One long busy day today....

Well, i'm home from church now...spent a long but enjoying day with the folks at Trenton where Slick started revival today. We had a good turn out from Stevenson, and I was glad..some of us went to Ryan and Cherie's between services, then church was fantastic tonight...and we ate afterwards and now i'm home. I had some work to do in my kitchen before I called it a night...some clean up from this morn, and a little to do for tomorrow. If the weather holds out, the Gray family will be here to celebrate Memorial Day. It's also Tony's birthday. He will be 55....speaking of birthdays...
Today was my spiritual birthday. 42 years ago, the Lord gave an 11 yr old girl her chance to go to Heaven. I've seen some changes...made by man...but the Lord has remained the same. Always faithful, loving, merciful and true to His word. He has never let me down. Might not always had things to go the way I wanted them, but when I earnestly sought things to be the way the Lord wanted it to go, it was always for the best. Had some happy days along the way..had some heartache...but praise the Lord, i'm still a Child of God. I had a rough go of it growing up, and I think it toughened me some..but i'm thankful for those trials now..they are my testimonies...i'm thankful for every chastisement, because of it, I realize that I am still one of His
But anyways, Thank You Lord, for keeping my soul all these years...
I hope that Trenton and all the other churches that are running revival this week, have a fruitful and prosperous one. I hope that Children of God get help and a little encouragement to hang in there...and that the precious Word of God has free course...take care ya'll...and have a safe and happy Memorial Day!

Whew....

Well...it's 1:45 pm and i'm wore out and I don't feel like i've done anything...I hate days like today. I wake up with a mindset of "i'm gonna git er done" today..I have a long list of things that need to be done...but just don't have the get go to do it. Not today anyway. We're having some work done outside..a new deck...and my outdoor kitchen area is a mess. Suppose to be finished this weekend..but I don't see that happening, and i'm having the Gray family over for Memorial Day, which also happens to be Tony's birthday...I hope enough of it's done that I don't have to worry about the little ones. But they will prolly stay in the pool most of the time.
I went out to Hytop and helped Erica finish her garden pond, and used muscles that I forgot I had. I think that's why i'm so sluggish..my muscles are still screaming cause I abused them..lol. Sometimes I get in that kinda mood tho...I know what needs to be done, but flip, I don't wanna do anything. Then i'll get up a few days down the road and knock myself out trying to get it all done. And I don't know what i'd do with Erica. She is my lifesaver. I have promised myself that i'm gonna slow down, and downsize some stuff around here..and what do I go do? I add 700 sq ft to the house! But, with Tony and I growing older it just seemed like a good idea to move my utility room closer to our bedroom. LOL (that's what everyone does when they get older huh?) I was hauling laundry down to the other end of the house, then back again and all the way back to iron something, then back down to the bedroom to get dressed..WHEW. My house is 92ft long so that makes for some walking..but now, the utility room is connected to our bedroom/bath and we got new closets too..so everything is right there. Gonna use the old utility room, which is connected to the kitchen, for a walk in pantry and open it up on the wall that connects it to the kitchen....I was hoping for that all to be done by our revival, but i've given up on that. So I won't start it til after....
Slick starts revival Sunday at Trenton. He's gonna be working with Br Matt Long. He has 4 revivals plus our own to be in this summer. I plan on keeping the kids here with me some so they can have some pool days during their summer break and it won't seem like all they've done is gone to church. Good ole Granny! I expect that they (Slick and Crystal) will probably be like Erica and Todd were by Kristen. They let her stay with me during their revival when she was little...we enjoyed it while it lasted...Todd had told her last year that she couldn't stay with me all week anymore. She was getting older and it was just time. Then right off the bat she received the Holyghost at Flat Rock's revival and that took care of that! So now i'll keep the boys some...don't know how much she'll let Resiana stay just yet....the kids, Kristen and Carter, always have a themed pool party every summer. They invite their church friends and they have an all day party...hotdogs, cokes, ice cream...the works..they play in the pool..so the entertainment kinda takes care of itself. I'm thinking this year they will have to be 2 separate parties..one for boys and one for girls. We'll have to see what their parents say.
Well, guess i'll go for today...it's church night tonite, and i'm anxious to see what the Lord has in store for us!

A Day for Memories

Well today would have been Mom's birthday. It makes me sad to think i'll never be able to call her up and wish her a happy one...her life is over. She'll never celebrate another one...see how sad my thoughts are? I guess you just would have had to have known her. She celebrated everything. In her younger years when I was a child at home, she always did a lil something for us on our birthdays. When we got a lil older and Darrell came in the pic, well..it all became about him...lol. And that was ok. I am almost 8 yrs older than him, and it was kinda neat to have a baby bro and me be the big sister. But still..Mom made things special for us. She always made a Rabbit shaped cake at Easter for us..we thought that was so cool...no one elses mom we knew made one...ha ha..and at Christmas...oh man...she would bake cookies and cakes and candy..mmm good. She always made a lot and put them it in the freezer and when we would run out she'd go get some more...99% of our clothes were homemade, and she sewed for us every chance she could. We always had a new dress for Easter, Homecoming and the Christmas Program. A lot of people would call Mom and ask her to help them with showers, birthday parties and some weddings..she had a creative mind and a willing heart. She loved to make people laugh; sometimes I think she used laughter as a means to hide the hurt and pain she endured during her life as a young mother. There were many nights I would hear her cry...and not understand just what she was suffering. But then the next morning, she would have breakfast on the table, get us ready for school and herself off to work like she didn't have a care in the world. She loved her family. And so did Daddy.
His birthday was the 13th of this month. He didn't get into special occasions much...said that Christmas was just another day...but you just let us not celebrate it...HA HA...he'd have a cow! He looked forward to the festivities as much as we did...only he kept it hidden...he'd be so proud of his family today. He loved his kids...but the grandkids were another story....we couldn't discipline the kids around Daddy..he would come unglued...and the kids loved their Papa. He was a good dad...he didn't go to church...he quit going when I was around 3 i'm told...but he provided for his family. We didn't go hungry, and always had what we needed. He couldn't always provide a lot of extra's, but back then, we didn't know the difference anyway. Not like it is today. He loved to go fishing on the river, and he would absolutely love where i'm living today. I live within a mile of the Tenn river...Tony has a nice boat, and i'm sure Daddy would have gotten him to take him out in it every chance he got....
Well...I guess i'm done remembering Mom and Dad for the day...I think of them both nearly every single day. Sometimes their name just crosses my mind. Sometimes, something I see or hear, reminds me of them..sometimes a familiar smell of something cooking, or I hear an old song that Daddy would play on his guitar in the evenings he stayed home....*sigh...Love your parents. Don't think it too "silly" or embarassing to give them a hug..better yet...a big ole kiss on the cheek...tell them you love them often...then when that day comes to say goodbye and you look upon their face for the last time, you'll be so proud of each and every time you did......love to all...

So..ok..it ain't the end...

Ok Sis Amber...you talked me into it...haha...I did enjoy blogging, just kinda thought it was useless to blog to myself..but I appreciate your interest in my life and the comments you left...Kristen informed me that she had been reading it also, but had no way of leaving a comment...haha..that might be a good thing!..she has laughed at me over my "Star" story...and Tony hasn't helped either..he really got on her bandwagon, making fun of me and my gullibility...but...as I pointed out to them, I got the guy, the others can have that ole stupid star! LOL....
We just got back a few days ago from Florida...it was a great trip. Every trip we've taken to Disney has been a good one....the families we took this time were Br Chris and Sis Kathy Moore, and her sister, Sis Joann Lea and all their kids. Sis Joann is a single (never married) mother of 2 of the sweetest little girls you'll ever meet...their ages are 7 and 6 and so well behaved. The youngest one is so funny..she's a doll..and the other one is kinda quiet..then Sis Kathy has 2 lil girls of her own and their ages are 7 and 6 also..so we had 4 princesses. She also has a son who is 14. We all went for breakfast at Cinderella's Castle and they loved it. It was everyone's first time to Disney except Sis Kathy..she went when she was 11, but only to the Magic Kingdom, and barely remembered anything about it. Tony and I have been so many times you'd think there was nothing left to explore or that we'd be tired of it...but we don't get our enjoyment from the parks...well, let me rephrase that...we do love going to Disney, but NOW, most of our fun comes from seeing the faces of the people and their reactions to everything..we LOVE taking 1st timers.....we love seeing their reactions to the rides and shows...and if you've ever been, you know Disney doesn't skimp on anything when it comes to decorations or attractions...once you've done Disney, the other parks just don't measure up..IMO. Our 40th anniversary is in 2 yrs, and if the Lord permits us to live to see it, I would LOVE to renew our vows there! At the very least I would love to have a reception of some sort...
I'd like to take the time to make a post about the blessing the Lord gave me last Sunday nite...it was so unexpected..and so needed. I thought I would journal it here, so that on another day, when things start going downhill, I can read back on it and maybe relive that moment when I was over in the spirit and knew very little of what was going on...that kind of blessing only happens to me every now and then...most of the time when I testify, I just stand in my place..I'm not much of a shouter...not that I wouldn't love to...just doesn't fall my lot often to get to...and when I stood that night, I really didn't expect anything....but this time I decided to walk around..and if I killed the service, well...it was getting late anyway..lol. After a few rounds, my mind struggling all the way, I felt a little of the power come in my hands...and it was just like we tell the lost people..I got ahold of that, and in an instant, He covered me up!...don't remember a whole lot after that...now, I really have a fight with my mouth getting dry as cotton when I testify or while the Lord is blessing me...it has hindered me so many times...i've even testified about it thinking maybe I could overcome, but anyways... I REALLY needed a drink of water, my mouth was so dry...but I really wasn't ready to stop, I was feeling so good...so I just asked for a drink and someone had already gone to get one for me and had it ready!...I got me a sip, and took another round...I was feeling so good...but this ole body could only handle so much...I sat down and Tony got right up, and he shouted all over the place..the Lord also blessed Br Duane, Br Stanley, Sis Janice...someone said it was Elder night...lol. All I know is the Lord is gracious, and full of mercy. He knows what we need, and when we need it....
well...til next time....

The End????

Well...this will probably be my last blog...seems I am blogging to myself and that's no fun..lol. I'm not really good at all this stuff anyway..I enjoy reading other blogs tho...so i'll still be around!

Back home...safe and sound...Thank you Lord

Well, i'm back home from our latest Disney trip..tired as usual, ready to see everyone...believe it or not, I miss my family when i'm away..even tho I might not see them, just knowing they are close by gives me comfort...Donna and Chad came down on Wed..we ran into them last night at Epcot..the weather was very hot, but very little humidity so that helped tremendously..parks were a bit crowded too, but with Fast Passes we never really waited that long in the ride lines...We ate at Rainforest Cafe a couple of times, Chef Mickey's, Hollywood and Vine and Cinderella's Royal Table..and everything was excellent! We can't wait to go to Disney with Resiana..we have just got to be a part of her first time or we will just simply be devastated..LOL...
We didn't take too many trips with our kids when they were growing up. We did do Disney a few times, but only because we had a friend who lived in Florida and worked there and he got us in free..but it was only for 1 day. But back then, they didn't have Animal Kingdom..and they might not have had Hollywood Studios..I just remember taking them to the Magic Kingdom.
Money was so tight when we were raising our kids. Tony often worked 2 jobs, and I worked off and on trying to survive. I will admit that part of the reason I had to work was I wanted to live beyond our means...something I have wished a hundred million times I could do over. It would have been so much easier on Tony..but being a young wife and mother, and not having the nicest house on the block, instilled something in me to want more than I had just come out of..spending money on vacations just seemed too wasteful to me..and I wished I had THAT to do a hundred million times over...lol...we did do a few things with the kids, but our life mostly consisted of practice, church and singings. We drug those kids all over creation..we had a singing to do most every Fri night somewhere during the singing season..I remember, we had 11 Friday night singings in a row..and for 10 in a row we went and they served Hot Dogs...on the 11th one, we walked in the church and smelled something cooking! Yippee!! No Hot Dogs!...and it wasn't Hot Dogs..it was CHILI DOGS...LOL..we still laugh about that to this day...haha
Well..it's almost time to get ready for church...can't wait to get there!