God is soooooo GOOD!

Well, we left for Fort Hood, TX on Wed. 1-10-07. Driving there was great. There were no mishaps, no car trouble, no traffic, great weather and our GPS got us there with no problem. It was so good to see my daughter, Rachael. She's a precious loving mommy to her children and a loving and devoted wife to our son in law, Chris. Jonathan was 5 yrs old on the 8th and we helped with his party at Chuck E Cheese ---- oh boy. He's definitely a BIG brother. You know bossy and controling and a know it all. He's my bubby and I love him dearly. He loves going to church and I continue to pray that he will make a decision for Christ. Actually, that's my prayer for ALL my grandchildren, and their children, and their children . . . . My Effie (aka Ethan) will talk your leg off if you let him. No, he didn't learn that from me :o}. Not much stops him, he's very interested about anything and everything. Even when he's told to leave it alone. He's a "must watch" child. Then . . . there's the little girlie, Kaelyn Faith. She's the best baby. At two weeks old she's looking for faces when she hears voices. She almost never cries and Rach said she's already gain a pound and a half. Everyone is totally enjoying her.
When we left for CA we only got within 20 miles of the I-10 and were turned around back to the northwest to the 190. We were on it for miles trying to get back to the I-10 but to no avail. The snow, sleet and ice storms had the I-10 closed and eventually caught up with us on the 190. We drove on the ice in minimal visibility and finally got to, of all places, Iraan TX. The one motel had no vacancies and I began to weep as I thought we might have to spend the night in our Jeep in 20 degree weather in the convenience store parking lot. We prayed and thanked God that we were safe and had things that would help us. After calling the Sheriff in town we learned that we were "trapped" by the storm. We went back to the motel to see if anyone had cancelled their reservations because they couldn't get to town and YES there was one cancellation. The lady, from India, said, "You're lucky." I said, "No, it's God." "He's taking care of us." We had a nice warm room with beds, bathroom, TV, microwave, iron/ironing board, curling iron, and refrigerator. What a difference between what I thought we were going to have to do and what God gave us. I know He would have taken care of us either way. We paid for another day at the motel and started to venture out to see "the damage". We didn't have to spend another night. God cleared everything up and we got out all the way to Deming NM. We finally got home Thursday night. During the night another storm went through NM and they closed the I-10 there and there was rain through eastern AZ, but we were home. No car trouble, no health problems, no traffic, no mishaps, and our GPS got us home again. God's Protective Shield = GPS. To be held in His arms! Even when things aren't going "right". That's the only place to be. See you tomorrow. Thank you for praying. "There's more pictures and the very bottom of this page."

It's Sunday!!!!!

I enjoy Sundays! I enjoy the children that I get to teach in Children's Church. I'm so grateful for the help from Ryne, Zach and Bro Stephen. Our story today was about a retired missionary teaching 3 kids the importance of being in the hands of the master. He gave each one a gift and an address to go to: a lump of clay - an art studio; an old pocket knife - a police station; a bit for a horse - horse stables. The gifts were kind of weird to the kids because they didn't know how to use them and they made a mess with them. Then they met some people that knew how to use them. An artist made beautiful pottery and bowls with the lump of clay. Some policemen met once a week to do some whittling and they made some wonderful things with the knife and wood. A horse trainer, after much patience and process, was able to put the bit in the mouth of a young, untamed colt. We are the lump of clay, the old pocket knife and the horse bit. Seemingly useless until they are placed in the Master's Hands. He molds, and whittles and gets us to trust Him and we begin to become what He wants us to be. He knows what that is and we need to trust Him. And we're not all alike. And we don't all have the same gifts and talents. But we're His. Made by the Master's Hands. James 1:2-4 "My brethren, count it all joy when ye fall into divers temptations; Knowing this, that the trying of your faith worketh patience. But let patience have her perfect work, that ye may be perfect and entire, wanting nothing."

Unbelievable! ?

On Thursday, in the evening, I wrote a post about some stress and giving it to God and trusting Him to make it run smoothly and if it didn't that's what He wanted. Well . . . . . . you're not going to believe how He allowed that to be tested. You know the devil is still alive and working overtime and wants nothing more than to tear you down. Sometimes God allows things in our life to show us and teach us that our walk and talk have to go hand in hand.

The day started off ((((cold))))) and windy. (gusts to 80 miles an hour). The painters at the church were having trouble with the tape not holding the paper and their ladders blowing over and sand getting on the fresh paint. My day was a revealing experience aaalll day. Just a few:
I made my oatmeal in the morning and discovered afterward that we were out of milk. I like my oatmeal with milk. Oh well, Eggos, here we come (they're fast). My new calendars were missing some things -- Anniversary Sunday in October and Christmas Dinner in December. My "therapy" was to sit down and write, by hand, on the 75 that were still in the foyer. I then discovered an error on some tithe records and proceeded to change those. All the while the computer was doing some really {{{wierd}}} things. I have two witnesses, it wasn't just me (the computer challenged one). All the time I kept praying "it's yours God." I don't think He puts as much 'importance' on 'things' as we do. Life is sssooo fleeting and passing sssooo fast and we waste too much time on the 'wrong things'. Well in the end things did "come together for good to those that love the Lord" :o] I was at the church until 9:00 p.m. along with Casey, Thomas, Pastor, and Mrs. Janet. The fellowship was sweet. This life is about people: knowing Christ as Savior and growing, maturing and loving God the Father, God the Son, and God the Holy Spirit. Nothing else should come close in comparison.

A Day In God's Control

Today went by in a blur. All the windows and door knobs are taped up so the painters can spray paint the outside of the sanctuary. I had to tear a little hole where the key goes in the door knob to get into my office. All of the sidewalks are covered with paper and tape. Hey, maybe I should buy stock :o] . Well -- W-2's, tithe records, new directories, calendars, and new personal goals books are aaalllmmmooossstt completed. Like > < this close. I love giving all of this to the Lord. He keeps things running smoothly and there's no stress when you give it to Him. If it doesn't get done then that's the way He wanted it. Thank you Jesus, you're my Hero.

It's funny, but I was thinking of my Dad today. How much I love him and miss him. He died of pancreatic cancer in April 2003. Two days before they tore down the statue of Saddam Hussein in Baghdad, Iraq. There was a song dedicated to my family a few days later, by a Gospel quartet called "Sons of the Shepherd". The song is "Look To God."
Look to God, don't be discouraged.
Don't be afraid, you're not alone.
See the One, Who will give you courage
To press on, Look to God.

When you trust in God surrender
Everything to His control.
The fear is gone, only peace remains.
When you walk by faith and not by sight
You walk a steady road
For the mountains and the valleys
become plains.

Look to God, don't be discouraged.
Don't be afraid, you're not alone.
See the One, Who will give you courage
To press on, Look to God.

AGAIN ! ?

Well here I am again. Being a secretary at the church has it's challenges at the end of a year and the beginning of a year. One just kinda blends into the other. Close out the old and start the new. Maybe that's why we feel it's a time of new beginnings. You know each time we ask forgiveness and confess our wrongs it's a new beginning. Jesus erases our wrongs and we have a clean beginning each time. Each minute, each hour, each day, each time we ask. Isn't our Savior merciful? Lamentations 3:22, 23. It is of the Lord's mercies that we are not consumed, because His compassions fail not. They are NEW every morning: great is thy faithfulness.

My First Day "blogging"?

This is the first time i've ever done something like this so please bear with me. I so enjoy reading Pam K and Mishel's blogs that I thought I would try it myself. Well . . . it's Tuesday, January 2nd and everything is back to normal . . .except school is still out and the post office is closed. It's funny how a new year brings thoughts of new beginnings. I'm going to start this thing or that thing . . . when we probably should have been doing it all along. "Most" people want to do things that are "better" for them not "bad" or "worse". I hope this is something better for me. I'm so excited about going to Texas and seeing my new baby granddaughter, Kaelyn Faith. I know once I get there I won't see much of her because of my 2 grandsons, Jonathan (fennie) and Ethan (eeeffie) or as I affectionately call them -- bubba and chunck :o). Be assured that you are prayed for today. I may not know you but my Savior does and I pray that He will have His will and way in your life today! God bless you!