JuJu's Joys

Superbook

2012-01-30T12:55:00.007-06:00

The kids' ministry just completed a month long "competition" for the 1st - 6th graders. We call it Superbook. We divide into two teams, Red and Blue, and compete all month by answering questions from our "homework" and playing games. It is another one of the things I love to do with the kids.

Above you see a picture of all my volunteers that helped me this year. They were all coaches, except for Ref Dani and Brendon. These guys were the very best! They yelled, screamed, and cheered their team on. They ran races, got wrapped up in toilet paper, sat on balloons to pop them, did their homework, brought their Bibles, and emptied their piggy banks for our mission project. Brendon had music blaring, awesome graphics for our scores, and all kind of surprises for us when we would dance to our song! I could not have asked for better role models for our kids. And the kids couldn't have asked for anyone to make our last four Sundays more fun than these folks did for them.

I am so very thankful for these people. Yes, I am the Children's Pastor, but I can't pull off Superbook all by myself. But with my team.......it's pretty easy. Yep, I'm blessed.

Also, our kids did a fabulous job. They brought in 191 Box Tops for Education to give to our elementary school that we have adopted and they brought $398.53 to give to our Haitian missionaries who have a feeding program for the children there. Just so you know, most of that was in change....I know....I counted it all. :)

They are already asking when we can do it again. We usually do it once a year, but I'm not sure we can wait that long. We'll see........

Christmas 2011

2012-01-07T17:25:00.014-06:00

We had a wonderful Christmas this year. It took a little work, but all our men were able to get the 23rd off, so that was Christmas Day for us. It started with Ashlynn and the babies coming over in the morning in their pjs. I loved that! We had homemade cinnamon rolls still warm from the oven. Then we let the twins open their gifts. We did this because they were going to spend time with their mom and dad in just a little while. Didn't really care for them to leave, but we didn't have any say in that matter. After the little ones left, we opened up gifts and spent the rest of the day eating and playing. The babied joined us in the afternoon and the playing continued. After turkey or ham sandwiches for supper, the gang all loaded up the van and headed back to their house with 3 tired, but happy kids.

I wish I could post pictures of the babies....they are getting so big and are so adorable. But maybe, just maybe, one day they will be ours and we can post all the pictures we want. Until that day, though, we will do everything to protect them - including no pictures on public websites. So, even though there aren't any pictures of them......they were there.....being a part of our family.

Santa

2012-01-07T16:28:00.003-06:00

This is one of my best buddies, Santa, a.k.a. Ron Myers. Doesn't he make a perfect Santa? And yes, the beard is real. The cool thing about this is you couldn't pick a person who would represent Santa better than Ron. I don't think I know of a man who is more gentle, kind, and loves kids with all his heart. So, yes, Virginia, there is a Santa Claus.

My Christmas Tree

2011-12-18T15:52:00.002-06:00

I've always had a real tree in my house for Christmas. I would try to find the biggest and the best every year. This has caused "tension" in our marriage as Wes would get frustrated trying to put these huge trees in stands that weren't big enough or have to cut off ridiculous amounts off the bottom of the tree because I got one that was too big. Or we would even wake up the next morning to find out tree laying on the ground. Every Christmas it was the same thing.

So after the boys had left home, I decided to put all the misery of the Christmas tree behind Wes. It just wasn't worth it. Why was I heaping all this on him? Christmas was supposed to be a happy time - and the Christmas tree event was not a happy time for him. So, we went out and bought a very beautiful aritificial one - prelit - 1200 lights. I had to admit, it was a very pretty tree considering it wasn't real. I didn't have the great pine smell in my house like I had with the real tree, but it was worth it. I was very pleased.

After several years, some of the lights didn't work. That was ok, we could put them towards the back, hang a few extra ornaments and hide the fact that they weren't working. However, this year, when we set up the tree, over 400 of our 1200 lights didn't light. Almost half of our tree was dark....hmmmm....this wasn't going to work. Wes worked hours trying to coax them into working. He changed bulbs, fuses, went one by one - but to no avail.

We decided to just add new lights to the tree. However, they didn't match well with the old ones and it was very hard to get them on the tree around the prelit ones. They kept getting all tangled up. We really still liked our tree and didn't want to get rid of it, so we decided to take off all the prelit lights and then replace them with our own.

Once we started trying to take the lights off, we realized that every light was held onto the tree by 2 clips (which had to be taken off with pliers). Do the math - that's 2400 clips. It took Wes and I 8 hours to take off all the lights. By that time, I was so frustrated, I told him to put it back in the box......don't even want to deal with it anymore. This is how my whole year had been - and I wasn't going to go through it with this stupid tree. So, we boxed it up and sent it back to the shed. We just weren't going to have a tree this year - whatever, that was par for our lives this year. Why would Christmas be any different?

After a couple of days, Wes and I came home from shopping and guess what? There was this beautiful decorated REAL tree in my house. Austin, Shawna, Ashlynn, and the babies had come to my house while I was away and set up a beautiful tree for me. My heart soared. My kids loved me enough and knew I needed a tree - even when I didn't know I needed it. They gave up their evening to go pick out a tree (in the rain and cold), buy a stand and lights, go to my house, set it up and decorate it.

I'm pretty sure this will be the best tree ever. I don't think you could ever top it. It's not that it's the most beautiful tree I've ever seen, but the love that eminates from it is staggering. Just another way God is present....He asked my kids to show me how much He loves me. I am overwhelmed.

Looking Back

2011-12-18T15:01:00.002-06:00

A few weeks ago, Brendon invited Wes and I to go hear Dennis Jernigan in concert. Dennis is a modern day psalmist and we first heard of him in the early 1990's when we had just moved to the DFW area and were attending Restoration Church. Our worship leader at that time would sing many of Dennis' songs which ministered to our very dry and weary hearts.

Dennis began his concert that night with a great "oldie but goodie". One we used to sing all the time at Restoration. Then he began to share his heart and it was quite obvious that God was speaking to us through Dennis. Our hearts were so burdened and heavy that night. Dennis kept saying, "I usually don't sing this song at a concert....this is one of my songs that I just sing to the Lord. But I keep hearing God tell me I need to sing it tonight." He would sing his song, and Wes and I both could feel God washing our hearts, soothing the broken pieces and making His presence so real to us. The one song that touched me the most was titled, "It's Gonna Be Alright, Child." As I cried through the whole song, I kept asking, "Really, God? It really can be alright, because it sure doesn't seem like it can be." And He is right there - comforting and saying, "Yes...just trust me."

Then Dennis would go back and sing another song from the past. All of a sudden, God started showing me what all He had brought us through to get to the DFW area - from Wes stepping away from a very successful military career, to being hired at American Airlines, to leaving a denominational church which we both had grown up in to a church who sought after the Spirit, to pulling our kids out of school and homeschooling. It was amazing what He had done for us in a short time period. God kept saying, "I took good care of you then. You didn't think it could ever happen. And look how good it turned out. So, if I could do it back then and I've never let you down, I can get you through this one."

At the end of the concert, Dennis said something I have heard a million times, but it sunk in this time.....don't go back and live in the past - but go back and remember. Remember what God has done for you. We had the opportunity to go back and remember that night and we both walked out renewed. The fight was still ahead of us....but we remembered who was fighting for us. He had done it in the past and He was going to do this again.

How thankful we are that Brendon got tickets for us that night! Did he hear the Father tell him that his parents needed to be at that concert? I think so! I love to watch the Father work in my kids and watch them respond. It was an evening of incredibleness - not sure if that's a word but that's what it was.

It's Gonna Be Alright - Dennis Jernigan

It's gonna be alright, child
Even through the darkest night, child
I'll even use the darkness
To teach you how to hear Me

It's gonna be alright now
Even if you don't see how
I'll even use your failure
To help you to draw near Me

So, hear Me, I am calling
Child, come falling, deeper in love with Me
Trust Me, you must let go
Or you will never know, any deeper love in Me

It's gonna be alright, yeah
If you will let Me hold your heart near
I'll even use your sorrow
To teach you how to love Me

It's gonna be alright, child
I'll hold you really close and tight, child
I'll even use your worries
To help you know more of Me

So, hear Me, I am calling
Child, come falling deeper in love with Me
Trust Me, you must let go
Or you will never know any deeper love in Me

Why do you hold on to the things of your past?
Let go and cling to Me and love that will last
How can you know Me if you do not trust My love?
Let go - you'll find My love is more than enough

Hear Me, I am calling
Child, come falling deeoer in love with Me
Trust Me, you must let go
Or you will never know any deeper love in Me

And it will set you free

It's gonna be alright, now
Even if you don't see how
I'll even use your failure
to help you to draw near Me

Incredibly Hard Year

2011-12-18T14:37:00.002-06:00

This has been a hard year for the Neelys, and it has really intensified these past 3 months. Our faith has been tested on many levels and I'd love to say that we came out smelling like a rose....but that wasn't always the case. I've had (and honestly, still do have) so many questions for God. So many things that I don't understand....experiences that we've gone through that don't seem to have any reason for them. There were days that Wes and I were just numb....didn't understand at all why.....didn't understand why it seemed like He was remaining quiet. Days where you want to sit in the corner and just cry.

There are too many things to write what's going on, but the biggies: Church relationships being tested beyond reason, my health, American Airlines going bankrupt, the sale of our house falling through, my dad moving in with us, and 2 grandbabies possibly going back to their birth parents.

So, of course, the devil throws all kinds of arrows at you......God doesn't love you anymore....You're not so special afterall....You've must have done something pretty bad for Him to turn His back on you. Wes and I both know that these are lies. But when you are being bombarded over and over and over....sometimes it can be so very hard to fight.

But that's where friends and family come in. I don't know what I would have done without my two best girlfriends. I can't tell you what it means when they come up to you, hug you, and say, "I just heard what's going on with you. You're not walking through this alone. I am here to walk with you". When you feel you can't get back up again, they grab your arms - pull you up and help you walk - never leave your side - even fight for you when you're just not able.

Then it becomes very clear......God is near.....He is walking through it all with you.....and He's chosen your friends to be a physical presence for you. He never promised that life would be easy, but He did promise that He would provide and be there.

He has shown Himself very faithful (again).

No, most of these "problems" have not gone away. If anything they have intensified. But, we're not walking alone and it will be alright. We've had our faith stretched further than it seemed possible.....but when we thought we could stand no longer......He would send along words of love. You'll see what I mean in my next two blogs.

Kids' Camp 2011

2011-09-21T16:11:00.003-05:00

This is a picture of some of my 3rd - 6th graders. And we're at camp! One of the most favorite things I get to do with my kids. I love being their mama for a couple of days of swimming, eating, swimming, eating, swimming, eating and even a little sleep! I think my favorite part is walking back to the cabin from either the waterfront or the swimming pool. I have the best conversations with the kids! These guys are dear to my heart......I just love 'em, love 'em, love 'em!

PandaMania 2011

2011-09-01T15:31:00.010-05:00

One of my biggest feats every summer is Vacation Bible School. Honestly, it is one of the most exhausting things I do! But it is my one gift to my kids every year. They love it so much and there is no way I can look into those precious faces and tell them that we're aren't going to have VBS. Thanks to an incredible group of volunteers, an amazing VBS happened in July again this year - PandaMania! And as soon as I see those smiles and hear all the laughter - I don't even remember all the hours of planning, decorating, learning music, and finding teachers' supplies. I just enjoy the ride.

So, here are some of our pictures from PandaMania.

And this little girl right here? Well, it was her first VBS with JuJu. I think the smile describes it all.

What a Difference a Day Makes

2011-08-25T19:20:00.006-05:00

There is this song that starts out:

What a difference a day makes
24 little hours.......

Well, within 24 hours of my last post, we had sold our house. Are you kidding me? You will not believe this story! It's so incredible - it is such a miracle. Wes and I stand it awe. So here is our story:

Let's start with last Monday, the 22nd. Wes had oral surgery which lasted most of the morning. (I know that doesn't sound real important at this moment - but you'll see that it really is a little later!) Tuesday morning, I wake up and honestly, I realize that we probably aren't going to sell our house. It's just not a good market and we needed to get a very good price for our home. So, I told the Lord that that was fine and started thinking what remodeling I needed to do to make our house suitable for my dad to come live with us.

We hadn't been cooking much since the house was on the market. Didn't want to mess up the kitchen in case we needed to show the house in a hurry. Nothing like the smell of fish as you walk in the front door to scare off potential buyers! However, I decided to cook lunch on Tuesday because Wes had had surgery and needed to eat soft foods. So, I told him I would just cook some spaghetti. While I was cooking, our doorbell rang. A lady in her early 60's was at our door. She told Wes that she and her sister (who is in her 70's) live in Athens, TX and are moving back to the DFW area to be near children and grandchildren. They had been looking at houses and were very disappointed with what they saw...so they were just driving around the neighborhood and saw our house. So she and Wes started up a conversation.

She told us our house was priced higher than their budget. She started walking back to the car, turned around and asked if she could just come in and look. We agreed after explaining that our house really wasn't in "show" condition at this time. She said she didn't mind - she and her sister were interior designers and didn't need to see it in tip top shape.

After 15 minutes in our house, they gave us a cash offer on our home. The older sister (who is actually paying for the house) hadn't even looked through the whole house when she made the offer!!!! She just kept telling her sister that she wanted this house. Wes told them that they really needed to go through our realtor and that we couldn't accept that offer....it just wasn't enough. He explained how we were building a house so my dad could come live with us and we really needed to get close to our asking price. After another 30 minutes, we had fallen in love with these sweet ladies. Their love for the Lord was so obvious! We even found out they knew several friends of ours from our church. We spent much more time talking with each other than showing the house. It was such an enjoyable time!

So, as Wes was helping them in their car, they asked him to please not accept another offer until we heard back from them. But Wes and I knew that these ladies were supposed to have our home. We just didn't know how the money was going to work out. And to try to make this long story a little shorter, they gave us a great offer on our house Wednesday. Contract was signed today....wow! In 24 hours! Amazing.

Just a couple of side notes:
If Wes hadn't had his surgery and if we hadn't stayed home for lunch (which we have almost NEVER done since the house was on the market!) we would have missed them when they rang our doorbell.

If they had waited one more day, we would have had a much harder time getting a contract together because our realtor left on vacation today. She was able to write up a contract for us before she left!

We are so excited! Yes, God has sold our house.....but it is so much more than that. We have two PRECIOUS ladies who are taking over our home. We have such sweet neighbors and it was so very important to us that the right people come into our neighborhood. Plus, we know that these ladies will keep loving our neighbors and showing God's grace and mercy to them. Like I said, we stand in awe!!

What a difference a day makes!
24 little hours.....

Yes, It Has Been Awhile

2011-08-23T20:00:00.005-05:00

So, I open up my blog today and see it has been 3 months since my last blog. That may not seem like a real long time to some people, but this last 3 months have seemed like a lifetime to me. Of course, as a Children's Pastor, summertime is my busy season. Between VBS, summer camp, and finding new teachers for the fall, I stay pretty busy. But this time.......

VBS is over - it was a very good one.....camp is over - the best we've ever had.......I'm in the process of finding teachers and it looks like I have all I need.....so why the deep feeling of frustration?

I think I have found the answer.....I am really ticked off at God right now. My whole life is in limbo - the selling of our house....the church.....my dad.....Wes' job and possible retirement. Everything is just hanging out there - just out of my reach and it is driving me crazy. Because I can't reach it - because it's not going the way I would like - I have decided that God isn't doing it correctly. I've decided that I know better and I'm ticked off because He hasn't chosen to see it my way.

Well, good for me. No wonder I have been moody and frustrated lately! I wasn't created to be responsible for all of this mess and yet I think it's my job to take care of it. It's all a matter of trust. You see, if I truly believed that God loves me - just for me - that He is really crazy about me - not because of what I do or what I don't do - just because I'm me, then I would trust Him that He has my very best interest at heart. Why would He do this - because He loves me. If Psalm 139 is really true and He knows my inner most parts and knew about me before He created the heavens and the earth....if He knows how many hairs are on my head, then I think I can safely say that He loves me enough to trust Him with all this other stuff.

So, I'm shifting gears. I first had to ask God to forgive me. Of course He did - He's so full of mercy and grace. I'm asking God to help the knowledge of He loves me that's in my head to move to my heart. He's the only one that can get it down there! I want to trust Him with all I have; therefore, I really need to know how much He loves me.

No, none of the situations in my life have changed - everything is still in limbo. But my heart has changed....I no longer need to strive to find the answers.....I can just sit and enjoy the fact that He loves me. He'll take care of everything. This is where I want to stay.

Our house

2011-05-19T15:38:00.004-05:00

We put our house on the market at the beginning
of the month. First of all, let me just say that it
is the PITS keeping your house clean all the time so someone can come in and look at it! On the up side, my house has never been cleaner!

My Dad turns 84 next week and it is becoming apparent that he is really struggling to think clearly. He is in great health, but his mind just doesn't want to think like it use to. This is a little dishearting to me because my dad was always the "sharpest pencil in the box". I hurt for him as he gets so frustrated at not being able to come up with the right words or remember if he has done something or not.

But he is the reason that we are selling our house. Our plan is to build a house with a "casita" attached. This is basically a house with an apartment attached to it. It looks like one house from the outside, but there will be 2 residences on the inside. This way, we all will have our own private places but I can get to Dad quickly if he needs me.

We've been in our house for 19 years......the boys grew up in this house.....and it isn't in any way a house......it's a home.......it's our home. Many folks have felt so sorry for me as I have to "give up" my home and leave all the sweet memories behind. But I don't feel that way. First of all, I will take every memory with me. They aren't stuck in the walls of this house. Second, I am excited to think of all the new memories we will make in the new house.

So, we wait. We feel like this is what God would have us do. But He is the One who must sell our house. This is not the best market to sell a home....but God doesn't really worry about that....if we're to move on He'll provide the perfect buyer. If He doesn't, then it's because we aren't to do this. So, we wait - for His perfect timing.....His voice.......His direction.

Because You Love Me

2011-05-17T21:03:00.003-05:00

For all those times You stood by me
For all the truth that You made me see
For all the joy You brought to my life
For all the wrong that You made right
For every dream You made come true
For all the love I found in You
I'll be forever thankful, Jesus
You're the One who holds me up
Never lets me fall
You're the One who sees me through
Through it all

You are my strength 'cuz I am weak
You are my voice 'cuz I can't speak
You are my eyes 'cuz I can't see
You are the best there is in me
You lift me up when I can't reach
You give me faith in You to believe
I'm everything I am
Because You love me.

By Diane Warren (and tweaked by me)

Imagination Afternoon

2011-03-08T13:09:00.004-06:00

Ashlynn spent yesterday afternoon with me. I love our times together. She AMAZES me with her wonderful imagination! We had pretend sleep-overs, where she was the mama and I was the little girl. She kept calling me "kiddo".....just kept cracking me up! Where did that come from? I don't know.

I'm so very thankful for these times we get to spend together. As I watch her, I see so much of both her mama and her daddy. She is such a perfect combination of the two. She just brings joy, joy, and more joy.

Yesterday was a gift from the Father. Ashlynn will never be this age again, and I got to spend it with her. Thanks, Daddy. It was a treasure of a day.

Nanny's Caramel Pie

2011-02-16T21:09:00.005-06:00

My dad's mom, Nanny, was one of the most awesome cooks I have ever known. She loved to cook, and we loved to make her happy by eating and eating and eating. Whatever came out of her kitchen was delicious and we always knew that when we visited her, she would be cooking our favorites (which usually included fried chicken, cream gravy, cream peas, and biscuits from scratch!!)

Nanny was also known for her pies and anytime the family got together, she made everyone's favorites. Chocolate, coconut, pecan, and caramel were just a few of the pies we knew would always be present. Now, Nanny never measured anything when she cooked and of course, never wrote anything down. So before Nanny passed on, my mom made it her quest to write down as many of Nanny's recipes as possible. And Mom did a great job getting many of her favorites down on paper. But one eluded us......the caramel pie.

Mom has been gone for 6 years and I had decided to finish her quest by finding a recipe that was similar to Nanny's caramel pie. I have looked and looked. I finally found this one....baked it....took it to my dad for him to be the judge. Viola! We have a winner! So, here is the recipe for an Old-fashioned Burnt Sugar Caramel Pie......or now it's called, "Nanny's Caramel Pie".

Ingredients
1 1/2 cups sugar (divided into half)
4 tablespoons flour
3 eggs, separated
1 can evaporated milk PLUS add enough milk to make 2 cups all together
1 teaspoon vanilla
1 pat of butter
1 - 9 inch pie crust, baked

Caramelize 3/4 cup of sugar, stirring until it is melted and a nice caramel color. Set aside

Combine remaining 3/4 cup of sugar, flour, egg yolks, and whisk in milk gradually until mixture is smooth. Cook over a medium heat, stirring constantly until mixture thickens.

Add the caramelized sugar, and STIR, BABY, STIR!!!! It will lump up at first, but it WILL melt and the mixture will be smooth again.

Continue to cook and stir until smooth and very thick.

Add vanilla, and a pat of butter. Pour into baked 9 inch pie crust.

Make meringue by using the 3 egg whites, 1 teaspoon of cream of tartar, and a pinch of salt. Beat mixture and add 3/4 cups of sugar a tablespoon at a time. Beat on high until soft peaks form. Put meringue on pie and bake at 350 until light brown color.

1/11/11

2011-01-11T21:09:00.002-06:00

Today's date: January 11, 2011 or 1/11/11. So today must be a day of firsts, right? Yes, it is.

Austin and Shawna have been fostering 2 little chocolate boys, ages 2 and 1, for the past 6 months. Precious little boys! I would love to mention their names and put up pictures, but because they are in the foster care system, it is best that I don't. These little men went back to their mama's for Christmas and Austin and Shawna got the official word today that they would not be returning. A court date had been made and the boys were staying at their mama's.

I had conflicting emotions concerning this. We had known for awhile that the boys would probably go back to their mama, so it was good to get the official word......closure. However, we all knew that these little guys weren't going back to a great home life. This bothered me and even as I write it stirs up all those emotions again. Fortunately, I know that God knows exactly where these little guys are.....He knows how many hairs are on their heads.....He cares. This didn't turn out the way I thought it would, BUT I chose to trust.

However, as quickly as they got the word that the boys were not coming back, they get another call.....twin chocolates.....7 months....1 boy, 1 girl. Really? Already? These two only weigh about 8 pounds. They were preemies, they are in good health, they just weren't in a good situation and now the primary goal is for them to gain weight.

Ashlynn is estatic! She has 2 babies coming to her house....a boy AND a girl! Austin and Shawna, I think are a little shell-shocked. These babies eat every 2 hours......there are 2 of them!! Not sure how all of this is going to work, but knowing Austin and Shawna, it will work and it'll work quickly.

I am so amazed at my son and his wife. So proud of them for meeting the need of children needing a place to grow and thrive. It's so difficult to juggle life as it is and yet, they throw in little ones who need a temporary mama and daddy into their lives and do it with so much grace. I'm not sure I could do this but I am so proud of them and so thankful they have allowed me to share in this experience.

So, it has been a day of firsts. It's the first time I've lost 2 of my grandkids. It's the first time I've ever had twins in my family. But, I started my day with 1 vanilla (who just happens to be the most beautiful little girl in the world) and now I'm back to 1 vanilla and 2 chocolates. What a way to start the new year! I love my life.

The Year of Limbo

2011-01-10T14:30:00.004-06:00

As you can see, it has been quite awhile since I've blogged. As I look back on 2010, it has been such a strange year.....of course, there have been many, many blessings......God is so very good. But, it just seemed that as 2010 ended, the Neelys had a lot of loose ends. I hate loose ends. I like them all tied up nice and neat. Like my ducks all in a row exactly how I want them. As my family sat around the table at Christmas time, Austin made this observation. "It seems like that 2010 was the year of limbo for the Neelys". YES!!!! That's it exactly!

Have you ever had God tell you something very specific that He wanted you to do? And you went after that with all your heart? Searching and trying to obey Him with everything you've got....knowing that if you'll be obedient, something awesome is just around the corner?

Well, my family has had a lot of those these past few months. Things we were really seeking God about.....believing that He was guiding us in a specific direction.....doing everything we felt like He was asking us to do. And.......?

We're waiting. We're at a standstill. We've done all we know to do and yet, we don't see God moving yet. Can I just tell you, that just drives me nuts! We've got some big decisions we need to hear Him on and it's kinda quiet. Really?????? We've done everything You want us to do...now we wait? We've been waiting a long time.

And yet, in all my frustration for God not moving as quickly or in the manner I think He should, I hear Him say, "Do you trust Me?" My heart falls a little.....I so want to.....You've never let me down before.....You've always provided in the most awesome ways....but I don't see any movement, God. He says, "I know, but will you still trust me that I know what I'm doing?"

So, today, I lay down my heart......yeah, God, I really do trust you. I do get frustrated when things aren't moving like I think they should.....but yes, I will trust you. You make all things work together for my good because You love me and because I am Your daughter - the daughter of the Most High King. I don't understand...but You do....so I will trust.

"Trust in the Lord with all your heart, and don't lean on your own understanding. In all your ways, acknowledge Him, and He will make you path straight." Proverbs 3:4-5

If Children's Pastors Ruled......

2010-10-29T20:37:00.004-05:00

The church water fountain would dispense Dr. Pepper.
Hymns would have motions.
The adult service would have a flashing light signaling that kids' church was out so the pastor could dismiss the adults.
The senior pastor would have to put up with YOUR kid.
Nursery duty would be mandatory for all choir members.
Ushers would pass out animal crackers and crayons.
People being baptized would be allowed to splash.
Greeters would wear full body costumes and make balloon animals.
Every Sunday you could poke your head into the adult service and bark out, "Keep It Quiet!" and they would obey.
Church staff meetings would be held at Incredible Pizza.
It would be considered harmless fun to wear cowboy gear and blast holes into the church's grand piano while hollering "yee-haw!".
Adults would raise their hands during the sermon and ask the senior pastor if they can go to the restroom.
Church finance boards can only say only one phrase, "Go ahead! We don't care how much it costs!"
The senior pastor would have to get permission from the children's pastor before adding any new services or scheduling any new events.
The church tithes would go to the children's ministry first. Any left over money would be distributed in small increments to the general fund.
When people got saved in the adult service, the senior pastor would fire off a confetti cannon.
The adult service would have to use the old sound system with the high pitched hum and the crappy projector.
Children's workers that did not show up would be fined. At the end of the year, you could use the money to go to the Bahamas while they ran VBS for you.

Ahhhhh, thank you Roger Fields. I like they way you think. All I can say is, "Yes and Amen!"

Kids Minister in Big Church

2010-09-04T15:30:00.004-05:00

Our theme at camp? "Learn by Doing". We talked about the only way we would learn to hear God better is to practice doing it - over and over. How do you learn to feel more comfortable praying for people - by doing it over and over. So, we did a lot of it at camp.

Then the following Sunday, our campers had the opportunity to pray over the adults in "Big Church" during the ministry time. Yes, they were VERY nervous....but God was so faithful. Those kids just started praying for the adults and you could just watch God pump them "fuller and fuller" with confidence! I am so very proud of them! We're already hearing stories of how God answered their prayers.

I am so thankful to have a pastor who sees the importance of allowing kids to minister. Our kids are begging to do it again we're planning to make it happen.

Kids' Camp

2010-09-04T15:14:00.003-05:00

Every year, the 3rd - 6th graders head to Riverbend Retreat Center for camp. This year, it was August 13 -15 and I think it was the hottest camp I have ever been to! With temperatures running over 100 degrees every day, it was a challenge to keep everyone hydrated and lathered in sunscreen. But, despite that, we had a wonderful time! I love camp...love being with the kids..it's just such a special time. Thought I would share some pics.

She's just so dang cute!

2010-08-03T19:50:00.003-05:00

So, the other day, Wes and I had the whole family at the house for lunch. Yep, it was kinda a zoo with Dad, Brendon, Austin, Shawna, Ashlynn, and their two ADORABLE little foster boys -lots of noise and so much fun! Just trying to get everyone situated at the table can be a real challenge with 3 little ones 3 years old or younger.

We had just settled at the table to eat when Ashlynn proudly announced that Granddaddy and Juju lived too far away from her and needed to find a new house. She and her mama and daddy were going to find us a new house much closer. (We have been looking to build or buy a home closer to her, but Ashlynn had not been aware of the process until one day they were driving around in a neighborhood looking at houses for us.)

Ashlynn is fine with us moving, BUT she made it quite clear that when I do move I need to take "my toys" and "my pool" (it's a little one for her to play in) when I move. Hope she allows me to bring more of my stuff besides my toys and pool, or I'm gonna have a really empty place to live.

I love that little girl! She just makes me smile!

A-tation Bible School

2010-07-26T18:37:00.000-05:00

Last week, we had Vacation Bible School at church - or as Ashlynn likes to call it "A-tation Bible School." This is one of the most labor intensive things that I do as a children's pastor....but to see our kids smiling, laughing, singing, and worshipping, makes all the hours worth while.

Our volunteers were wonderful! The teachers did a fabulous job sharing with the kids. Our guides were awesome and of course, the galley crew - the best snacks ever! Monica and I couldn't do it without all of them! They are the BEST!

Just wanted to share some pictures of our fun week!

Happy Birthday, Brendon!

2010-07-06T20:14:00.001-05:00

Today is Brendon's 29th birthday! 29! Oh my! It seems like only a few days ago I was holding him in my arms in complete awe of the most handsome little baby boy. It was love at first sight and honestly, everytime I see him, I still smile. He's my first born....the first of two very precious gifts from God.

I love the way God made Brendon. He makes me laugh, amazes me at his tender heart, and astounds me with his brilliant mind. How he can cypher a computer is so beyond me and yet he does it so easily! He amazes me at how patient he can be when teaching his mama about the computer or her new cell phone. I love to watch him play his guitar when on the praise team....watching him worship brings me to tears. Yeah, he's just an amazing dude.

So, happy birthday, Brendon. Our family would be incomplete without you. I want you to know that I love you and am so thankful to be called your mom. Son, you have made your mom and dad so very proud.

A wise son brings joy to his father.......Proverbs 10:1

A God Story

2010-07-06T19:33:00.000-05:00

Wes and I had the opportunity to get away for a few days last week. We had planned on going to Mexico and spend some time at the beach. So, after work on Monday, Wes picked me up and we headed to the airport. As we were checking in, the agent told us that the ramp (or basically the whole airport) had been shut down due to lightning. We had noticed that a storm was coming in and sure enough, it collided over the airport. After 15 minutes, the agent announced that our flight to Mexico had been cancelled as our plane had been diverted to some other location. She asked all the passengers to please come up to the counter and she would book everyone on tomorrow's flight. Since we were flying non-rev, we knew there would be no empty seat for us, so we decided that Mexico was out.

What was kind of interesting was that neither one of us got upset or even disturbed by the whole process. We both really felt that if God had to send a storm to shut down the entire DFW airport so we couldn't get to Mexico, that we didn't want to go....it was quite obvious He didn't want us there.

So, we came home and started a new game plan. First, we asked God to show us where He wanted us to go. After some planning and searching, we decided on San Antonio and Fredericksburg. Our trip to Mexico became a road trip to South Texas.

I love San Antonio as I grew up there and we had two tours there while we were in the Air Force. Brendon was also born in SA, so we have many, many great memories of that city. We got up the next morning and headed out on our adventure. Enjoyed our trip on Hwy 281 - ate at the Bluebonnet Cafe in Marble Falls - which by the way, has the best pie anywhere! Then pulled in to San Antonio in the early afternoon. That evening was filled with eating at the Alamo Cafe (MOST AWESOME MEXICAN FOOD!) and shopping at one of my old stomping grounds - North Star Mall.

The next morning, we drove around checking out all our "old" houses, sending pictures to the boys and reminiscing with them over the phones. We had lunch and then headed to the movies. About half way through the movie, I got deathly sick.....I mean sick. Shivers, shaking, so cold I thought I was going to freeze to death and finally I looked at Wes and told him I had to leave. After leaving my lunch at a trash can by the Seven-11, we went back to the hotel. I was so weak, I couldn't hardly stand up to walk. I can't tell you how thankful I was to get into bed.

That night we discussed whether we should head home instead of going to Fredericksburg. We decided we would see how I felt in the morning and would decide from there. I woke up feeling much better, but still very weak. We decided to head to Fredericksburg. I am so glad we did. If we hadn't gone, we would have missed the miracle.

We headed to a cabin in Fredericksburg that we had rented in July of 2009. Wes reminded me that it was at the place where I had lost my favorite necklace. I had totally forgotten about this. I loved that necklace.....Wes had given it to me for Christmas and it was just special to me. It had been misplaced at this cabin....we had searched and searched that cabin, my car, my luggage, everywhere and couldn't find it. We'd let the owners know and told them to please call us if they found it. We never heard anything....I figured it was gone. It was just a earthly possession, but still it couldn't be replaced.

As soon as we got in the cabin, Wes sat down and called the lady who cleans the cabins. Her told her the story, said he knew it was a long shot, but did she happen to find the necklace. These are her words, "Sir, this is your lucky day. I have your necklace." Are you kidding me? After a year....she had my necklace? She told us that she always goes through the bags of her vacuum cleaner because she finds all kinds of jewelry and things that people had left behind. Usually, the booking firm would call her and tell her someone left this behind - did you find it? She had kept my necklace for 1 year waiting for someone to call and claim it! The next day, my necklace was back around my neck.

I can't tell you how much I felt the Lord's love during all of this. He was willing to show me how much He loves me by sending a storm to keep us from Mexico, urging us on to Fredericksburg even though I wasn't feeling great, just to give me a necklace that He knew was important to me. It's not worth a lot monetarily speaking.....but it is priceless. Because now when I look at it I not only see Wes' love for me, but my Father's love. Yep, that's priceless.

I love God's surprises. They are the best!

2010-06-04T08:59:00.000-05:00

Our little princess had her dance recital last Sunday. She performed in "The Dancing Bunny". Of course, with 10 little "bunnies" on the stage, it was quite cute! Ashlynn knew her part and danced her little heart out.

As far as we were concerned, she was the cutest and the best bunny ever!

I think a star is born!

The Doomaflautchee (doo-ma-flaut-chee)

2010-05-27T14:44:00.000-05:00

Wes and I bought Ashlynn a gymset for Christmas. Yes, I know it's May, but the only time Wes and Austin could be off on the same days it either snowed or rained or was freezing outside. Finally, yesterday was the day! The guys knew it would be an all day affair, so they started out early.....

Ashlynn really wanted to know what they were building. We didn't want to give away the surprise because we knew she would get frustrated with the slowness of it being built. She even saw the slide leaning up against the house. She asked Granddaddy if it was a slide. He said, "Well, it may be a doomaflautchee." She asked what he was building and he replied, "It's a doomaflautchee holder."

The doomaflautchee holder is coming along nicely!

Once we got to this stage, Ashlynn came in screaming, "They've built a house! They've built a house! Will I be able to play in it?" Her daddy assured her that she would but that she must wait until the doomaflautchee was completed. She was quite satisfied with that answer and we continued to play.

We had "picnics" in the doomaflautchee boxes. Boxes are such great things to play in! The bigger - the better!

Ashlynn even grabbed a hammer and helped.

After 11 hours and two very sweet but exhausted men, the doomaflautchee and holder was complete.

After it was all over, I told Ashlynn that it really wasn't a doomaflautchee, but a swingset and that it was just for her. She quickly corrected me and told me that her slide was a doomaflautchee and that the rest of it was the doomaflautchee holder. Who knows, she might call it that for the rest of her life.

The guys did such an awesome job! It was a HUGE undertaking and they were in the sun and heat most of the day. But both of them agreed that it was so worth it to see her smiles and hear her giggles. She even told them, "You guys did a good job!" Yeah, they did an awesome job. Thanks, Daddy and Granddaddy, because not only did you make this little girl's day, but you made one Juju very, very happy.

Austria - Day 2 - My Favorite Day!

2010-05-25T17:27:00.001-05:00

I grew up watching "The Sound of Music" and even though it's not my favorite movie, I do know it by heart....I know all the words and all the songs....could probably answer most of the trivia questions about it. So, we decided to take The Sound of Music Tour to see all the movie sights. What we didn't know was that it would also provide us with a breathtaking view of the area. This is Leopoldskron Castle. This mansion was used for all the scenes where you see the back of the von Trapp home (the porch scenes and lake scenes).

What's unique about all of this is that Austrians know the story of Maria and Georg von Trapp very well. But the movie has "hollywood-ized" the story...in other words, there are quite a few parts of the storyline that just didn't happen that way in real life. The Austrians don't know "The Sound of Music" at all....they don't know the storyline or the music. So it is a little puzzling to them to see all the people come from all over the world to see these sites. (Yes, the movie has a cult following!)However, it is a huge tourist attraction and they are very thankful for that!

Here's the view from Leopoldskron Castle. My, to have to look at that every day!

Our guide, Peter, standing in front of the gazebo where Leisel and Rolf sang "Sixteen Going On Seventeen."

Lake Fuschlsee........indescribable beauty. Wes is pretty cute too!

The Mondsee Cathedral. This is where they filmed the wedding scene for the movie. Because...

how incredibly beautiful it was on the inside! Georg and Maria actually got married the the chapel at the Abbey.

We stopped at the Cafe Braun for a little apple strudel and "ice". Oh man....to die for....it was that good.

One gorgeous view after another.......I just walked around in awe. God outdid Himself on this little country.

Mirabellgarten. Where Maria and the children danced and sang "Do-Re-Mi." They told us we need to come back when the flowers were blooming!

Notice Hohensalzburg Fortress in the background keeping watch over the little city of Salzburg.

A view from the fortress.

The Abbey where Maria would never become a nun. It was built in the 700's and still has nuns living in it today. All the Abbey shots in the film were filmed inside.

This is how you end your day. You go to the town square, everyone brings their dogs, and you enjoy the evening eating and drinking with friends. And what do you eat?

Bratwurst and Sauerkraut! Well, Wes did anyway........I left the sauerkraut off!

Salzburg, Austria

2010-05-25T17:14:00.001-05:00

Austria - what can I say? I was totally overwhelmed by the beauty of this little country! Being in Salzburg, we also got to enjoy a taste of a "quaint little town." Austria is known for its music and Salzburg is at the heart of it all. So no matter where we went, music was in the air. This is a picture of The Old City.....where Salzburg began.

Mozart's Gerburtshaus or birthplace. I've played many (and I mean MANY!) of his concertos for piano recitals. These folks are very proud of their "hometown boy" and celebrate his life with his music.

We were even greeted with a little parade.

The cathedral - in the heart of the Old City.

Hohensalzburg Fortress. Built in the 1100's on a sheer cliff. I cannot even imagine how it was built!

Looking down the River Salzbach. That's the Mozart footbridge....very famous in the movie, "The Sound of Music." Maria and the children danced across this bridge while singing "Do-Re-Mi".

Paris - Day 5

2010-05-25T16:52:00.001-05:00

Our last day in Paris we headed to St. Germain, or the Latin Quarter. This is where all the "hip" people hang out....particularly the university students. Even though we are right across the River Seine from Notre Dame, each little area will have a huge "little" church for their area. This is one of the MANY in Paris and it is just as ornate and beautiful on the inside as Notre Dame.

Just about everyone drives around Paris in a little car (particularly a Smart Car, Renault, or Peugot), motorcycles or Vespas. You'll see bikes parked all the way up a street on every street corner. The first time I saw a gal in a nice dress and stillettos driving a Vespa, I was a little shocked....but after seeing it over and over for 5 days, you get used to it!

We had lunch at a little cafe......everyone eats outside so you can watch the world go by. No one rushes you....you can stay as long as you wish.

It was time to get to the train station for our trip to Austria.

We went by "sleeper" train to Munich, Germany and then took another train to Salzburg, Austria. Our compartment had bunkbeds and our own little bathroom (complete with sink, potty, and shower). A breakfast was brought to our "room" as we watched the beautiful German countryside go by.

No matter how small the town......located directly in the middle was a church.

Yep! We're in Germany! We were a little overwhelmed because neither one of us knew any German words! Have NO idea what this sign says....I was just amazed by how many letters each word had!

Paris - Day 4

2010-05-25T16:37:00.001-05:00

Day 4 - The Louvre. The largest museum in the world. If you walked through all of its exhibits, you would walk 8 miles! Fortunately, we had a fabulous guide (who had been coming to the Louvre since he was 5 years old!) who took us to see their prized possessions:

Mona Lisa......I don't know why people are so facinated with this picture....how did it become so famous? I don't know. But it was so cool to see her in person - something I've seen in pictures all my life. I never thought I would see her in person. By the way, yes, she does smile at you and her eyes do follow you no matter which way you go. She is a lovely lady and I'm very glad I got to see her.

The Venus de Milo.....created 1000 years before Christ. Good grief - she's in pretty good shape considering her age!

The Louvre was a castle and then a palace before becoming a museum. Here's a model of what it looked like. They actually still have the original stones still set in place in the basement of the museum.

We ended day 4 with a dinner cruise down the River Seine. You couldn't have asked for a more perfect way to end the day. All the sites are even more beautiful at night when lit up. Paris really knows how to put on a show!

Paris - Day 3

2010-05-25T16:00:00.001-05:00

The Palace of Versailles was our adventure for Day 3. It's about a 30 minute train ride outside of Paris in the small town of Versailles. King Louis XIV made his dad's hunting lodge (WHAT A LODGE!) into a palace that also housed all the government offices. Once I saw this, I understood why the French Revolution occurred. Such opulence for some and extreme hunger and poverty for others.

The chapel inside Versailles. The king ordered everyone to attend mass everyday. He was said to be a very "religous man". However, when you visit each of the main rooms in the palace, the huge ceiling paintings contained all the Greek myth gods. Hmmmm...very unique religion he had going!

This is the hall of mirror. A huge room where the ceiling is completely covered in paintings, the walls are marble, covered in gold and then mirrors.

The gardens - emmaculate and absolutely stunning. They go for miles - all the way to the horizon. Just hard to fathom - even when it's right in front of you!

Versailles brought about some very mixed emotions in me. It was lovely in places, gaudy in others, and ridiculous in most. By the end of the tour, I was so thankful to be through. I just couldn't believe someone would choose to live like this while others were struggling to survive. But I could also hear the Lord tell me that Versailles is nothing even close to how beautiful heaven will be.

It was a good day. I loved the train ride. Wes is the master subway dude! He knew how to get us around everywhere by subway and it was such fun! I was even picking up a little (and I do mean LITTLE!) French.

Paris - Day 2

2010-05-25T13:04:00.001-05:00

Since we only had 5 days in Paris, we decided to take a double-decker bus tour. Wes knew this would be the best way for me to see as much of Paris as possible. We stopped at the Eiffel Tower - magnifique!

Notre Dame de Paris....oh my! Took about 200 years to build and was started in the 1100's. Takes your breath away! The stained glass windows alone - absolutely gorgeous.

This is the Opera House. This is a very common architechture in Paris.......all the buildings are ornate and so beautifully decorated.

The last part of our day, we stopped at Angelina to have hot chocolate.....yes, hot chocolate and a pastry. Yummy, Yummy, Yummy! I brought 10 tins of their hot chocolate mix home to give to friends. Yes, airport security had a hayday with it. :)

Paris - Day 1

2010-05-25T12:56:00.000-05:00

Wes and I had the vacation of a lifetime! We went to Europe and spent 5 days in Paris and 2 days in Salzburg, Austria. My next few blogs will be of each day and what we did.

Our hotel was right on the Champ-Elysees and near the Arc de Triumphe. A great central location for all we have planned! Let the adventure begin!

Amazing Grace

2010-05-25T09:54:00.001-05:00

A couple of years ago, a very good friend of ours, Jim Grady, came to paint the exterior of our house. We asked him to match the paint that was already on our house. He went and got the paint, came back, and said' "I usually don't put a lot of stock in these kind of things, but this is really cool." Come to find out, the color of our paint was "Amazing Grace." How cool is that? Our house is covered with Amazing Grace. We all laughed and thought what a neat way for God to show us that He has our home covered!

Wes and I have just returned from a trip to Europe (will be blogging more about that today) and we were a little concerned about the trip. We knew the Lord had given us a wonderful opportunity and we were so very excited. However, we would be travelling in countries where we didn't speak the language and we would be travelling much by train. Not knowing exactly how that transportation system worked, we were a little leery. But we dedicated our trip to God and knew He would take care of us.

We boarded our plane to Paris, buckled our seat belts, and the flight attendant came on the intercom and told us that our plane was piloted by Captain Grace, Captain "Amazin'" Grace. Are you kidding me???? Now, I don't know why that captain thought he was so amazing......at that point, all I could hear was God telling me, "Cheryl, I know your concerns. I'm right here. There's grace for this whole trip - not just grace, but amazing grace. Sit back and enjoy!"

God was right. There was grace for the whole trip. It was amazing. Yes, there were some bumps along the way, but God was there and took good care of us. I love it.....God's so much fun to hang out with!

Uncle Brendon's Hat

2010-04-27T21:37:00.000-05:00

This has become my favorite picture. Uncle Brendon adores Ashlynn Kate and she loves him. For her birthday, he surprised her with her very own "Uncle Brendon hat". She doesn't know that the big "T" stands for the Texas Rangers.....she doesn't care. It's her hat just like Uncle Brendon's . And that's what's important.

She's 3! Happy birthday, Ashlynn!

2010-04-27T21:15:00.000-05:00

It's hard to believe, but she is 3 years old! Oh my goodness! Where does the time go? It just seems like the other day when Nana, Pa, Granddaddy, and I were driving to College Station - hoping we would make it before she arrived! And now, Miss Ashlynn is 3.

The pictures above are of her "tea party". Her mama, Aunt Stacy, Nana, and I had lunch with Ashlynn at Celebrity Cafe to celebrate her birthday on Friday, April 23rd.

Then on Sunday, April 25th, she had a park party and celebrated with all her friends and family!

More to the Miracle

2010-04-21T20:27:00.000-05:00

If you haven't read the story of Roxy (the previous blog), you need to do so - otherwise, this won't make any sense. But here's a little added part of the miracle.

Jack Robinson is a faithful servant at my church. He is a precious man who serves in anyway he can. You can ask him to help you do just about anything and he'll do it with a happy heart and a smile on his face. He greets folks as they walk into the worship center every Sunday....never misses a Sunday....never. If you'll go back to my Nov. 14, 2009 blog, you'll see pictures of he and Ashlynn coloring on the floor in our church foyer. He's just that kind of guy....

Anyway, Easter morning, Wes headed to church to pray with the elders before he went out on a 2 day trip. As he was leaving the campus, he saw Jack and asked him to pray for me and explained what had happened with Roxy. Jack promised to pray every day...and he did faithfully, as he does everything else.

In the wee hours (3 am) of Tuesday morning, April 12th, Jack woke up from a sound sleep. This really surprised him as he rarely did so. He asked the Lord if he was suppose to pray for someone and immediately remembered that he had forgotten to pray for me before he had gone to sleep. He did pray for me, but felt that's not exactly what God wanted. He asked God again if there was something specific he should be praying for. He felt God say that he needed to pray for the puppy (Roxy). Now, Jack had never prayed for a dog before and he said he felt a little funny, but chose to be obedient and prayed earnestly for Roxy's protection and for her to be found. After he felt he had prayed all he was supposed to, he fell back asleep. But before he went back to sleep, he wrote the following down on a piece of paper. Here is a picture of that paper. It is a treasure to me. For you see, Roxy was found that afternoon. Thank you, Jack, for being obedient even when it "felt a little funny". Thanks for praying for that puppy!

Roxy and Agreements

2010-04-13T19:58:00.000-05:00

This is going to be a long blog and probably written more like a regular journal entry. I don't care about the grammar, spelling, or punctuation. But so much has happened in the last 2 weeks - I am afraid that I will forget it if I don't write it all down. I've learned to much - I've witnessed to much - I don't ever want to forget. So, here goes.....

On Friday, April 2, 2010 I went to the memorial service of my sweet friend's daughter, Arielle Schickedanz. I was so very proud of Mr. Bob and his family. It was quite obvious that even though they had lost a daughter and a sister, they were victorious....Jesus was seeing them through. I was emotionally drained - she had been sick for 10 years....it had been a long journey.

After I left the service, I was supposed to go over to my friend's house, Monica, and pick up her two Yorkies, Romo and Roxy. They were going to spend the night with me while Monica and Andrew were out of town. As I entered their house, Romo was immediately glad to see me. He had stayed with me before and knew me. However, Roxy and I had only met a couple of times, so she wasn't so sure of my presence. So, in order to help settle her, I sat on the sofa for about 45 minutes just loving on and talking to Romo. Roxy eventually came over and decided to join us. I took both of them to my truck, got Roxy's bed, and headed to my house. I knew Roxy was still pretty anxious, so I just prayed out loud, asked the Lord to protect us and keep us safe while Monica and Andrew were away. Little did I know what was in store.......

As soon as I got home, I put Romo and Roxy in the house. Then, I went back out to my truck to retrieve their beds. I BARELY opened the door to come back in and Roxy flew out. She was on the run and lose! My heart sank, but I grabbed my keys and hauled out to find her. You have to understand, Roxy is tiny! She weighs 3 1/2 pounds......she is so very small and VERY fast! I followed her for a little bit as she flew around the neighborhood. She stopped at a house....I jumped out of the car and called her name. She saw me and bolted once again. She was terrified of me and was determined to get away from me. We have a lot of pastureland with horses and also some woods surrounding my house. Roxy immediately hauled off across one of the pastures and was gone into the wooded area. I couldn't see her anymore. I was devastated. I also began to make agreements. You see, Satan immediately started talking to me. His words? "God doesn't care about you.....you just prayed and asked him to watch over Roxy and look what's happened...He let Roxy get away anyway."

I first called Wes....he was on a trip visiting his family in South Carolina. I knew he couldn't physically help....but I knew he would immediately begin to pray. He didn't answer the phone. Satan was talking BIG time to me......."See, he doesn't really love you......he won't even answer your phone calls.......besides, he's never there when you need him." Yes, because Wes is an airline pilot, he is gone a lot. I knew Brendon was in Arlington and too far away to help me. So my next call went to Austin. He's the vet, he knows animals, he'll know what to do. He didn't answer his phone. That's really not that unusual. I know that Austin's job sometimes keeps him at the clinic until late hours and he doesn't answer his phone if he's with a patient. But I also know that if I need him, I can call Shawna and she'll get him for me. So, my next call is to Shawna.......she doesn't answer. I'm panicking now...I don't know what to do. Satan's still talking....."See, even your family doesn't love you....nobody wants to help you...you are all alone....nobody cares." All of this is going on in my mind as I'm frantically looking for Roxy and trying to figure out what to do. I start to dial Austin again and he rings me. He sees that I've tried to call both of them and knows somethings not right. I immediately explain and tell him I need him to come help me find Roxy. There's nothing on the other end of the line. He then begins to explain to me that they are at a meeting which they must attend in order to get licensed by the state to become adoptive parents. They're so far away that by the time they could get to me it would be dark. So, they can't help me either. Austin even prayed with me over the phone, but that's not what I wanted....I wanted help. And Satan just keeps talking...."See, even Austin and Shawna won't help you. They're your last hope." I just sat in my car and cried. Yes....I agreed with the devil that night....Nobody cared...Not even my family.

You must understand something......all those agreements were lies. Wes left his phone when he changed out of his uniform....He would have walked back to Texas if he had to, to help me. Brendon, Austin, Shawna, and Ashlynn would have come if I said, "Yes, I need you. Come now!" They would have beat the barn down to get to me. My family would do anything for me. I've always known that....but in the heat of this battle, I couldn't even think straight. I chose to believe the lies.

Satan wasn't just talking to me about my family either. Monica is a sweet, dear friend. I've known her since she was in high school....her husband is one of Austin's best friends and was his roommate at A&M. She feels called to be a children's pastor, so she's been my assistant for the past 2 years and will someday take my place. So, Satan continues......."How are you ever going to face Monica? Your relationship will be broken forever. You've even screwed up the plans for her to be the next children's pastor. How can you work through this? She'll never forgive you. Roxy is her baby." And even more, "Monica is leaving on the mission trip to Kenya on Monday. She won't go if Roxy isn't found. You've even screwed up the mission trip they've been planning for months." Oh yeah....another set of agreements I made with the king of lies.

I had to call Monica.....she was so brave....telling me she was alright....she was lying...I knew she was...but I admired her gumption while she talked to me. She and Andrew immediately came back home and began looking for Roxy. She was no where to be found. I drove around most of Friday night, what I expected to see...I don't know...it was pitch black...Roxy is tiny....but I had to look. Finally, I came back to the house and sat in the floor and cried the most gut wrenching cry I've ever done in my life. I was so thankful Romo was there. He sat beside me...just like a close friend....never leaving my side. I remember even looking at him and telling him that at least he cared. Hmmmmm, another agreement.

As soon as it was light, I was out again looking for Roxy. Stopping every person I could find...asking them to keep an eye out for her. I was so concerned because Roxy was so very small, she could be dinner for coyotes, foxes, and even hawks that I knew resided in our area. Monica and Andrew continued their search....all of their family and friends started going door to door. We did talk to the lady who owned the pasture that Roxy tore through. She said she'd keep watch for her and to not give up hope. Many times she has found strays out with her horses. For some reason, the dogs feel very safe near them.

After a HUNDRED miles on my car, I finally went home. I was devastated and exhausted. I called Wes...we cried, he prayed, I began to hear God.....just a little....ever so faint. "Cheryl, you know you're making agreements with the devil. He's deceiving you....break the agreements...believe the truth. I knew He was right....I tried, but I just really didn't have it in me. I kept at it though. "I am a daughter of the Most High God.....He loves me and cares about me. My family cares more than I could ever imagine." I kept repeating it over and over. It really wasn't making me feel better, but I knew I had to speak the truth. Then friends began to call to tell me how sorry they were and that they were praying for me and specifically that Roxy would be found. Satan was still talking....but I could hear God - a little - "See, you are loved...you are cared about." Austin's calling..."how are you doing, Mom? I'm so sorry. Mama, I love you."

Wes came home.....oh, it was so nice for him to come home. He had to go out on another trip the next day. Satan comes talking...."See, he's leaving you again." But this time, I could say, "No, he's not leaving me. He's just going to work."

Saturday night I went to bed exhausted. Sunday morning was Easter. I was planning on going to church. I woke up at 9:45.....I had slept for 11 hours. I hadn't done that since high school. What I know now is the reason I could sleep so well was because of all the prayers - particularly Wes' prayers over me. He was being my covering, my protector....I just didn't realize it at the time. Knew I couldn't get to church on time, so I decided to just chill at home. I really didn't want to face everybody anyway. Maybe this was best. It's amazing how much clearer I could think after some sleep. All of a sudden, I could see the agreements I had made with the devil. I didn't know it at the time, but dear friends and family all over the world were praying for me. I could see the truth. I began to renounce all the stupid lies that I had agreed to. I really was a daughter of the King.......I renounced the lies I said about my family and about Monica. I didn't know how God was going to fix this, but I knew He was the only one that could make good come from it. Brendon came over after church and we went to lunch. I can't tell you how good it was to spend time with him. Just hanging with one of my sons - not being alone - soothing to my soul. Monica and Cindy came by the house to check on me. I was receiving text after text.......thinking about you.....love you.....praying for you.....missed you today. Soothing words...again, healing to my soul. Was I my usual "bouncy" self ? Oh no....I was fighting for my life....but I had a little hope and it was growing.

Days went by....prayed for Roxy's protection every day. Still fighting the agreements that Satan keeps trying to pound into my head. Just because I renounce them doesn't mean that he's going to give up. He kept bringing them back to my mind over and over. I just kept renouncing...getting stronger and stronger. Drove around and passed out fliers. Monica left for Africa....ahhh, another lie that Satan got wrong! Andrew, friends, and family spent every waking hour looking for Roxy. Then, a call....the lady with the horses...she's seen Roxy in her field. Andrew and Ryan head that way. Andrew even sees her, but she runs off before he could even get close. They spot her again....decide to try and trap her. No luck. Ryan even gets within 10 feet of her, but she runs off again, this time, to another pasture. They've lost her....again. Are you kidding me, God? You bring our hopes up just to dash them? Don't you care........oh no.....not that agreement.....I'm not going there. God, I trust you. Watch over Roxy.

We don't see her anymore. It's been 10 days....Tuesday, April 12th. Surely, something has happened to Roxy by now. OK, God, if that's what You want....I will walk with You....I trust You. My heart bleeds for my friend. She's going to be devastated when she comes home from Africa and Roxy not be here. But I trust You. You promise that all things work together for good for those called according to Your purpose. Then the phone call....the lady with the horses. Roxy is back in her pasture. She got within 10 feet of Roxy before she ran off. She put out some food for her and went back in the house. She saw Roxy come and eat it. Andrew calls us......he'll get her this time. He goes out to the pasture with Romo......just walks around for a little bit in the gully that's right beside the horse pasture. He turns around and calls to Romo. He hears a jingling noise behind him. He turns around.....there's Roxy. He calls her name and she comes right to him. The cell phones are tied up all around the world. The one little lamb that had been lost, has been found! This 3 1/2 pound little Yorkie has survived for 10 days in the woods. Andrew says she looks like she's been out for a walk. She looks great! That's because she had a great big angel watching out for her. God is so good. We walk around in awe for the rest of the day. I even laugh as I'm watching the weatherman that night. He says he can't explain the weather.....it always rains this time of year. We're even in an "El Nino" year - which is supposed to be a very wet spring and yet it hasn't rained for 10 days....that's just not heard of here in Texas. I laugh......couldn't rain.....Roxy wasn't home yet.

This has been the hardest 10 days of my life....but I have learned so much. I do not want to make agreements anymore. I know Satan's very smart, he knows when and how to get me when I'm down - but that's when I've got to be looking up. That's when I've got to have friends praying for me, fighting with me.

This story has a fairytale ending...Roxy came home. But even if Roxy hadn't have come home, it still would have had a wonderful ending. God's in the business of making us more and more like him. If Roxy hadn't of come home, there would have been His grace and love to help us all get through it. But this time....Roxy came home.....Monica will be home in 4 days. It will be a joyous reunion. I can't wait to hear everything that God has taught Monica during this time. Because you see, He loves her just as much as He loves me and I know she has grown closer to our Father through all of this.

Thank you, Father, for loving me, showing me some of the "nasties" that are in me. Thank you, for forgiving me over and over again. Thank you, for giving new mercies every morning. Thank you, for watching over that sweet little dog. Thank you, for bringing her home.

Opening Day

2010-04-12T19:14:00.000-05:00

Brendon and I had the opportunity to go to the Texas Rangers' Opening Day. It's so much fun because of all the "pomp and circumstance" that happens before the game....there's a Dixieland band playing as you enter the ballpark, the hot dog vendors are dressed like their predecessors with their red and white striped shirts, white pants, and red caps, and people tailgating for hours before the game.

The neatest thing about Opening Day is the memories that are made. It's a day when you see families together....daddy's holding little ones hands.....all excited as they've missed a day of school to watch a baseball game together as a family.

That's the reason I like it.....memories. I love spending time with Brendon on Opening Day. We have the best time. We laugh, make jokes, eat hot dogs, lemon chills, strawberry chills, popcorn, a Big Kahuna or maybe cotton candy. You can't help but just revel in all the excitement around you and can't wait to watch your team take the field for the first time of the season.

We've done this for the past 2 years.....I hope this tradition continues for a long, long time.

Take me out to the ballgame

Take me out with the crowd

Buy me some peanuts and cracker jacks

I don't care if I ever get back

So it's root, root, root, for the Rangers

If they don't win it's a shame!

For it's one, two, three strikes you're out

At the old ballgame!

God Moments

2010-03-30T12:50:00.000-05:00

I love it when I know that God specifically had me in the right place at the right time and can see why He had me there! Many times we are at that place, but don't see what He's up to, but today was a different story.

I found out yesterday that a daughter of a dear, precious friend, had gone to be with Jesus. Arielle had struggled with a Parkinson's like disease for more than 10 years, and at the age of 21, God said....enough......come home. I am so thankful she is in no more pain....I am so thankful she is with our Father - running, laughing, giggling, smiling, and praising Him. We all know it was a blessing for her to be rid of that broken body she had been dealing with for these past years.

But.....my heart hurt for my friend, Mr. Bob. He is my "little brother" and I love him dearly. I can't imagine the pain Bob, his wife Sheryl, and their two sons, Chris and Collin, are experiencing. Yes, God had been very present with them through all of this. Yes, they believed the Healer could heal Arielle at anytime. And yes, they knew it was right when He said it was time to take her home to be with Him. But to lose a daughter....even though you have that hope deep inside knowing you'll be with her again in eternity.......but she's not here on earth anymore. I can only imagine.

But here's how God showed me how much He loves this family - and me for that matter. My relationship with Bob was children's pastor's business. Our churches had gone to Kids' Kamp together for years. He was our camp pastor. I was the camp director and worship leader. We became fast and furious friends and soon family. He truly was and is my brother. I would fight to the death for him. Even though we'd see each other several months out of the year while planning camp, we just knew that if either one of us needed someone, we would be there for each other.

We probably did 10 years of camps together and every time we had Nurse Susan with us. Susan was Bob's sister and she went to camp with us and made sure all "our babies" took their medicine, she mended boo-boos, and made sure we drank lots of water while out in the hot Texas summer sun. She was precious - special - I just loved her.

So, the day I had been dreading came. Bob called me and told me he needed to step down as children's pastor of Glenview Baptist to take care of Arielle. Of course, I understood - even agreed - but was so disappointed. I so hoped that didn't mean the end of seeing my friend and his sister. Over the years, we have managed to keep in contact. He'd kept me informed about Arielle and how he and Sheryl were doing. But I lost contact with Susan.

I knew Arielle's time of earth was growing to a close unless God did a miracle. And then word came....Arielle was in the presence of the Most Holy God. This happened late Friday night, April 26, 2010. Again, there was sadness and joy.

But here's the point to my story. Here's my God moment. Wes had scheduled a routine colonoscopy for this morning (Tuesday, 3/30) around a month ago. We walked into Baylor Surgicare this morning at 7 am and guess who was his nurse????? SUSAN!!! Are you kidding me????? And she had only been working there for 3 weeks. I can't tell you how many times I had thought of her over the past few days. I had been in touch with Sheryl and Bob, but I didn't know how to contact Susan. I had been wondering how she was doing.

We looked at each other, ran to each other, hugged and cried! What a God moment! She so desperately needed someone to hold her and tell her things were going to be alright. She knew everything was fine....she knew God was in control...but she needed Him to show her. And I got to be the one to do that! I was in such awe that God would allow me to do something so intimate for this family that I love so deeply.

As we left the surgicare today, we all knew that Wes' colonoscopy was not the real reason for us to be there. We knew God had orchestrated every step so we could be there to love and comfort a dear friend. All 3 of us were in awe of God's great love for us. What great lengths He would go to show us how much He loves us and to let us know that He understands our grieving and our pain. And He is there....oh, He was there and He is there.

I never want to forget this day.

Global Warming

2010-03-24T21:23:00.001-05:00

There's been so much talk about

"global warming" these past few years. Because we have created a hole in the ozone, the earth is getting hotter and hotter. Before you know it, (I think the "experts" say in a million years or so) the earth will be too hot to maintain life of any kind.

This is quite facinating to me for you see, we've had one of the coldest winters since they began keeping weather records back in the 1800's. We've had a record amounts of snow and then this happens: the first day of spring....it snows...in Texas! If we're in the midst of "global warming", how could we possibly be having the snow and cold we've experienced this winter?

I love how God puts things back into perspective. He says, "Really? Global Warming? Watch this!" I love it when He shows off. Snow.....on the first day of spring.....in Texas.....perfect.

Austin's Birthday

2010-03-14T17:31:00.001-05:00

We had the opportunity to celebrate Austin's birthday last night. Even though his birthday was really 3 days ago, this was pretty amazing that the Neelys could get together this quickly to celebrate. You see, it seems we never celebrate a holiday or birthday on the real date. We always have to make sure Wes is home and with him flying 3 - 5 days a week....well, let's just say that we can celebrate a holiday anytime. However, this has taught my guys to be very flexible! We've learned that a holiday isn't a date on the calendar - it's when a family can get together and celebrate!

It's hard to believe Austin is already 27 years old...I mean, he is my "baby"! But as we spent time together last night, it was amazing to look at my youngest son, his precious wife, and the most adorable little girl in the whole wide world and realize that not only is his a blessed man, but Wes and I are a blessed mom and dad.

Austin, we are so very proud of you. You bring honor to the Neely name and your dad and I love you so much. Happy birthday, son!

A wise son brings joy to his father.......Proverbs 10:1

Saturday with Ashlynn

2010-02-13T20:04:00.001-06:00

This morning, Ashlynn arrived at my house and spent most of the day with Brendon and me. What a treat to spend the day with this precious little girl! Here's some of our activities:

Dancing with the GoFish Guys! She loves clapping her hands and stomping her feet!

Feeding Sonia and Freddy pizzas at the store.

Watching all the pictures flip through the digital picture frame.

Loving on Gracie. Ashlynn is so very, very gentle with Gracie.

Singing with Uncle Brendon.

Eating PBJs for lunch while playing computer games on Sesame Street.

Going to JuJu's library to check out books and movies.

My favorite part of the whole day was when Granddaddy and Ashlynn sang, "Singaba Hambayo Thina" while doing crafts. This is one of the Sindebele songs Granddaddy learned while he lived in Africa. As you can tell, they both enjoyed it very much.

This was an incredibly wonderful day. What a joy to spend a day with your granddaughter! Making memories that I'll never, ever forget.

SNOW! SNOW! SNOW!

2010-02-13T19:57:00.000-06:00

We had a record snow in the DFW area. 12.5 inches! It was beautiful! We've never seen anything like it and how cool of God to give us such a special treat!

Black Bean Soup

2010-02-09T12:23:00.000-06:00

The sun is shining, there's not a cloud in the sky, and it's quite chilly today. I found a new recipe for Black Bean Soup and it was a perfect day to eat it. Here's the recipe:

2 cups dry black beans
1 ham bone
6 cups water
4 cups chicken broth
1 tablespoon broth
2 tablespoon olive oil
1/2 onion, chopped
1 tomato, diced
1/2 pound chopped ham
1 tablespoon white vinegar
Sour cream

Prepare dry beans as directed (I soaked mine overnight)
Simmer beans, water, ham bone, broth, and salt for 1 1/2 hours
Discard ham bone. Puree about 1/2 of soup; pour back into pot.
Saute onion, tomato, and ham in oil until onion is soft. Stir in vinegar, and then add mixture to beans. Simmer for 20 minutes. Serve hot with a scoop of sour cream on top.

(My soup ended up a little thick so I added another can of chicken broth to make it more "soupy".)

Bruno

2010-01-25T19:30:00.000-06:00

Between all of us in the Neely family, there are four birds; Brendon has Gracie, the dove, Austin and Shawna have Tego, the parakeet, and we have Dory and Bruno. Gracie, Tego, and Dory love to take baths. We can put out a dish of warm water and they will jump right in, fluff their feathers, roll around in the water, and have a great time. However, we've never been able to get Bruno to do this......and tonight we found out why:

Bruno is a shower bird!

PEEPS!

2010-01-10T17:06:00.000-06:00

Here's the Peeps story:

A couple of years ago, Wes and I were visiting Austin and Shawna in College Station. As we were chatting about anything and everything, our conversation turned to "liked" and "disliked" foods. Come to find out, Wes and Shawna like a lot of the same kinds of foods. So, Wes was just sure that Shawna would love the Peeps marshmallow treats. You know, those nasty yellow marshmallow chicks and bunnies that come out every Easter? Those things are some of Wes' very favorites.

After our meal, we hunted around several stores until we found the Peeps. Shawna took one bite and decided very quickly that those were not for her! Wes couldn't believe it! They enjoyed so many of the same tastes....but evidently not Peeps!

But Shawna has not let Wes down! Now, at EVERY holiday, Wes gets at least one package of Peeps. At Easter it's the chicks or bunnies......4th of July - firework Peeps......Christmas - tree Peeps! There are Peeps for every holiday now.

So, Shawna is teaching the tradition to Ashlynn, who gave her Granddaddy some Christmas tree Peeps for Christmas....and guess what? She loves them! I see many Peeps in their future!

Family

2010-01-10T16:58:00.000-06:00

Wes and I have been blessed with such a great family! We have the two greatest sons in the world......one of the most precious daughter-in-laws on this earth.........and the best granddaughter in the world.

Christmas Time

2010-01-10T16:45:00.000-06:00

Isn't Christmas fun? It's just a blast being with family....laughing and making great memories. Ashlynn made it particularly fun for us as she opened every one of her presents and exclaimed with a "wow" or "oooooh" even if she didn't even have a clue yet what she had! It's so much fun having a little one in the house!

ICE!

2010-01-04T21:05:00.000-06:00

While on Christmas vacation, Brendon and I visited ICE! at the Gaylord Texan. This year, they featured, "How the Grinch Stole Christmas", one of our all time favorite Christmas movies - right up there with "Merry Christmas, Charlie Brown!".

After standing in a LONG line (thank goodness we purchased our tickets online or our wait would have been much longer), we entered into a tented area where the temperature was 9 degrees! It was so fascinating to see the sculptures made out of ice which looked just like the cartooned movie!
It was very cool - and I don't mean just the temperature!

Christmas Eve

2010-01-03T21:22:00.000-06:00

Our church always has a candlelight Christmas Eve service. It's a very special time where our church family gets together and thanks God for sending His Son to earth. It's a perfect way to start Christmas Day.

We had a wonderful surprise this Christmas Eve. It snowed all day! What a treat from heaven! It was beautiful. It made driving to church that evening a little "exciting" since "us Texans" don't know how to drive in the snow......but what a joy to watch the snow fall and cover everything with a beautiful white....just like Jesus covers all our sins and makes us clean and "white as snow".

Jesus paid it all

All to Him, I owe

Sin had left a crimson stain

He washed it white as snow

A Time To Remember - Christmas Extravaganza 2009

2009-12-17T17:14:00.000-06:00

Last night, the FABULOUS kids of Restoration Church sang during the churches' 5th annual Christmas Extravaganza. They were AWESOME! They sang their little hearts out! I was so very proud of them and just couldn't believe that I get to work with these precious kids every week. They really do make me smile!

A Night of Wonder

2009-12-17T16:52:00.001-06:00

This past week, our church participated in "A Night of Wonder". 6Stones Ministry found out through the HEB school district, that almost 2000 children just in the HEB area would have no presents under the tree this Christmas. So our church, along with 12 other churches in the HEB area, adopted all those children. Church families adopted these children and their siblings and bought toys and clothes for them. Then, each one of the churches was given a school and the churches provided a Christmas party for these families and passed out the presents. 6Stones even provided a gift for the kids to give to their parents on Christmas morning. My part in all of this was to provide supplies for the kids so they could make a card to put in their parents' gift. We had volunteers who sat with the children, loved on them and helped them make their cards. These are a few of the pictures from that night. It was an exhausting, exhilarating night! What a treat to go love on somebody....just because.....I loved it!

Our Babies - Part 2

2009-12-10T10:28:00.000-06:00

This is our other baby, Dory. She wasn't feeling very photogenic when I wrote my last blog.

She is such a sweetie! Loves to sing! She brings sweet, sweet music to our home.

One of Dory's favorite things to do is to fly to Bruno's cage and pester him. I guess she has to let him know that she was here first and she's the top bird!

Birds are the perfect pet for an airline pilot's home. Wes gets so fascinated watching both birds maneuver and land....just like the Super 80! Hmmmm......maybe the Super 80 flies just like the birds!?

Our Babies

2009-12-02T21:28:00.000-06:00

We have 2 pets in our home - Dory and Bruno. Dory is a blue/green parakeet and these 2 pictures are of Bruno, our gray cockatiel. Dory was our Christmas present from Austin and Shawna 4 years ago. She brings so much joy with her singing. She is such a sweetie!
Bruno is fairly new to our family. He was abandoned at Austin's clinic, where Austin found him out in the yard.....with his wings clipped....and NOT in a cage. The poor little thing was pretty much defenseless. Bruno ended up at our house in March and has become part of our family. He can whistle a cat call, charge, and Wes is trying to teach him the Aggie War Hymn. That one has him a little puzzled, but we'll keep working on it!
Bruno even decided to help us decorate the tree last night. Dory chose to sit in her cage and sing while Christmas carols played in the background. They are so much fun and bring lots of sweet noise to our house!

Singing in the Rain

2009-11-18T19:40:00.000-06:00

One of the things my family likes to do is mimic different scenes from movies, particularly from The Princess Bride, Monty Python and the Holy Grail, and Singing in the Rain. One time, Austin and I sang and danced in the rain in a WalMart parking lot.....Brendon walked ahead and pretended not to know us. So, I'm thrilled to see this tradition be carried on to the next generation! Here's Austin and Ashlynn portraying one of our favorite scenes from Singing in the Rain. I've also posted the original scene from the movie so you can see just how talented my granddaughter is!

Thanks, Brendon, for a great video!

Servant

2009-11-14T17:48:00.001-06:00

These are pictures of Ashlynn and Mr. Jack, one of the neatest people I know. Mr. Jack has been at our church about as long as we have.....he is there EVERY Sunday, opening doors, welcoming people, moving chairs or tables, or whatever needs to be done - including drawing with a cute little girl on the foyer floor! He always has a smile on his face and usually a poem in his heart. I'm so glad he has been a part of my sons' lives, and now, Ashlynn has the opportunity to be a friend to one incredible man.

"I tell you the truth, anyone who will not receive the kingdom of God like a little child will never enter it." Luke 18:17

Cookies!

2009-10-30T19:24:00.000-05:00

I got a nice surprise that I wasn't expecting today. Ashlynn spent part of the afternoon with Granddaddy and me. We decided to make cookies. After they had cooled on the cookie sheet, we packaged some and walked down to Pawdy's house to give him a few....packaged some up for Uncle Brendon, and then some for Ashlynn to take to her momma and daddy. We had so much fun......and as you can see from the pictures, some of the dough didn't make it to the cookie sheet! Sorry some of the pictures are blurry, but that girl doesn't sit still very long!

Happy Birthday

2009-10-27T13:22:00.000-05:00

Happy Birthday, Shawna! My precious daughter-in-law's birthday is today. She has brought so much joy and happiness into my family! It's great having another girl around - and then she gave us Ashlynn! So "us girls" have finally caught up with the guys!

Wes and I began praying for Shawna the day that Austin was born. We knew God had someone very special picked out for our son, but we are so in awe of Him to see how well Shawna compliments Austin. They make a great team! She is such a good wife and such a wonderful momma! I wish I had had her wisdom when I was her age. Our family is truly blessed to have her!

So, happy birthday, Shawna! Thank you for saying "yes" when Austin asked you to marry him under the Century Tree at A&M! Our family would be so incomplete without you.

Mom - Part 2

2009-10-25T17:04:00.000-05:00

Well, 5 years ago today, Mom went to be with Jesus. So, a couple of days ago, I remembered some of my favorite memories of her. Today, I'm sharing my favorite picture of her and my boys. We were living in San Antonio at the time and took many trips to the zoo. This is a picture we took right after feeding the fish. Sweet Memaw......sweet memory.

Mom

2009-10-22T13:18:00.000-05:00

Today is Mom's birthday. She would have been 82 years old today. As I sit and think back to all the sweet times, a few memories stand out in my mind:

1. She always loved to cook holiday meals. The idea of having her whole family together excited her so very much and all she could think about was all the food she "had" to prepare!

2. Shopping - she loved to go shopping; however, she never tried on anything nor did she rarely buy anything. She always had to "think about it" before buying it.

3. Even though I rarely saw her buy anything....she always looked beautiful! Mom was always colored co-ordinated - right down to her shoes! I was always amazed how she could make everything match!

4. Fried shrimp - oh man, Mom cooked shrimp for us all the time! It made such a mess in the kitchen, but it was so worth it!

5. And my favorite memory - when the family was all together, my sister-in-law and my sister would wait until it was getting late and then we'd ask Mom to play Liverpool Rummy with us. She always played....yawn after yawn....but never gave in. If you've never played Liverpool before, you play with 2 decks of cards and with each hand you deal one more card than the last, and the requirements change from what you needed to get from the last time. So, Mom would always be saving cards for what she needed for the last hand not the present one. She always made us laugh! We loved playing cards with her.

So, happy birthday, Mom. It'll be so fun to get to laugh with you again some day.

This is the day!

2009-10-06T19:42:00.000-05:00

Our entire family had the opportunity to spend several days on the Mexican Yucatan peninsula - Playa del Carmen to be exact. It is on the coast of the Caribbean Sea, so the water and weather there is wonderful! God had blessed Wes and I financially to where we were able to take Brendon, Austin, Shawna, and Ashlynn for a visit to this wonderful place.

It was a challenge getting to Playa.....between 9 suitcases, 3 back packs, a 2 1/2 hour flight delay due to mechanical problems, customs and immigrations, plus an hour van ride to the hotel from the airport, we were pretty worn out by the time we arrived. Because of the flight delay, we arrived at our hotel after dark and we were starving! We hurried to get something to eat before they shut down the buffet for the evening. Ashlynn didn't even get to see the beach except in the dark when we had finished eating. What a disappointment! We couldn't even see the gorgeous sea God had created!

We did take Ashlynn to the beach and let her put her feet in the warm water and promised her a wonderful day the next day. Pretty much exhausted, we headed to our rooms. Grandaddy looked at Ashlynn and asked her if she was glad to be at the beach. She said, "Yes, this has been a wonderful day." I couldn't believe what I heard! This had not been a wonderful day. We had lugged that poor child everywhere, pulling her in and out of her car seat all day long. She had to wait for vans....it was hot.....humid......we had to wait in line after line.....we didn't even get to see the beach or the pretty water....and yet, to her, it had been a wonderful day.

Then, I began to think.....at the beginning of our day, many of us quote Psalm 118:24: "This is the day that the Lord has made. Let us rejoice and be glad in it." But how many of us speak that verse at the end of our day....particularly when it hasn't been a very good day. So, once again, my granddaughter has taught me something very important about loving God. And I want to put it into practice. Today wasn't the greatest of days, but you know what? This is the day that the Lord has made. I will rejoice and be glad in it. Yes, this has been a wonderful day.

Thank you, Ashlynn.

Journaling

2009-09-20T20:40:00.000-05:00

I am so not a "journaler" and the whole idea of blogging kinda scares me! I'm not a baker, like my good friend, Elaine, so there won't be many recipes to share here. I don't have the gift of "finding the great deals" like my daughter-in-law, Shawna. So, you won't find that info here either.

However, I love talking about my God and my family so I thought this would be a great way to share my thoughts. God has been so good to me.....He has never let me down or not come to my rescue. He has blessed me with an incredible husband, 2 awesome sons, a precious daughter-in-law (how I hate that name! She's our daughter...there's no in-law about it!), and the most adorable, beautiful, precious, granddaughter on this earth!

So, how can I not be thankful? How can I not sing His praises over and over again. My goal? For this blog to become my testimony of the faithfulness of my Savior.