. That we must participate by praying for the nations and for God to get and receive His own glory - and that He loves us enough to include us in His plan. That when we pray - we pray for this end and not so much about our petty problems and our personal comforts. That our blessings come from participating in His work - even though it means suffering with and for the sake of Him. That hard times bring us closer to Him and in the end, others can see our enduring of suffering and His compassion and will come to know Him - His goal for our suffering, as it was His Son's. Most of all, that He calls us - all of us - to "go" to the nations.

Yes, I do believe we are ALL given a MANDATE to go!! MANY of us need to actually simplify our lives, put on courage and physically go to a dark place in the world who has never heard the name of Jesus and are ALL dying and going to hell because they don't know Him. Yes, He does expect us to leave our jobs, our families, our homes, our comforts and our comfort zone to follow Him. Some of us need to give large amounts of our money - simplify our lives to enable us to do so, get out of debt, seek out those who will physically go - commit to a different lifestyle so that others may go. Some of us need to commit LARGE amounts of time to praying for the nations and those who will actually go and those who will actually send. The world is also coming to our doorsteps. We have the world coming to us by way of the Universities and Colleges in the US. If we give them Jesus while they are here, then THEY can go home and can be much more effective among their own people than we ever could. BUT we have to engage them while they are here, and the door of opportunity is small - usually four to five years. We must prepare our young people to go - to be spiritually prepared and aware of His mandate. We must teach our brothers and sisters and children about the mandate and hold them to a high standard, expecting them to be goers, too. We must pray for our children to be used in other lands, for His sake.

He gets it! The end is near - the time when every tribe, tongue and nation will be reached and we will gather around His throne. There is an urgency to tell! He is coming again - but not until every nation knows of His love! I believe that it will not be tonight unless He chooses to reveal Himself in a supernatural way to all those nations who have never heard. I am grateful that He includes us in His plan and we get blessings because of it. We must fall in love with Him enough to want to see His return! We must "love His return". I still pray for that to be my "true love".

Wow! I didn't know I am so passionate about this! But, praise God!!

Take "Perspectives" if you get a chance! The information is life changing and the fellowship is sweet. I'm not sure how you can get John's book, but I recommend it!

Personal Preferences

Ever since our church has been in "worship wars", as it has been labeled, I have heard so many people say, "You really should not express your 'personal preferences' and we must all 'defer to one another in Christian love'." Now I know that deferring to one another in love is a Biblical concept and even though it is hard, it is the right thing to do. However, I don't think that having a personal preference is wrong - or even expressing it. We have lumped the two together so much that now what we have is people being afraid of being politically/spiritually incorrect by saying what they like or don't like and even saying, "I don't care what kind of music we have." So - I am going to tell you what I personally like, and maybe what I don't like, too! I like new music. I love praise and worship music accompanied by many forms of instrumentation. I like guitars, drums, flutes, pianos, keyboards, penny whistles, and harmonicas. I like lots of harmony contrasted with octave single melody lines. I like some eighties music being sung by an ensemble with four or six part harmony and accompanied by well done tapes. I like solo singing with a video in the background. I like many styles of music, but not too much of any one kind - that just bores me. Well, truthfully, I could sing praise and worship music, when it is done well, all night long without being bored. I can take a little country, a little rap, and some gospel. I will tolerate hard rock and even screamo, if I love the people who are playing it. I love hymns. I never want to be completely without hymns - they are a rich heritage and the words are comforting and meaningful. I love hymns done with a new arrangement mostly, but on occasion I like them played simply on the piano. I don't like to sing the same old choruses that I have been hearing for forty years and pretend they are meaningful or even "new". I would like to put many of them to rest. I don't like learning "old" choruses that I never knew but can tell by the style that they are past their prime. Most of them are cheesy. I enjoy choir music, when it is done with excellence - we just don't have that much any more. I like to sing in the congregation. I don't like to wear choir robes and I think they are pretentious. I like using the screen. I also don't mind using hymn books - but want to use the screen for choruses because I like to read the words - they are not in the hymn books. I like a worship service led by a team of people rather than just one person. Of course, the team needs to be led by someone, though. I am not as fond of "solos" as I used to be - but I like them on occasion. I like standing, sitting, raising hands, closing eyes, dark or bright rooms, scripture and prayer, and videos or slide shows. I like the room full of young and old people together, praising Jesus. I like instruments only, sometimes - with words on the screen just to read, sometimes.

I am sure I haven't covered it all - but I feel better, just because I got to say it. I DO prefer some music over others. Ahhhh!!

Peace?

I am experiencing restlessness in my heart. I am not sure exactly how to explain the feeling. In fact, it makes writing this entry almost impossible. I have started over several times. For the past couple of weeks, I have been given so much "bad news". I don't know how else to put it. Some of it is life threatening (not mine - friends and family), some of it heart-breaking, some of it life-changing (again, not mine - friends and family)... Much of it weighs on my heart heavily. Yet in all of this, I am personally pretty much at peace. I think that is my conflict. People all around me are being affected by burdens and I am just gliding along - not exceptionally happy or giddy, but just, as I said, at peace. I'm grateful that my personal life is not full of drama right now, but I still ache for my friends and family who are experiencing it daily. OK - I'm done. I wanted to go back and erase my ramblings because I am not making sense, even to myself - and so I am finished. I think I will just praise God because He is good!

Frustrations

Right now I am just so frustrated! I really thought that communication with Lacey would be easier than it is. I talked to her today and had to call her three or four times during our conversation because the line kept dropping. That means that I had to dial eleven numbers and wait for the calling card lady to tell me how much money I have on my card and then instruct me to dial the other fifteen numbers which would be her phone number and then wait while someone told me to "please hold" at least three or four different times - then I had to wait on the phone to ring and Lacey to answer. At some point she told me that she had sent me and email - two days or so ago - and asked if I had received it -the answer is NO! So my email is somewhere in cyber space and I keep checking to see if I am ever going to get it. On top of all of that - I sent her a suitcase full of stuff from home only to find out the B&BW soap had opened and spilled all over everything in the suitcase which had been ripped open by someone or something at the airport. I was so sad that I had not packed the soap in zip lock bags, to which she said with a laugh, "Well, live and learn". I think they recovered a lot of the stuff because I had packed a lot of the other stuff in zip lock bags. It was just frustrating.

Last Wedding for a While

Amanda Miller got married last week! I must say, the wedding was a flood of emotions for me that I didn't expect. First of all, Amanda was wearing the same wedding dress that Kelly wore in her wedding. She was beautiful! And so happy!! All of Lacey's girls were beautiful, too. They each were wearing a "citrus" green tea length skirt and had each chosen different coordinating tops. It was so interesting, waiting to see what the next bridesmaid was wearing. There were eight bridesmaids. Mollie sang and one of Jack's friends sang - both were excellently done and very moving. As Amanda left the church building on her new husband's arm, she let out a "whoop" that we could hear back in the church house! The reception had very good food with cheesecake for the groom's table. Amanda sang a song to Jack with Mollie backing her up and playing guitar. There were a lot of personality dynamics there - people you would be surprised to find in the same place - but all was good. It was a celebration for which everyone has been waiting. I wish Lacey could have been there!

Jennifer getting ready for her wedding

I just realized that I dont' have a "finished product" picture of Jenn or of Jenn and Kyle. When I get one - I will post it.

Mr. and Mrs. Timothy Byers