Saturday, October 31, 2015

Reformation Day!

It's time for another annual tradition: the Reformation Day Post.

I love this little song and video because it gives so much information about Martin Luther in an unforgettable format.  I find myself walking around throughout the year singing, "...I can not change my diet, Sir, God help me here I stand!"

Enjoy!

Friday, October 16, 2015

Friday

May your weekend be filled with beauty,

 
















 
 a bit of coffee,
 time with loved ones,

and some silliness,
 a chance to meet new friends,
 new paths to explore,

















and a nap at the end of the day.

May God give us the grace and blessing of being worshipers in spirit and in truth,
and may we share his grace and truth with all we meet.

His peace to your hearts and homes.                


Wednesday, October 14, 2015

Wednesday Prayers

Greetings Prayer Warriors,
Thank you for your continued faithfulness in your own "War Room".

Here are a couple of updates:
  1. Elise received a clean report from her cardiologist.  While we are rejoicing over this, we continue to pray now that the doctors can figure out what is going on with her.
  2. Miles is doing fabulously well.  He will turn 5 in two weeks and it is amazing to watch him and realize how afraid we were just a few weeks ago.  
  3. Jacob's surgery was successful and he is recovering well.  It will be a few months before he is back to whatever normal is (2 knee surgeries in a year is no small potatoes!), but he is progressing well.
Here are some things to be remembering this week:
  1. Remember this week that we have brothers and sisters around the world who are suffering.  Some of them will be martyred.  Some of them will "just" lose their jobs, their children, their homes....but will have to keep on living in the middle of this.  We will meet them one day in heaven.  May we not have to admit that we never prayed for them!
  2. Please continue to pray for folks devastated by the flooding in South Carolina.  Pray especially that God's church will reflect His compassion and grace to the hurting ones.
  3.  Hope is having chemo as I write this and she is very sick from the treatment today.  Please continue to hold her in your prayers today and through the week.
  4. Charlotte is a young lady who is dealing this week with asthma, the side effects from the steroids for that, and migraines.  She has asked for prayer that she could find her plush baby bat.  And please pray for her Mama.
  5. Chris is still waiting for a heart transplant.  He has been active for three weeks now.  Please pray for peace during this time of waiting.  
May God grant us the grace we need to see the people around us with HIS eyes.  May we minister to all the needy, whether we feel like it or not.  May we be diligent in prayer and confident in our Father's goodness at all times.

His peace to your hearts and homes.

Tuesday, October 13, 2015

October Walkabout

I wrote this from the plane but am only just now getting it up for your entertainment.  
We had a blast.
We are safely home.
Mother is off on another adventure with Dad; they will have several this month. 
I'm still recuperating!


Monday Memories: October Walkabout


I am sitting on an airplane.  No big deal for many of you but for me?  A big deal!  I don't like to fly.  I used to fly about every six weeks, traveling all over the US for my job.  I enjoyed the places I got to see, liked meeting new people and really enjoyed the work.  Even then, though, I did not like to fly.  Every time the plane took off I was saying to myself, "There is no fear in love for perfect love casts out fear...there is no fear in love for perfect love casts out fear....".  Every time we landed I would start singing to myself, "Thanks be unto Jesus, Thanks be unto God, He has won the battle, Through the power of the cross..." (from Death Is Ended by James Ward).  That's how much I don't enjoy flying.  Plus, as I told my friends Ashton and Gracie the other day, my arms get sooooo tired when I fly.

But here I am cruising at 30,000 + feet making another big trip with my Mom.  This time we are headed to Seattle, Washington to visit my middle sister.  She and her family have lived in the Seattle area since the early 90's and I have never gotten to go visit them.  Isn't that sad?  I have not heard my brother in law preach since they moved, never seen their house, the places where the children went to school, the hospital or college where my sister works; never gone sailing in the sound on my brother in law's boat, never sat on the porch with my sister and just talked and enjoyed the moment.  

We are going to fix that this next week.  Mom and I are excited about going for that sail in the sound.  I can hardly wait to see their home, go to church and hear Fred preach, meet the nephew who married my niece (once you marry some of my family you are family!), and just catch up with their family.  

Unless he was confiscated by baggage handlers, Sam is traveling with me (he went in the checked baggage, poor Sam!).  There will be LOTS of pictures to share.  

I am sure there will be lots of stories.  This sister is the one we describe as a cross between Carol Burnett and Lucille Ball.  Just this morning as we sat at the breakfast table, Mr. Marvelous and my Dad were discussing if they knew anything about bail laws in Washington state.  I primly reminded them that it would be Fred's problem while we are out there!

Just for curiosity's sake, I did look up how we would go via Amtrak (even though there was no way I would do that with Mother after that last overly eventful trip in March).  I discovered that we could take one day to travel to Washington, D.C.  Then the next day we could hop on a train for Chicago.  After spending the night in Chicago, we could jump on a train to take us to Seattle, which would only take us three days.  Five days by rail?  Well, I'm up for it but there is no way I would try that with Mother!  So we will spend a total of almost 6 hours in the air today (and it is a turbulent ride) and enjoy more time with my sister once we get to Seattle. 

My sister has said she is taking me out for a cup of REAL coffee ~ she says what I drink is colored water.  I'll be sure to take pictures of that adventure and all the rest of the adventures that I am sure the three of us will have.
 Oh, and the coffee?  Well, the shops are pretty unique out there, but it turns out that the coffee she likes best is (wait for it)....Starbucks!
Yes, we really do have those here in the south.
And I enjoy their coffee.






Friday, October 09, 2015

Friday

Mother and I have had a wonderful time in Washington State this week.  It is a beautiful place with some memorable sights.  And sounds.


We start our trip home today

We will miss our family here, but we will both be very glad to see our husbands again!

Whatever path God may put you on today, may we all bring glory and honor to Him as we go.

His peace to your home.




Thursday, October 08, 2015

Sam's Shenanigans in South Carolina



Remember Jack's new friend Sam?  He has certainly been having his share of adventures since I last wrote about him.

A few weeks ago Sam and I went with Mr. Marvelous Jr. to the Highland Games in Charleston, SC. We stopped in Aiken, SC on the way over and Sam was intrigued by the scenery there.  Aiken is a fascinating place.  This is where the race horses from New York have come to spend the winter for years.  Aiken is famous (as is Camden, SC) as a place for the horses to over-winter and train.  Aiken's economy is largely based on horses ~ polo, training, and all things associated with race horses.  




 Sam was impressed with the history and the "charm".

The next day found us on our annual pilgrimage to Boone Hall Plantation for the Charleston Highland Games.  Junior is not excited about my taking Sam and/or Jack with me everywhere I go.  In fact, he acts downright embarrassed sometimes (mission accomplished!).  Some of his band-mates found out about this and decided to take matters into their own hands. 

Literally.



Sam had an educational time.







For example, did you know that cowboy hats are a fashion "must" after a competition at the Highland Games?






 
The band did well, placing 2nd in their competition.  I still wish that they had done their old competition piece, Steam Train to Mallaig.  Oh well.

Junior drove back to Alabama that night while Mom and I went back to the parent's retreat.  There have been plenty more adventures since then so stay tuned.  In the meantime, here are a few more pictures of Sam and his shenanigans.





He's having a great time.


Wednesday, October 07, 2015

Wednesday Prayers

Good morning, Prayer Warriors!  Thank you so much for your continued faithfulness.  The work of prayer is receiving a lot of attention lately, thanks to the movie The War Room.  With all the traveling lately I still have not been able to see the movie, but I am looking forward to it.  It is interesting to me to see God's people busy helping people they have never met.  Won't it be wonderful in heaven to meet these people?  "Oh I remember you!  I prayed for you for days/weeks/months/years!"  What a blessed and joyful meeting that will be!

Thank you for your prayers for God's churches.  I urge you to continue daily in this crucial work.
Other prayer needs this week include the following:
  1.  Rejoice with us that Nancy gets the month of October as a "vacation" from chemo!  Pray that it will be a good, strong month for her and a time of joy and strength.
  2. Elise has a cardiology appointment coming up to determine the cause of her profound fatigue.  Please pray for this young girl; pray that the doctor's may find what is going on, pray for peace for her Mama and Daddy and Grandparents as they wait.
  3. Connie and Tara are dealing with a difficult diagnosis of an auto-immune disease.
  4. Mark (not my Mr. Marvelous but my friend's Mr. Marvelous) has been having some problems with atrial fibrillation.  Please keep he and his family in your prayers.
  5. As you are out and about today, notice the people around you.  The cashier at Walmart who is tired and having a difficult day.  The receptionist at the office who is on her last ounce of strength.  The mother with the young children at the fast-food place who is just barely keeping it together.  The angry person in the car next to you who is yelling on the phone.  PRAY for these people.  Pray that God would draw them closer to Himself.  Pray that His peace would invade their hearts.  Pray for strength to keep on going.  Pray for comfort.  Pray for wisdom.  Pray as the Spirit guides you.  You might even let them know that you are praying for them.

Sunday I had the opportunity to hear my brother in law preach.  As he was teaching Sunday evening, he was talking about how the goodness of God is always revealed in all parts of His character.  Sometimes at first glance, it does not seem as though a description of God's character is good.  For example, go re-read Psalm 78.  There are some seemingly harsh descriptions of God in this chapter alone.  Consider that God will not allow evil to continue unchecked.  Rejoice in the fact that His anger is directed toward His enemies and that this is a protection for His people!  He will not allow evil to freely inflict or destroy His faithful remnant.  His anger is a part of His character.  His faithful love and mercy is also a part of His character. 

May He protect us from over-emphasizing just one facet of who He truly is. 

May we seek to know His fullness.

His peace to your hearts and homes.