Today's title is fresh on the brain since I took our Eagles Greatest Hits (2 volume set) with me on our recent trip to California. While Dave snoozed on the 3 hour plane ride, I read and listened to music on my Walkman. I am afraid I'll offend some people with this next statement but here goes anyway.
"Y'all can keep Southern California!"
Blech!!! Blech!!! Blech!!! Pa-tooey!!!
The traffic, the smog, the insane drivers and the brown terrain made me long to be back in Yosemite National Park! We spent 2 hours snarled in Los Angeles traffic Friday evening trying to make it back to the airport. It was 7:30 at night and it was still "rush hour". I really don't know why they call it rush hour? No one really is rushing anywhere! Another one of life's oxymornons. I guess!
I have spent the last couple of hours reading blog entries from all of my favorote sites. I am not likely to go commenting on anyones site because:
A.) There aren't that many hours in MY day
B.) I'm a day late and a dollar short
C.) Yes, I DO have a life!
So be warned, I'm back and likely to comment again from this point forward.
I got my photos back from Walgreens and I'm really disappointed (in myself). I got a really nice new digital camera for Christmas from my Beloved and we have already looked at said photos from the trip, on the big screen TV. I was pretty pleased. However, I downloaded them onto the computer and decided to "fine tune" them a bit. Big maistake. That auto enhanced button should be banned! Apparently, my good quality camera has already taken that into account and so my colors now on the developed photos are dull and bland! Either that or Walgreens did a pretty crappy job! I suppose that's a possibility but my photography skills are always up for debate! Speaking of which, I'm getting ready to run all 16 rolls of Dave's film down to Dallas to be developed.
Lots on the to do list for today, just getting back and all. Vacation is wonderful but don't you just hate how the real world rudely re-intrudes on you? It's always with a bang, never a whisper! So, I will take my leave and go answer the call of the "tyranny of the urgent".
Y'all come back, now, ya hear!
Monday, April 30, 2007
Sunday, April 29, 2007
I'M BACK (SORT OF)
We got back from Yosemite NP safe & sound yesterday (Sat) afternoon. I will blog about our trip and post pictures in the upcoming week.
In the meanwhile, please keep our church, Cross Timbers Community Church in your prayers. This last week while we were gone, our hometown (Denton) here in North Texas received major thunderstorms and massive flash flooding. Our kids and our home are safe but our church's main campus, the Argyle one, received major flood damage. While we have insurance, flooding is not one of those disasters we would expect, Tornado yes, flooding no. The early estimate is $150,000 in damages to the building and equipment. I will post some video footage or at least the link to access it, later on. I'll be posting some tomorrow!
In the meanwhile, please keep our church, Cross Timbers Community Church in your prayers. This last week while we were gone, our hometown (Denton) here in North Texas received major thunderstorms and massive flash flooding. Our kids and our home are safe but our church's main campus, the Argyle one, received major flood damage. While we have insurance, flooding is not one of those disasters we would expect, Tornado yes, flooding no. The early estimate is $150,000 in damages to the building and equipment. I will post some video footage or at least the link to access it, later on. I'll be posting some tomorrow!
Friday, April 20, 2007
BE BACK SOON
Today will be my last post for about a week. We'll be heading to the airport early tomorrow morning. We leave Dallas, fly into Onatrio, California and then drive a rental car 6 hours to Yosemite. We're hoping to be there by 6 PM Pacific time. We'll get checked into our room and have a nice dinner downstairs in the dining room. I'm thinking maybe the salmon....yum!
I have most everything done that requires my attention, just a couple of odds and ends that I'll wrap up today after cleaning my morning house.
I've had this thought in my head the last couple of days since the Virginia Tech massacre. I have been surprised that I haven't been more emotional and left with that horribly vulnerable feeling like I expected I would have. In the past, I would be gripped with fear at the thought of something like this or another senseless incident happening to my own children. I was worried that I am becoming desensitized by the ever increasing evil that surrounds us today. I'm not saying that I am indifferent but I haven't been riveted to the TV or reading everything on the internet like I would've say, in years past! Why?
Slowly it's making sense. I am NOT in control of the world around me! I might like to think that I am but the sad truth is that, I AM NOT! Neither though, am I a pawn in satan's chess game where he is in control! I asked God why I wasn't upset the way I thought I should be. He wisely reminded me that this is NOT the worst thing that could happen.
WHAT??!! Losing a child has got to be every parent's nightmare! Some precious friends of ours lost their son, daughter-in-law and at that time, their only 2 grandchildren in a head-on car collision a couple of years ago. I couldn't and still don't to this day, understand how much pain that had to inflict upon them. Our children are our world, our future and to have them cruelly taken from us is more than most people can bear! And yet...it happens every day! A couple from our church lost a son when he was only 2 years old and my Mom & Pop just buried a son back in December.
"How can that not be the worst thing to befall a person God?" I prayed.
He gently told me that the worst thing that could happen to our children and to us, is to face a Christ-less eternity! Everything we know in this life pales in comparison to what awaits us! We can only think of time and emotion as to how we've related it to this world-the only thing we know. If we knew now, what we will now when we are with Him forever in His presence, we wouldn't be so focused on this eartly realm!
I am NOT being insensitive to those who have suffered that type of pain. I'm sure that there are some who would say,
"Easy for her to say..."
I Do Not, repeat, DO NOT want to have to experience the loss of my children to be qualified to speak on this subject. God doesn't give us a long to do list that we must accomplish in this lifetime and then once we've checked everything off, we get to enter heaven. The most important thing we can do is to know and love His Son and accept the salvation that He has purchased for us at such a great price! Secodly, we spread that Good News to our little corner of the world. God reminded me that as parents, Dave & I have accomplished that important "job" in that, ALL of our children know Jesus. If they were to be taken from us, (God forbid) we have that blessed assurance that they are with Him. The years we've been given on this earth are so insignificant in number when compared to the broad span of eternity. I'm 46 yers old and if I live another 40 years, that's nothing when looking at the big picture!
This might just sound like some self-righteous ramblings but I truly believe that's why I am not upset the way I thought I should be. The worst thing that could happen, WILL NOT happen! My children are all sealed with salvation and there is nothing that this world could offer that can be better than that!
I suspect that there were some lost on Monday whose families don't have that kind of peace. All the more reason then for the rest of us to be vocal and spread the Good News! This just goes to show you that everyhting can change in the blink of an eye.
Jesus reminds us that He has overcome the world-we need to remember that we too are overcomers, because of Him & Him alone!
All of you take care & behave yourselves. I don't want any reports of mischief while I'm gone! The Lord bless and keep all of us!
Connie
I have most everything done that requires my attention, just a couple of odds and ends that I'll wrap up today after cleaning my morning house.
I've had this thought in my head the last couple of days since the Virginia Tech massacre. I have been surprised that I haven't been more emotional and left with that horribly vulnerable feeling like I expected I would have. In the past, I would be gripped with fear at the thought of something like this or another senseless incident happening to my own children. I was worried that I am becoming desensitized by the ever increasing evil that surrounds us today. I'm not saying that I am indifferent but I haven't been riveted to the TV or reading everything on the internet like I would've say, in years past! Why?
Slowly it's making sense. I am NOT in control of the world around me! I might like to think that I am but the sad truth is that, I AM NOT! Neither though, am I a pawn in satan's chess game where he is in control! I asked God why I wasn't upset the way I thought I should be. He wisely reminded me that this is NOT the worst thing that could happen.
WHAT??!! Losing a child has got to be every parent's nightmare! Some precious friends of ours lost their son, daughter-in-law and at that time, their only 2 grandchildren in a head-on car collision a couple of years ago. I couldn't and still don't to this day, understand how much pain that had to inflict upon them. Our children are our world, our future and to have them cruelly taken from us is more than most people can bear! And yet...it happens every day! A couple from our church lost a son when he was only 2 years old and my Mom & Pop just buried a son back in December.
"How can that not be the worst thing to befall a person God?" I prayed.
He gently told me that the worst thing that could happen to our children and to us, is to face a Christ-less eternity! Everything we know in this life pales in comparison to what awaits us! We can only think of time and emotion as to how we've related it to this world-the only thing we know. If we knew now, what we will now when we are with Him forever in His presence, we wouldn't be so focused on this eartly realm!
I am NOT being insensitive to those who have suffered that type of pain. I'm sure that there are some who would say,
"Easy for her to say..."
I Do Not, repeat, DO NOT want to have to experience the loss of my children to be qualified to speak on this subject. God doesn't give us a long to do list that we must accomplish in this lifetime and then once we've checked everything off, we get to enter heaven. The most important thing we can do is to know and love His Son and accept the salvation that He has purchased for us at such a great price! Secodly, we spread that Good News to our little corner of the world. God reminded me that as parents, Dave & I have accomplished that important "job" in that, ALL of our children know Jesus. If they were to be taken from us, (God forbid) we have that blessed assurance that they are with Him. The years we've been given on this earth are so insignificant in number when compared to the broad span of eternity. I'm 46 yers old and if I live another 40 years, that's nothing when looking at the big picture!
This might just sound like some self-righteous ramblings but I truly believe that's why I am not upset the way I thought I should be. The worst thing that could happen, WILL NOT happen! My children are all sealed with salvation and there is nothing that this world could offer that can be better than that!
I suspect that there were some lost on Monday whose families don't have that kind of peace. All the more reason then for the rest of us to be vocal and spread the Good News! This just goes to show you that everyhting can change in the blink of an eye.
Jesus reminds us that He has overcome the world-we need to remember that we too are overcomers, because of Him & Him alone!
All of you take care & behave yourselves. I don't want any reports of mischief while I'm gone! The Lord bless and keep all of us!
Connie
Thursday, April 19, 2007
PICTURES OF A PRINCESS
These are digital pictures of photographs that Dave took of Alyson. While it's not the best quality, you get the picture (pun intended!)
YOSEMITE NATIONAL PARK!!!
The Wawona Hotel built in 1879
The Washburn Cottage where we stayed last year!
Today is Thursday, I have lots to do today. I will clean 2 houses, one is a relatively small job, the other requires more energy to be sure! I have some errands to run in between. I will take Charles shopping after school for a birthday present and somehow manage to get dinner made in a timely manner! How will I do all of this? Why, I am Super Mom that's how! Just kidding, this morning I feel more like Stupor Mom since my butt is dragging the floor! I've just finished my 3rd and final cup of coffee and feel no more lively than I did when my feet hit the floor out of bed!
Yesterday I gathered my stuff together for our trip to Yosemite. I got my Camelbak out and updated its contents. The Girl Scout Leader in me comes out because I try and think of every scenario where something could happen and how to be prepared for it. Thus my day pack tends to weigh more than most!
We are unable to take Bear Spray on board the plane because they are 8 oz canisters and they only allow 4 oz. Heck, if you sprayed 4 oz at a bear all you'd do is get him hacked off and then he'd eat you for sure! I've decided that I'll take the holster and buy a can at Yosemite. I'd rather spend $40 and feel more secure than have to second guess myself later on. You know the thinking... "Why didn't I just buy another can? It was only $40!" I figure when we leave, I'll leave the canister, hopefully unused, with a Park Ranger to use as they wish. The bears are coming out of hibernation and they will be hungry for sure! I'd just as soon not have to rely only on our bear bells to alert them of our presence!
We leave Saturday morning and will be back the next Saturday. The dogwoods are supposed to be blooming and we're expecting the waterfalls to be at their peak due to the snowmelt up in the high country! I'm hoping that Dave is able to get some beautiful photos. He's a VERY good photographer, using up to a roll of film on a single waterfall so we're bound to get some gorgeous photos!
We'll be staying at the Wawona Hotel inside the park. Last year we stayed at the Washburn Cottage which is next to the main building. This time we're staying inside the hotel itself. It's another one of the old National Park Lodges/Inn/Hotel that were built a very long time ago, this one in 1879. Just like the Old Faithful Inn, our family's all time favorite place to stay, the bathrooms are not in the rooms themselves but down the hall. No big deal to me!
Ahhh....vacation! What an absolutely lovely word! It has a wonderful ring to it as it graces itself through my brain! Relaxing, hiking in God's cxreation and alone time with my Beloved! I don't think it gets better than that this side of heaven!
Wednesday, April 18, 2007
VOTE FOR FAVORITE CHARITY BLOG!
Over in my Daily House Calls, you'll find the link for Heroes For Children as well as Jenny Scott's. These sites are especially dear to my heart. A couple of years ago, the Dallas Morning News did a couple of articles on Andrew & Jenny Scott along with their baby Allie Scott. Allie had cancer but throughout this heartbreaking ordeal, Jenny kept an on-line journal which chronicled their triumphs and setbacks. Jenny is my Jennifer's age and their Allie is a couple of months older than our Aly.
After Allie Scott passed away, Jenny who was friends with another Mom, Larissa Brewton who lost her own daughter Taylor to cancer, decided to turn their pain into something useful. Thus Heroes For Children was born. They provide money and essentials for families whose children are battling this awful disease! I think they are deserving of winning the Favorite Charity Blog. These women are inspiring!
Connie
After Allie Scott passed away, Jenny who was friends with another Mom, Larissa Brewton who lost her own daughter Taylor to cancer, decided to turn their pain into something useful. Thus Heroes For Children was born. They provide money and essentials for families whose children are battling this awful disease! I think they are deserving of winning the Favorite Charity Blog. These women are inspiring!
Connie
COLLEGE TOWNS & BUBBLE WRAP
It seems that a good portion of our married life has been living in college towns. When Dave got the promotion and we moved right after we got married, it was to Lincoln, Nebraska. That is Cornhusker Country! On a Game Day Saturday, the stadium is the 3rd largest city in the state!
The move to Colorado wasn't so much to a College town but the past *14 years here in Texas, specifically Denton, finds us living in the midst of 2 Universities and a JR College! UNT (University of North Texas), TWU (Texas Women's University) and NCTC (North Texas Central College) are just minutes away. Our youngest daughter Laura is a Freshman at NCTC and will likely transfer over to UNT once she completes her basics. Charles is still in High School but wants to go to Oklahoma University's School of Meteorology up in Norman, OK. In the wake of what just happened at Virginia Tech, it makes me want to somehow bubble wrap my family to keep them from harm.
On Monday, I had no idea of the tragedy that had happened until that evening. I had JaceyBeth for "Gigi & Me" day. When we are together it's not like I get on the internet or sit around and watch TV. If we go in the car, the radio is typically turned off since she talks to me so much I can't hear it anyway! After hooking up with our Son-in-Law to drop her off, this is after I had dropped Charles off for Guitar Lessons and Bible Study, I had the radio off and was relishing the quiet that had come back into my life. I went to the German Deli store to get a couple of things, to Costco to see if they had my dried apples and then on to Cabela's. I wondered why the flag was at half mast, trying to figure out if someone had recently died and I had forgotten who it was. After buying a hiking shirt I went and got Charles. We talked all the way home and I still was oblivious to what had gone on that day.
When we got home, Dave was watching something on TV, like "Dateline", and the feature was on school shootings. Charlie asked,
"Is that about the shooting?"
I said,
"Bub this story is the shooting in Bailey, Colorado almost 2 years ago".
"Oh",
says he,
"I thought it was on the shootings that happened today."
I looked at him and said,
"WHAT are you talking about??"
Then he proceded to tell me that 33 people were killed in Virginia. I couldn't process it then and I can't now!
Besides the senselessness of all of this one of the things that angers me is how some are making this a gun control issue. DO NOT go there right now! This is NOT the time to try and make this about that issue. I have very strong feelings about gun control and if others disagree, well, that's certainly their perogative.
I come from a military & hunting family background, my husband used to be a cop AND I support the Death Penalty. Washington DC and New York have both tried the whole gun control issue and their crime rates did not drop! I live in a state where we can carry a concealed firearm as long as we have been certified to do so. Do people REALLY think that gun control is going to deter gangs and crazy people? I can see the conversation now,
"Oh, it's against the law to carry a gun so I guess I won't rob this old lady so I can feed my crack habit!"
Sounds stupid right? The 2 largest acts of violence carried out on American soil were done with boxcutters (9/11) and fertilizer (Murrah Building Bombing in OK City) and not guns! Now look what I've done, I went right where I said others shouldn't go.
So much of this sad story has yet to be revealed. Sometime in the days to come, more of the human drama and recounting acts of bravery and heroism will come out. More will be said about the killer's background, both personal and his family. I can not imagine being the mother of this guy and knowing what he has done to so many people and to this nation.
Whomever thinks that mankind is ascending to a higher plane and achieving a god-like status or some other New Age garbage is living in a fantasy world. The Bible tells us that mankind, in the latter days will spiral downward and with ever-increasing speed. In a world where less and less makes sense, you better be grounded in the one thing that will last. You know His name-we just celebrated His Resurrection and His victory over sin & death!
JESUS (there's just something about that name)!
The move to Colorado wasn't so much to a College town but the past *14 years here in Texas, specifically Denton, finds us living in the midst of 2 Universities and a JR College! UNT (University of North Texas), TWU (Texas Women's University) and NCTC (North Texas Central College) are just minutes away. Our youngest daughter Laura is a Freshman at NCTC and will likely transfer over to UNT once she completes her basics. Charles is still in High School but wants to go to Oklahoma University's School of Meteorology up in Norman, OK. In the wake of what just happened at Virginia Tech, it makes me want to somehow bubble wrap my family to keep them from harm.
On Monday, I had no idea of the tragedy that had happened until that evening. I had JaceyBeth for "Gigi & Me" day. When we are together it's not like I get on the internet or sit around and watch TV. If we go in the car, the radio is typically turned off since she talks to me so much I can't hear it anyway! After hooking up with our Son-in-Law to drop her off, this is after I had dropped Charles off for Guitar Lessons and Bible Study, I had the radio off and was relishing the quiet that had come back into my life. I went to the German Deli store to get a couple of things, to Costco to see if they had my dried apples and then on to Cabela's. I wondered why the flag was at half mast, trying to figure out if someone had recently died and I had forgotten who it was. After buying a hiking shirt I went and got Charles. We talked all the way home and I still was oblivious to what had gone on that day.
When we got home, Dave was watching something on TV, like "Dateline", and the feature was on school shootings. Charlie asked,
"Is that about the shooting?"
I said,
"Bub this story is the shooting in Bailey, Colorado almost 2 years ago".
"Oh",
says he,
"I thought it was on the shootings that happened today."
I looked at him and said,
"WHAT are you talking about??"
Then he proceded to tell me that 33 people were killed in Virginia. I couldn't process it then and I can't now!
Besides the senselessness of all of this one of the things that angers me is how some are making this a gun control issue. DO NOT go there right now! This is NOT the time to try and make this about that issue. I have very strong feelings about gun control and if others disagree, well, that's certainly their perogative.
I come from a military & hunting family background, my husband used to be a cop AND I support the Death Penalty. Washington DC and New York have both tried the whole gun control issue and their crime rates did not drop! I live in a state where we can carry a concealed firearm as long as we have been certified to do so. Do people REALLY think that gun control is going to deter gangs and crazy people? I can see the conversation now,
"Oh, it's against the law to carry a gun so I guess I won't rob this old lady so I can feed my crack habit!"
Sounds stupid right? The 2 largest acts of violence carried out on American soil were done with boxcutters (9/11) and fertilizer (Murrah Building Bombing in OK City) and not guns! Now look what I've done, I went right where I said others shouldn't go.
So much of this sad story has yet to be revealed. Sometime in the days to come, more of the human drama and recounting acts of bravery and heroism will come out. More will be said about the killer's background, both personal and his family. I can not imagine being the mother of this guy and knowing what he has done to so many people and to this nation.
Whomever thinks that mankind is ascending to a higher plane and achieving a god-like status or some other New Age garbage is living in a fantasy world. The Bible tells us that mankind, in the latter days will spiral downward and with ever-increasing speed. In a world where less and less makes sense, you better be grounded in the one thing that will last. You know His name-we just celebrated His Resurrection and His victory over sin & death!
JESUS (there's just something about that name)!
Tuesday, April 17, 2007
STORM IMAGES!!!
This past Friday evening, we had some really nasty weather along with a tornado, move into the Metroplex area. Charles predicted an F-2, low end tornado. Bill Bunting, (head of NOAA, he gave us a tour of their facility in February of 2005) called it a high end F-1 tornado. Charlie did pretty good calling it considering he doesn't have all of the sattaelite information that they have! While I didn't take the tornado pictures that were posted from the other night, Charlie took the following ones of the storm.
Charles told me that these unusual cloud formations are frequently associated with funnel cloud formations! Yup, they apparently are!
href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjZn3AcsIYBiJYlW-_x1W62VC_NpqZJLbveND2qNn2WBRjQaRnDKQ1V05PkXwqbNnpUjqpk-Ky5CS7dpfpbWfLmTPvtCkHLVTh9hOfexlhAtBK252trtLnS9emsZAvDa3OH8-fnuw/s1600-h/IMG_0346.JPG">
An airplane, headed for DFW International Airport, scooting in before the storm breaks!
Getting ready for the onslaught of rain!
My son Charles, loving every minute of it!
After the storm....
Charles told me that these unusual cloud formations are frequently associated with funnel cloud formations! Yup, they apparently are!
href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjZn3AcsIYBiJYlW-_x1W62VC_NpqZJLbveND2qNn2WBRjQaRnDKQ1V05PkXwqbNnpUjqpk-Ky5CS7dpfpbWfLmTPvtCkHLVTh9hOfexlhAtBK252trtLnS9emsZAvDa3OH8-fnuw/s1600-h/IMG_0346.JPG">
An airplane, headed for DFW International Airport, scooting in before the storm breaks!
Getting ready for the onslaught of rain!
My son Charles, loving every minute of it!
After the storm....
Saturday, April 14, 2007
SMARTY PANTS
Thanks to Sarah across the pond for this link. It really is a pretty easy quiz!
You know the Bible 100%!
Wow! You are awesome! You are a true Biblical scholar, not just a hearer but a personal reader! The books, the characters, the events, the verses - you know it all! You are fantastic!
Ultimate Bible Quiz
Create MySpace Quizzes
Friday, April 13, 2007
TORNADOES
Here are 2 photos of the tornadoes that just went through the Ft Worth side of the Metroplex. Unfortunately there was 1 fatality, so far. Up here in Denton, we are safe. We cancelled our weekly Life Group meeting, I had the candles lit in case we lost power and my raincoat ready to put on in case we needed to run for the shelter. We're getting more rain but the worst is over. The interesting thing is that Dave told me that he felt led to pray aout the storm this morning on his way to work!
Battening Down The Hatches!
Here it comes! The weather has turned really bad and it's headed straight for us! They've cleared the Texas Motor Speedway and the *4000 people that are in their campers for the race opening weekend are in some deep doo-doo. The bad part, we're not far from the speedway! I'm saying a prayer and am thankful for our tornado shelter here in the mobile home park! If I see Dorothy or Toto, I'll say hello!
Connie
Connie
WHO KNOWS WHERE THIS IS GOING?
I don't have a theme or any type of inspiration this morning, just ramblings so I won't blame you if you turn away because I have nothing profound to say. Of course anyone who has spent time on this blog would wonder WHEN I might say something profound!
There are times when I am overwhelmed at the need in this world! Most of the blogs that I visit have expressed some type of need or another. Prayers for loved ones who are recovering from illnesses or accidents, prayers for God to bring a child into their family, prayers for aging parents and even prayers for themselves and their immediate family because they have just received the worst possible news that a doctor can deliver. I've asked for prayers myself most recently when my brother died back in December.
In one way, the blogging world has been an effective encouragement tool. I am convinced that God doesn't need our prayers! You heard me right-HE DOES NOT NEED OUR PRAYERS"! So why do we pray?
Prayer is for OUR benefit. God is in complete control and His will is supreme. He does not require our prayers to act out His will for our lives. Since when is anything we have received by grace, dependent upon works from us? Certainly not our salvation! If praying for something, mouthing some special mantra, holding our lips just right, could acquire our desires, wouldn't we have the temptation to boast in ourselves? Does God say no to our requests? Sometimes He doesn't just say no, He shouts it out loud,
"NO!!!"
He sees the big picture, I see my tiny megapixels here in the corner. Have there been times when you've looked back and thanked God that the job offer you thought you had to have, didn't work out? Or some other desire of the heart for that matter? That fella you just can't live without, if only he'd just notice I was alive then he'd fall in love with me! You get the picture...
But what about the noble and seemingly "good" things we pray for? The older I get the more I have an eternal mindset. Not ALL the time but from time to time. The thought began forming in my head after 9/11 and all of the people that lost their lives in that tragedy. I thought of all of the people who in their last minutes of life, turned to God for salvation. (I realize that for many of those people, there was no time.) Do we know if they might have gone their whole life long and never saw their need for God? I certainly believe that's possible given the culture we live in!
Isn't it just like God to care more about someone's eternity and whether they spend it with Him than the drop in the bucket that this life represents? Is there sorrow and pain, youbetcha! We're guaranteed it in the Word,
"Consider it pure joy, my brothers, whenever you face trials of many kinds..."
James 1:2
"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!"
John 16: 33
Now that is Jesus, God's Main Man who is telling us this! If He says it, I definitely believe it! I have to believe that there is purpose in our pain! If we suffer just because of the evil in this world or because of satan's attacks, that sounds like God is not in control! On that dark day over 2000 years ago it seemed like God wasn't hearing the anguish of His only Son as he suffered for all of the sins, past, present & future, of the world. Because we live today, we know He did not turn a deaf ear to Christ. It was necessary to suffer so that in the end, righteousness would win out and sin and satan would be defeated!
I really think we are too earthly minded. I certainly am not a masochist, I run from pain like you wouldn't believe! Do I want to suffer? Are you outa your mind? No way!
Every trial, every suffering, every hurt is an opportunity. What really is the purpose of our life here on earth? Is it just to be fat, happy and rich? I'd say that's a pretty shallow and selfish mindset. We are called to be holy, living sacrifices, offered up to God. Isn't everything in this life an opportunity to reflect the perfect and loving heart of Christ? We are so wrapped up in our own comforts that we disdain with contempt anything that would deprive us of that!
Why do we live like this earth is our home? Because it's all we know probably! I think when we get to heaven it'll kind of be like those heart desires I mentioned earlier. We'll stand there in the presence of God and wonder how in the world we could hold on SO tightly to this eartly life when all of heaven is in our view!
You know, death doesn't frighten me, it's living here in the world where satan tries to wreck my Christian witness that's scary. There's an old saying,
"Don't be so heavenly minded that you are of no earthly good".
Maybe though, we need to be a little more heavenly minded because that's where our REAL home is!
There are times when I am overwhelmed at the need in this world! Most of the blogs that I visit have expressed some type of need or another. Prayers for loved ones who are recovering from illnesses or accidents, prayers for God to bring a child into their family, prayers for aging parents and even prayers for themselves and their immediate family because they have just received the worst possible news that a doctor can deliver. I've asked for prayers myself most recently when my brother died back in December.
In one way, the blogging world has been an effective encouragement tool. I am convinced that God doesn't need our prayers! You heard me right-HE DOES NOT NEED OUR PRAYERS"! So why do we pray?
Prayer is for OUR benefit. God is in complete control and His will is supreme. He does not require our prayers to act out His will for our lives. Since when is anything we have received by grace, dependent upon works from us? Certainly not our salvation! If praying for something, mouthing some special mantra, holding our lips just right, could acquire our desires, wouldn't we have the temptation to boast in ourselves? Does God say no to our requests? Sometimes He doesn't just say no, He shouts it out loud,
"NO!!!"
He sees the big picture, I see my tiny megapixels here in the corner. Have there been times when you've looked back and thanked God that the job offer you thought you had to have, didn't work out? Or some other desire of the heart for that matter? That fella you just can't live without, if only he'd just notice I was alive then he'd fall in love with me! You get the picture...
But what about the noble and seemingly "good" things we pray for? The older I get the more I have an eternal mindset. Not ALL the time but from time to time. The thought began forming in my head after 9/11 and all of the people that lost their lives in that tragedy. I thought of all of the people who in their last minutes of life, turned to God for salvation. (I realize that for many of those people, there was no time.) Do we know if they might have gone their whole life long and never saw their need for God? I certainly believe that's possible given the culture we live in!
Isn't it just like God to care more about someone's eternity and whether they spend it with Him than the drop in the bucket that this life represents? Is there sorrow and pain, youbetcha! We're guaranteed it in the Word,
"Consider it pure joy, my brothers, whenever you face trials of many kinds..."
James 1:2
"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!"
John 16: 33
Now that is Jesus, God's Main Man who is telling us this! If He says it, I definitely believe it! I have to believe that there is purpose in our pain! If we suffer just because of the evil in this world or because of satan's attacks, that sounds like God is not in control! On that dark day over 2000 years ago it seemed like God wasn't hearing the anguish of His only Son as he suffered for all of the sins, past, present & future, of the world. Because we live today, we know He did not turn a deaf ear to Christ. It was necessary to suffer so that in the end, righteousness would win out and sin and satan would be defeated!
I really think we are too earthly minded. I certainly am not a masochist, I run from pain like you wouldn't believe! Do I want to suffer? Are you outa your mind? No way!
Every trial, every suffering, every hurt is an opportunity. What really is the purpose of our life here on earth? Is it just to be fat, happy and rich? I'd say that's a pretty shallow and selfish mindset. We are called to be holy, living sacrifices, offered up to God. Isn't everything in this life an opportunity to reflect the perfect and loving heart of Christ? We are so wrapped up in our own comforts that we disdain with contempt anything that would deprive us of that!
Why do we live like this earth is our home? Because it's all we know probably! I think when we get to heaven it'll kind of be like those heart desires I mentioned earlier. We'll stand there in the presence of God and wonder how in the world we could hold on SO tightly to this eartly life when all of heaven is in our view!
You know, death doesn't frighten me, it's living here in the world where satan tries to wreck my Christian witness that's scary. There's an old saying,
"Don't be so heavenly minded that you are of no earthly good".
Maybe though, we need to be a little more heavenly minded because that's where our REAL home is!
Thursday, April 12, 2007
SAME OL, SAME OL
THERE'S AN UPDATE AT THE END....
Today is Thursday already and I honestly don't have a clue where the week has gone! Monday I was off work, Jennifer & her family left, I straightened up and then I pretty much relaxed around the house. Tuesday I had a house to clean and despite locking my keys in the trunk it was pretty unevenful. Proof once again that I'm not a natural born multi-tasker. Thank goodness for a spare set of keys and Laura's boss who let her slip away from Sonic and bail my hiney-bo out of trouble! Yesterday I cleaned 2 houses and ran down to Costco to get a nice sized cake for Charles to take to Youth Group for his friends (twin girls) who had a birthday. I dropped the whole van full off and then drove down to meet Dave at our friend's house. He had 2 of the guys in from Kansas City and so he had been out to dinner with them and they went back to the Sr Mgr's (Jerry and his lovely wife Diane) home for dessert. Dave & Jerry go WAY back-clear to St Louis County Police days when they were both coppers. Jerry went with the Burlington Northern RR and convinced Dave to go as well. We've lived through transfers and promotions, merging with the Santa Fe RR, moving and 25 years later we are all still standing! Jerry & Diane were even at our wedding! For some reason, I think Dave was Jerry's Best Man at his wedding. This was before I knew Dave.
So today, I only have 1 house to clean and then I'll put up some new plantation blinds in the Morning Room. Tomorrow is our Life Group and then it's the weekend already! Dave & I are running down to the REI store on Saturday morning to see if we need anything for our trip to Yosemite. We leave on the 21st and come back the 28th. One of the California guys told Dave that the Dogwoods are going to be peaking the week we are there! We've been blessed to catch the Aspens in the Fall at their peak and now the dogwoods too! God is SO good to us! Dave prays over our vacations well in advance and we've been blessed with great trips over the years. This will be a hiking and photography trip for us like usual. We're hoping the waterfalls will be at their peak with the winter snowmelt going on up in the high country. Part of the park will be inaccessable (does that spelling look right to anyone?) because the roads aren't plowed yet but we are still hopeful to get some great photographs!
Better run and get my 3rd and final cup of coffee and get going with my day! Until next time...
UPDATE OR STUFF I FORGOT TO MENTION....
This is an e-mail sent to me by Charles' Advanced Placement Chemistry teacher. Talk about parent affirming....
Dear Hopkinses,
I hope y'all have a wonderful Easter as well! Charles truly exemplifies Christ's love in chemistry, GHS & among his friends. I have thoroughly enjoyed having him in chemistry this year!
Sincerely,
Mrs. Rob.
Today is Thursday already and I honestly don't have a clue where the week has gone! Monday I was off work, Jennifer & her family left, I straightened up and then I pretty much relaxed around the house. Tuesday I had a house to clean and despite locking my keys in the trunk it was pretty unevenful. Proof once again that I'm not a natural born multi-tasker. Thank goodness for a spare set of keys and Laura's boss who let her slip away from Sonic and bail my hiney-bo out of trouble! Yesterday I cleaned 2 houses and ran down to Costco to get a nice sized cake for Charles to take to Youth Group for his friends (twin girls) who had a birthday. I dropped the whole van full off and then drove down to meet Dave at our friend's house. He had 2 of the guys in from Kansas City and so he had been out to dinner with them and they went back to the Sr Mgr's (Jerry and his lovely wife Diane) home for dessert. Dave & Jerry go WAY back-clear to St Louis County Police days when they were both coppers. Jerry went with the Burlington Northern RR and convinced Dave to go as well. We've lived through transfers and promotions, merging with the Santa Fe RR, moving and 25 years later we are all still standing! Jerry & Diane were even at our wedding! For some reason, I think Dave was Jerry's Best Man at his wedding. This was before I knew Dave.
So today, I only have 1 house to clean and then I'll put up some new plantation blinds in the Morning Room. Tomorrow is our Life Group and then it's the weekend already! Dave & I are running down to the REI store on Saturday morning to see if we need anything for our trip to Yosemite. We leave on the 21st and come back the 28th. One of the California guys told Dave that the Dogwoods are going to be peaking the week we are there! We've been blessed to catch the Aspens in the Fall at their peak and now the dogwoods too! God is SO good to us! Dave prays over our vacations well in advance and we've been blessed with great trips over the years. This will be a hiking and photography trip for us like usual. We're hoping the waterfalls will be at their peak with the winter snowmelt going on up in the high country. Part of the park will be inaccessable (does that spelling look right to anyone?) because the roads aren't plowed yet but we are still hopeful to get some great photographs!
Better run and get my 3rd and final cup of coffee and get going with my day! Until next time...
UPDATE OR STUFF I FORGOT TO MENTION....
This is an e-mail sent to me by Charles' Advanced Placement Chemistry teacher. Talk about parent affirming....
Dear Hopkinses,
I hope y'all have a wonderful Easter as well! Charles truly exemplifies Christ's love in chemistry, GHS & among his friends. I have thoroughly enjoyed having him in chemistry this year!
Sincerely,
Mrs. Rob.
Wednesday, April 11, 2007
DAVE'S FAMOUS (ALMOST!)
I was checking out our dear church's website trying to get an update (final head count) on the launching of our newest campus here in Denton Easter weekend. We attended the main campus in Argyle since we had family in town but we will be going to the Denton campus starting this Sunday! A couple of weeks ago, Dave & I participated in the work day at the new campus' meeting place-The Cumberland Home. Do the copy & paste thing (because I still don't know how to do a clickable link) and on the right side, pictures are posted. Dave is in the 4th one with a paintbrush!!!! Go baby! Oh yeah...We had 1,200 people in 5 services at our newest campus! God is SO good...The Holy Spirit Revival continues in North Texas! Go God!
http://denton.crosstimberschurch.org/Default.aspx?p=12464
http://denton.crosstimberschurch.org/Default.aspx?p=12464
Tuesday, April 10, 2007
REALITY CREEPING BACK IN!
Today is Tuesday and here we go again. Back to my work schedule and everyday life. Jennifer & Corey headed back to Missouri at 4 AM yesterday and arrived home safe & sound. It's always tough to see them leave or for me to leave them. It feels like my heart is breaking when I have to hug her goodbye! As they sat with us in church on Easter morning, I heard their voices joining in with ours as we were singing our praises to our Risen Savior. (Jessica & Steven were at their church since they live about 50 minutes away and have a brand new puppy who needs to be let out every couple of hours.) While I stood with songs of praise falling off my lips, I thought of Sat evening and how we had our big meal and all 4 of the kids, our 2 son-in-laws and the 4 grandkiddos were all with us. I felt so content, so happy because there was nothing separating us, we were enjoying each other. My thoughts shifted towards heaven and our Father God. If I, being human and having an earthly mindset and struggle with the weight of the world and its temptations feel this way, what is it going to be like, when God has his whole family gathered in? I imagine the joyous smile that will be upon His Heavenly face. I imagine the Holy arms that will scoop us up and hug us with unbridled enthusiasm because we are with him! His family is complete and all present! What a beautiful picture I had.
I've always believed that when I die and Jesus takes me into the presence of God, there will be loved ones there, like my grandmother, who will be clapping & cheering that we are together again. What will it feel like though to stand before God and have Him say,
"I have missed you and I'm so glad we are together again!"
All of the earthly limitations that interfere and distract us from pure fellowship will be gone. Not only that, God can hear and acknowledge ALL of us at the same time. He is NOT overwhelmed by everyone chiming in at once!
On Sunday afternoon, Jessica came over with Jacey Beth after dropping Gabby off to her mother and the 4 of them sat around our kitchen table and talked about their lives growing up. I heard such love & affirmation from them on how Dave & I have raised them, so that like Mary, I have treasured it all away inside my heart.
With Jennifer & her family living back home in Missouri and the rest of us here in Texas, we aren't always able to have everyone all at the same place. Just being together AND celebrating our Risen Lord & Savior, this is a memory I'll cherish forever!
I've always believed that when I die and Jesus takes me into the presence of God, there will be loved ones there, like my grandmother, who will be clapping & cheering that we are together again. What will it feel like though to stand before God and have Him say,
"I have missed you and I'm so glad we are together again!"
All of the earthly limitations that interfere and distract us from pure fellowship will be gone. Not only that, God can hear and acknowledge ALL of us at the same time. He is NOT overwhelmed by everyone chiming in at once!
On Sunday afternoon, Jessica came over with Jacey Beth after dropping Gabby off to her mother and the 4 of them sat around our kitchen table and talked about their lives growing up. I heard such love & affirmation from them on how Dave & I have raised them, so that like Mary, I have treasured it all away inside my heart.
With Jennifer & her family living back home in Missouri and the rest of us here in Texas, we aren't always able to have everyone all at the same place. Just being together AND celebrating our Risen Lord & Savior, this is a memory I'll cherish forever!
Monday, April 09, 2007
Thursday, April 05, 2007
QUICKIE POST TODAY
Lots to do today with Jennifer, Corey, Aly & Ashley coming into town to spend Easter with us! It'll be nice to have us altogether agaain and I plan on getting some nice photos. I have the usual to do today, laundry, cleaning my OWN house (instead of everyone elses), preparing Charlie's room for them and running out to the store to pick up a few odds and ends.
I've been walking this week and I hope to go and do that again in a little while. Yesterday was a windy morning with clouds but when the sun began to rise and light up the sky with color, I couldn't help but sing out loud to my praise & worship music on my walkman! Luckily at that early hour, no one else had to endure my warbling!
Tuesday night, the Metroplex had some storms move through the area. Near Arlington, a small tornado touched down and another area reported baseball sized hail! Charlie and I stood outside and watched the lightning display-better than fireworks on the 4th of July! We were fortunate and didn't even get any rain! The funny thing is that on Tuesday, it was so warm in the house that I turned on the A/C. After the storms moved through, I can only keep the windows cracked because it's downright chilly! The overnight low one night this weekend is supposed to be 46 degrees! For Texas, that's like the return of Winter!
I probably won't be posting over the next couple of days but I'll be checking in. For those of us who are Believers, this weekend is the culmination of our beliefs. Jesus Christ emptied Himself of everything, took on our unrighteousness and our deserved punishment. He tore the veil in two, the veil which separated us from a Holy and Righteous God and restored us into a relationship with Him! It didn't end there! He defeated Satan by rising from the dead and ascending into heaven! My soul rejoices at so great a love!
"At the heart of the story stands the cross of Christ where evil did its worst and met its match."
John Wenham
I've been walking this week and I hope to go and do that again in a little while. Yesterday was a windy morning with clouds but when the sun began to rise and light up the sky with color, I couldn't help but sing out loud to my praise & worship music on my walkman! Luckily at that early hour, no one else had to endure my warbling!
Tuesday night, the Metroplex had some storms move through the area. Near Arlington, a small tornado touched down and another area reported baseball sized hail! Charlie and I stood outside and watched the lightning display-better than fireworks on the 4th of July! We were fortunate and didn't even get any rain! The funny thing is that on Tuesday, it was so warm in the house that I turned on the A/C. After the storms moved through, I can only keep the windows cracked because it's downright chilly! The overnight low one night this weekend is supposed to be 46 degrees! For Texas, that's like the return of Winter!
I probably won't be posting over the next couple of days but I'll be checking in. For those of us who are Believers, this weekend is the culmination of our beliefs. Jesus Christ emptied Himself of everything, took on our unrighteousness and our deserved punishment. He tore the veil in two, the veil which separated us from a Holy and Righteous God and restored us into a relationship with Him! It didn't end there! He defeated Satan by rising from the dead and ascending into heaven! My soul rejoices at so great a love!
"At the heart of the story stands the cross of Christ where evil did its worst and met its match."
John Wenham
Tuesday, April 03, 2007
OUR WEDDING CEREMONY
Here's another one of those "ALL ABOUT ME" opportunities!
01.Where/How did you meet?
We met at our church at that time (Calvary Evangelical Methodist), their Single's Sunday School Class. My first impression of him was that he had really long legs and huge feet!
02.How long have you known each other?
22+ years
03.How long after you met did you start dating?
7 months. I was very gun shy coming off a second divorce and he was taking his time knowing I had a lot of baggage! I had 2 small girls from 2 different husbands!
04.How long did you date before you were engaged?
1 year
05.How long was your engagement?
1 month
06.How long have you been married?
20+ years
07.What is your anniversary?
November 8, 1986
08.How many people came to your wedding?
A lot! I have a large family and we have a lot of friends!
09. What kind of reception did you have?
We had cake and coffee in the Fellowship Hall afterwards. Pretty low key because I wasn't exactly the "virgin bride", if you get my drift!
10.What kind of cake did you serve.
White with white buttercream frosting. It was 3 layers, the first and second layer was stacked on top of each other, the top layer was supported with colums, on top of the 2nd layer, we had a Precious Moments Bride & Groom cake topper.
11.Were was your wedding?
Calvary Evangelical Methodist Church in St Charles, Missouri
12.What did you serve for your meal?
No meal, they got cake, punch or coffee!
13.How many people were in your wedding party.
4 of us altogether. Charlie and Brenda Moore were the Maid of Honor & Best Man.
14. Are you still friends?
Holy smokes yes!!!! Charlie has been Dave's best friend since they were in High school. His wife Brenda is my best friend, the sister I never got to grow up with! Our sons are named after the big guys, (They have David Charles Moore, age 20 & we have Charles David Hopkins, age 16)
15.Did your spouse cry during your ceremony?
No but he might have teared up thinking about how drastic his life was about to change! Ha Ha! I however did cry!
16.Most special moment of your wedding.
We played the song "Great Is The Lord" by Michael W. Smith, at that time Jennifer & Jessica joined us up front and we were dedicated as a family!
17.Any special moments?
I remember thinking of how far God had brought me to that very moment! I had had a dysfunctional childhood with an absentee father, made really poor choices, found myself pregnant at 16, married and divorced by the time I was 19. I had remarried for all of the wrong reasons a man I didn't really love and he had left me for another woman too! I had become a Believer in Christ when I was in my 2nd marriage but my husband didn't want to have anyhting to do with God. Many months after he walked out on us, I surrendered myself entirely to God and resolved to Him that He was to pick my husband, (if there was going to be one) and that I was trusting Him to be a Father to my girls. I had resolved that it was better for my children to be raised by a single mother in a Godly home than to be raised in a 2 parent godless home! 2 months after I surrendered, God brought the most wonderful man into my life-my VERY bestest friend, Dave!
18.Any big disasters?
Not really. Dave & I were on the church's bowling league and he had told me that after the wedding we had to go bowling first, before we could go to the hotel. He really had me going for awhile!
19.Where did you go on your honeymoon?
No time for that, Dave had to start his new position with the Railroad in Lincoln, Nebraska a week after we got married!
20.How long were you gone?
Doesn't apply but we are making up for lost time now with all of our trips we go on!
21.If you were to do your wedding over what would you change?
I can't say that I would change a thing!
22.What side of the bed do you sleep on?
I have always slept on the left side of the bed.
23.What size is your bed?
We have a king-sized waterbed. We are totally spoiled! When we stay at my in-laws we sleep on a double and I am always afraid I'll roll right out of it when I turn over!
24.Greatest Strength as A couple?
First of all the Lord is our #1 priority in our individual lives. Secondly, we value and appreciate the unique differences in each other's personalities!
25.Greatest Challenge as a couple?
We have had a lot! We've been transferred around with the Railroad so that's always stressful. We came to the mutual decision to let my oldest daughter live with her father and stepmother when she was 12 years old. Even though we knew we were totally in the Lord's will and our relationship is better because of it, it was the hardest thing I have ever had to do. We had to practice Tough Love with another child, and then help her to put her life back together. My chronic health issue (ITP-Auto-Immune Disorder that I have) has had special challenges, losing Dave's Mom last summer, my grandmother 7 years ago, my stepbrother abruptly this past December, my stepdad's heart attack and quintuple bypass surgery...Through it all though, GOD IS FAITHFUL!!!
26. Who literally pays the bills?
Dave handles all of the finances, fortunately for us! If I were in charge, we would not have the security we have today!
27.What is your song?
We don't have a specific song- the sngs we played at our wedding were,
"Only You" by Chicago
"Only God Could Love You More" by ??? (I probably haven't heard it since we got married!)
"Inside Out" by Lionel Richie
"Follow Me" by John Denver
"Just You & I" by Eddie Rabbit & Crystal Gayle
"Great Is The Lord" by Michael W. Smith
28.Describe your wedding dress.
It was ivory jacquard with a tied waist and a lace collar (very 80's!)
29.What did you dance your first dance to?
We didn't play music at the reception but my favorite song to dance to with Dave is "Let's Stay Together" by Al Green
30.What kind of flowers did you have at your wedding?
I carried a bible with silk, rose colored roses and had a matching flowered barrette for my hair.
31.Is Your wedding band engraved?
Yes1 It says,
"Hi Beautiful"!
32.How old were you when you got married. 26 years old!
01.Where/How did you meet?
We met at our church at that time (Calvary Evangelical Methodist), their Single's Sunday School Class. My first impression of him was that he had really long legs and huge feet!
02.How long have you known each other?
22+ years
03.How long after you met did you start dating?
7 months. I was very gun shy coming off a second divorce and he was taking his time knowing I had a lot of baggage! I had 2 small girls from 2 different husbands!
04.How long did you date before you were engaged?
1 year
05.How long was your engagement?
1 month
06.How long have you been married?
20+ years
07.What is your anniversary?
November 8, 1986
08.How many people came to your wedding?
A lot! I have a large family and we have a lot of friends!
09. What kind of reception did you have?
We had cake and coffee in the Fellowship Hall afterwards. Pretty low key because I wasn't exactly the "virgin bride", if you get my drift!
10.What kind of cake did you serve.
White with white buttercream frosting. It was 3 layers, the first and second layer was stacked on top of each other, the top layer was supported with colums, on top of the 2nd layer, we had a Precious Moments Bride & Groom cake topper.
11.Were was your wedding?
Calvary Evangelical Methodist Church in St Charles, Missouri
12.What did you serve for your meal?
No meal, they got cake, punch or coffee!
13.How many people were in your wedding party.
4 of us altogether. Charlie and Brenda Moore were the Maid of Honor & Best Man.
14. Are you still friends?
Holy smokes yes!!!! Charlie has been Dave's best friend since they were in High school. His wife Brenda is my best friend, the sister I never got to grow up with! Our sons are named after the big guys, (They have David Charles Moore, age 20 & we have Charles David Hopkins, age 16)
15.Did your spouse cry during your ceremony?
No but he might have teared up thinking about how drastic his life was about to change! Ha Ha! I however did cry!
16.Most special moment of your wedding.
We played the song "Great Is The Lord" by Michael W. Smith, at that time Jennifer & Jessica joined us up front and we were dedicated as a family!
17.Any special moments?
I remember thinking of how far God had brought me to that very moment! I had had a dysfunctional childhood with an absentee father, made really poor choices, found myself pregnant at 16, married and divorced by the time I was 19. I had remarried for all of the wrong reasons a man I didn't really love and he had left me for another woman too! I had become a Believer in Christ when I was in my 2nd marriage but my husband didn't want to have anyhting to do with God. Many months after he walked out on us, I surrendered myself entirely to God and resolved to Him that He was to pick my husband, (if there was going to be one) and that I was trusting Him to be a Father to my girls. I had resolved that it was better for my children to be raised by a single mother in a Godly home than to be raised in a 2 parent godless home! 2 months after I surrendered, God brought the most wonderful man into my life-my VERY bestest friend, Dave!
18.Any big disasters?
Not really. Dave & I were on the church's bowling league and he had told me that after the wedding we had to go bowling first, before we could go to the hotel. He really had me going for awhile!
19.Where did you go on your honeymoon?
No time for that, Dave had to start his new position with the Railroad in Lincoln, Nebraska a week after we got married!
20.How long were you gone?
Doesn't apply but we are making up for lost time now with all of our trips we go on!
21.If you were to do your wedding over what would you change?
I can't say that I would change a thing!
22.What side of the bed do you sleep on?
I have always slept on the left side of the bed.
23.What size is your bed?
We have a king-sized waterbed. We are totally spoiled! When we stay at my in-laws we sleep on a double and I am always afraid I'll roll right out of it when I turn over!
24.Greatest Strength as A couple?
First of all the Lord is our #1 priority in our individual lives. Secondly, we value and appreciate the unique differences in each other's personalities!
25.Greatest Challenge as a couple?
We have had a lot! We've been transferred around with the Railroad so that's always stressful. We came to the mutual decision to let my oldest daughter live with her father and stepmother when she was 12 years old. Even though we knew we were totally in the Lord's will and our relationship is better because of it, it was the hardest thing I have ever had to do. We had to practice Tough Love with another child, and then help her to put her life back together. My chronic health issue (ITP-Auto-Immune Disorder that I have) has had special challenges, losing Dave's Mom last summer, my grandmother 7 years ago, my stepbrother abruptly this past December, my stepdad's heart attack and quintuple bypass surgery...Through it all though, GOD IS FAITHFUL!!!
26. Who literally pays the bills?
Dave handles all of the finances, fortunately for us! If I were in charge, we would not have the security we have today!
27.What is your song?
We don't have a specific song- the sngs we played at our wedding were,
"Only You" by Chicago
"Only God Could Love You More" by ??? (I probably haven't heard it since we got married!)
"Inside Out" by Lionel Richie
"Follow Me" by John Denver
"Just You & I" by Eddie Rabbit & Crystal Gayle
"Great Is The Lord" by Michael W. Smith
28.Describe your wedding dress.
It was ivory jacquard with a tied waist and a lace collar (very 80's!)
29.What did you dance your first dance to?
We didn't play music at the reception but my favorite song to dance to with Dave is "Let's Stay Together" by Al Green
30.What kind of flowers did you have at your wedding?
I carried a bible with silk, rose colored roses and had a matching flowered barrette for my hair.
31.Is Your wedding band engraved?
Yes1 It says,
"Hi Beautiful"!
32.How old were you when you got married. 26 years old!
Monday, April 02, 2007
THE SEARCH
No this isn't a trip down musical memory lane...you know, the song by "Survivor" back in the 80's? Does anyone remember that song or is it just me?
The hunt is on for those pictures I promised to post! I can't, for the life of me, remember where they are! I think it was in the huge, house upheaval this past Fall when the house was turned upside-down with home repairs and upgrades that they went MIA. I took them from their usual storage spot with the intent of working on that chapter of the Genealogy book and now, it's anyone's guess as to where I moved them to! I WILL find them, I just might have to turn the house upside-down again though in order to accomplish that!
The particuliar photo that I am looking for is the one of Uncles AC & AZ in their Naval uniforms. There is also a newspaper article of the 2 of them along with another set of twins at Great Lakes. Finally, there is the article of Uncle AZ's death in that same folder. When Granny Lizzie (my great-grandma, their momma) moved into a nursing home, I helped my grandmother with some of her things. I got the Life magazine that listed Uncle AZ as among the thousands killed so far in the war. That is in the trunk that Grandma left me and I thought I had placed the folder inside of it. Wrong-o! I WILL find it because this has become an obsession with me!
Onward to other thoughts. Yesterday, I worked in the yard for about 3 hours and it looks really nice. It's getting there (its pre-house repair shape). I still need about 4 more bags of mulch, new edging and I'm thinking of planting either monkey grass or some shrubs next to the house. This will keep me from chewing up the new vinyl siding with the weed whacker!
Dave went out on a derailment yesterday. He doesn't HAVE to go like he used to, no more middle of the night phone calls, pack your bags and kisses goodbye. However, this derailmen is a biggie. A tornado in the panhandle, hit the train and derailed about 60 container cars. What a mess. His manager and Sr manager got called out to handle this disaster and he's lending some practical, field support.
Friday night was rife with tornado warnings and watches. We had some really heavy rains and flash flooding here in North Texas, but we are safe & sound. No hail or roof damage, broken windows or skylights this time around. Thank you Lord!
I have a light work week, just 2 houses to clean which is good. I'm getting things ready for Easter and our visit from Jennifer and her family. Dave intends to get some photographs of Aly and then some family portraits as well. Springtime in Texas means one thing: well 2 things if you want to count tornadoes and I don't! The Bluebonnets are in their full glory! We had a great Fall which means favorable conditions for Springtime blooming. I have an itty bitty patch in the flower bed and they are looking really nice. I hope that photos in the bluebonnets ends up working out. Definitely though, we are going to the Botanical Gardens in Ft Worth though.
In less than 3 weeks, we leave for Yosemite! I bought myself a new Sony Walkman yesterday and I'm beginning my "training" this morning to get these legs and lungs into some kind of shape. So...I will sign off so I can go get my hiking boots on, put the "Daughtry" Cd in its place, grab my cell phone and head out the door before Charlie gets up and my crazy day begins!
Laters
The hunt is on for those pictures I promised to post! I can't, for the life of me, remember where they are! I think it was in the huge, house upheaval this past Fall when the house was turned upside-down with home repairs and upgrades that they went MIA. I took them from their usual storage spot with the intent of working on that chapter of the Genealogy book and now, it's anyone's guess as to where I moved them to! I WILL find them, I just might have to turn the house upside-down again though in order to accomplish that!
The particuliar photo that I am looking for is the one of Uncles AC & AZ in their Naval uniforms. There is also a newspaper article of the 2 of them along with another set of twins at Great Lakes. Finally, there is the article of Uncle AZ's death in that same folder. When Granny Lizzie (my great-grandma, their momma) moved into a nursing home, I helped my grandmother with some of her things. I got the Life magazine that listed Uncle AZ as among the thousands killed so far in the war. That is in the trunk that Grandma left me and I thought I had placed the folder inside of it. Wrong-o! I WILL find it because this has become an obsession with me!
Onward to other thoughts. Yesterday, I worked in the yard for about 3 hours and it looks really nice. It's getting there (its pre-house repair shape). I still need about 4 more bags of mulch, new edging and I'm thinking of planting either monkey grass or some shrubs next to the house. This will keep me from chewing up the new vinyl siding with the weed whacker!
Dave went out on a derailment yesterday. He doesn't HAVE to go like he used to, no more middle of the night phone calls, pack your bags and kisses goodbye. However, this derailmen is a biggie. A tornado in the panhandle, hit the train and derailed about 60 container cars. What a mess. His manager and Sr manager got called out to handle this disaster and he's lending some practical, field support.
Friday night was rife with tornado warnings and watches. We had some really heavy rains and flash flooding here in North Texas, but we are safe & sound. No hail or roof damage, broken windows or skylights this time around. Thank you Lord!
I have a light work week, just 2 houses to clean which is good. I'm getting things ready for Easter and our visit from Jennifer and her family. Dave intends to get some photographs of Aly and then some family portraits as well. Springtime in Texas means one thing: well 2 things if you want to count tornadoes and I don't! The Bluebonnets are in their full glory! We had a great Fall which means favorable conditions for Springtime blooming. I have an itty bitty patch in the flower bed and they are looking really nice. I hope that photos in the bluebonnets ends up working out. Definitely though, we are going to the Botanical Gardens in Ft Worth though.
In less than 3 weeks, we leave for Yosemite! I bought myself a new Sony Walkman yesterday and I'm beginning my "training" this morning to get these legs and lungs into some kind of shape. So...I will sign off so I can go get my hiking boots on, put the "Daughtry" Cd in its place, grab my cell phone and head out the door before Charlie gets up and my crazy day begins!
Laters
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)
