S Q U E E Z E

When I was 8 years old I got to make an unexpected trip to Amarillo with my Mom and Dad. My Dad had cancer and was going for a treatment. On the trip up, there was laughing and visiting. On the trip home, there was much silence. Dad lay in the back seat and was sick. I too sat in the back seat and tried to care for him as well as any 8 year old could. Sometime during the trip he reached over and took my small hand in his and squeezed it 3 times and said, “Each squeeze represents a word.” And with each squeezed he said, “I love you!” I in turn squeezed back, “I love you.” But this time he answered my 3 squeezes with 4. I cut my eyes down at him with a questioning look on my face and he said, “That was ‘I love you too’.” So during the remainder of the trip we spoke deep and profound things without saying a word. The following year he lost his battle with cancer.

This past Sunday, my grandson Daniel sat beside me and took my hand and squeezed it 3 times, I in turn squeezed his 4 times. As we cut our eyes around at each other we knew that our silent words were speaking loudly for all to hear, “I love you!”

With God All Things Are Possible

When Daryl and I met, he was working in the bus program at the Green Lawn church of Christ. As we dated through the remainder of the school year at Lubbock Christian we attended Green Lawn and worked in the bus program and puppet ministry. Several times over the next several months, Daryl mentioned becoming a youth minister.

Over the next 9 years of marriage, Daryl got into the habit of going to church on some Sunday mornings but skipping class. Things began to get stressful around the house, as I would load up the kids to take them to church Sundays and Wednesdays while Daryl would stay home.

Pressure began to build so that I had to begin to read my Bible and pray while he was at work. One Wednesday evening when he came in from work early he poked at me about my fear of ‘going to hell’ if I missed any Church services. I would often ponder, ‘where was the Christian man I had married?’

One afternoon after putting in a long hard day at work, Daryl came in and asked, “What would you say if we went to Sunset School of Preaching and I became a preacher?” There was a look of shock on my face as I said, “You do know you have to go to church 3 times a week don’t you?”

In 1992 we attended Sunset School of Preaching. Daryl is currently preaching at the Jal church of Christ. He has the heart of Andrew, gentle, compassionate and very loving.

IPeter 3:1-2 “Wives, in the same way be submissive to your husbands so that, if any of them do not believe the Word, they may be won over without words by the behavior of their wives, when they see the purity and reverence of your lives.”

CAMP

Our cabin at camp held 17 little girls, ages 9-11 and 5 counselors. We got settled in and noticed our bathroom of 3 showers stalls and 3 bathroom stalls began to flood. I drug in the commercial mop and bucket on wheels and began to soak up the water. Our bathroom flooded all week and I could be found at 6 am, 3 pm, and 1 am mopping up water. I became one with the mop bucket. What did I get in return for mopping up water at these unnatural hours of the night and day??? I got my very first muscle. Since I've been home I have been flexing it for everyone.

The food at camp was ... 'camp food.' Mainly carbs with a little meat scattered randomly about a few campers plates. On Thursday an armadillo wandered into camp and my mouth actually began to water. I looked around and saw several other counselors wiping drool from their mouths also.

Thursday night was cabin skit night. Our little girl's skit was an Ugly Beauty Contest. They donned scary makeup, hair styles, and clothing and paraded around stage to be judged by the chosen counselors. That afternoon we asked the little girls to choose what counselors they thought were cute that could be chosen as judges, they replied, "All of the counselors are old." We laughed, because the counselors ranged from 19 - 50.

On Wednesday evening I asked my campers if they were going to participate in the Sadie Hawkins's chase and supper. All raised their hands excitedly as I looked confused from one face to another. Here stood the same little girls excited about chasing boys, when previously they had snarled their lips at the mere mention of the opposite sex. I quickly blurted out, "When you catch the boys you cannot beat them up." As their hands began to drop to their sides I heard a whisper go through the cabin, "O man."

Each morning we cleaned our cabin and when we were in Bible classes the chosen inspectors would come and judge the cleanest boy and girl cabin. We finally won on Wednesday because of extra credit posters we placed around the room stating, 'Flash Flood Warning,' Life Jackets Must Be Worn in This Area,' Weather Advisory: 99% chance of Flooding.' We got to go first at all the meal times and carry the 'sacred stuffed monkey'. It wasn't until after lunch that we learned that the 'sacred stuffed monkey' could be stolen by other cabins. When our monkey was stolen 3 little girls jumped on the perpetrators and began to kick, hit and bite, managing to draw blood from a boy, as the other little girls stood around crying because their 'monkey' had been stolen. Needless to say, we got our 'monkey' back and no one else tried to steal it while we were in possession of it.

On Thursday morning I let my little girls sleep in an extra hour, unbeknown to the 2 directors and most of the other staff. We also chose not to clean our cabin that morning. When the inspectors came to check the cabin, one of the counselors hid under a blanket on the top bunk and as the the inspectors entered the room, she threw the covers off and shouted, "BAM!" That day we had extra KP duty and I was actually threatened with a Kangaroo Court and the possibility of being drug through the mud.

There are still good times to be had at camp :)

"For we KNOW that in all things God works for the good of those who love the Lord and are called according to His purpose." Romans 8:28

SPRING FORWARD - FALL BACK

Setting my clocks back every fall is my favorite holiday. Actually I’m probably the only one that really celebrates this favorite day of the year. I usually set my clock back Saturday morning and then spend the day looking at all the clocks that I have positioned about the house basking in the knowledge that I will actually have an extra hour. I think I enjoy this day more than Christmas, Thanksgiving and my birthday; maybe because it has become my own personal celebration.

The next few months I try to adjust to the sun setting earlier (actually it isn’t setting earlier; my clocks are just 1 hour early). I usually put on my PJ’s about 5:30 since it is dark and I pad around in comfort for longer periods of time enjoying this moment in time before it is officially bedtime.

Today it was cloudy so as the afternoon began to wear I went about the house closing all the blinds knowing that in a short time I could get comfy in my PJ’s and possibly snuggle up with a cup of hot cocoa. I happened to look at the clock and noticed it was just 2:30pm and that there were still several more hours of daylight left. I had been trick into thinking it was later; Rats!

SHADOW

A little Chihuahua showed up at our house last May covered in ticks and very ill. Her tongue and gums were white from so much blood loss. We wrapped her in a towel and brought her in the house and placed her in the tub and started with the tick shampoo, dip, baking soda and anything else we could think of to put on her. We estimated 300+ ticks covered her neck, head, ears and body.


We succeeded in removing 1/3 of the ticks and knew that tomorrow we would have to start all over if she made it through the night. I cooked her some liver and warmed her some milk and fed her as she lay weak and listless in the crate.

The next morning she was alive and we proceeded to cover her with 7-dust. This time we were successful in removing almost all the ticks and were happy to see that the remaining were dead or dying.

After 2 weeks of a liver and warm milk diet, her gums and tongue began to turn pink. We scheduled a visit to the vet where they diagnosed her with Tick Fever.

Because she is forever under my feet or behind me we named her Shadow. She has gained her health and a family that loves her. She is still skittish after months of love and special attention. By our actions, I hope with time she will learn to trust us.

I see that is so many ways I am like Shadow....God took me all covered in sin and hurting and washed everything away. Yet, I struggle to put my full trust and love in Him.

Psalms 147:3 "He heals the brokenhearted and binds up their wounds"

Grandbabies.....A Gift From God! Ain't We Got Fun

Nona, Asher, Daniel

Aric 6lbs 1/2oz, 19in 9/30/08

Papa, Nona and Aric















Papa & Aric





















Aric

Am I Up To The Challange? I Think So!

Monica, the smartest mommy in the blog world has tagged me.


FIVE UNIMPORTANT QUIRKS OR HABITS OF MONALEA

1. I love the smell of SKUNK.

2. I’m trying to break the habit of nagging my adult children. Alas, I’m afraid my head will explode from holding it in.

3. I love to watch “Monk” and find myself saying, “It’s a gift and a curse.”

4. Once I jumped out of a moving car. They did it on TV with little or not problems; I too thought I was immune to pain, bruising and bleeding. WRONG!

5. I once wrote my daughter a check for not throwing up in my car on the way home. Desperate people do desperate things.

I tag Connor, The Matt James Gang and Trey