Old...New Job...

Warren started a new (old) job this week - he is back working at the company, Rosemont, Inc that he retired from 4 years ago. They had a sales opening here in Tulsa. He turned in his resume...went through a couple of interviews and was hired:)

We know this is answered prayer - God's timing is so perfect - His ways are so right - and we are SO GRATEFUL!

I am still working on my "To Do List" that I posted a few blogs back.

1. I'm still working on the gkids projects
2. Garden planted. YEA!
3. So far no weeds to speak of growing in the garden...but NEITHER have the seeds we planted 10 days ago! ugh!
4. Still have not completed the final touches in the kitchen/breakfast rooms. ugh!
5. I have given no thought to what color to paint the formal dining room! ugh!
6. Mom's Sugarfoot Catalog...still in the thinking stages
7. My "patterns of love" blog is on hold until everything else gets done!
8. Cuz'n Camp 2008 - still in the thinking stage - I've got to get on with this!
9. Gkid activities: just one more birthday party this Saturday...but these are on going events in our lives in which we are so blessed to be a part of! This should be put on our "To Want To Do List"!
10. Still working on baby shower gift for niece...gotta get this done quickly before the shower!
11. Yes!!! I painted the deck today. No rain is predicted all week so this was a great day/week to get this done! I am so glad it is!
12. Walking stones not painted - may not need to do this.
13. We will most likely open the pool in June. Still thinking about the pool ladder.
14. All those things I keep adding to my list - some I get done - some I forget about because I did not write them down on this list! ugh!

Have a good and godly day:)

Fire Rainbow

God's handiwork...a BEAUTIFUL site!

This is a fire rainbow - the rarest of all naturally occurring atmospheric phenomena. The picture was captured in 2006 on the Idaho/Washington border. The event lasted about 1 hour. Clouds have to be cirrus, at least 20K feet in the air, with just the right amount of ice crystals and the sun has to hit the clouds at precisely 58 degrees.

Now, sit back, turn up the volume, click the black arrow to the left, and

WORSHIP The KING!

How GREAT is our GOD!

by Chris Tomlin

The splendor of a King, Clothed in majesty

Let all the earth rejoice, all the earth rejoice

He wraps himself in light, and darkness tries to hide

And trembles at his voice, and trembles at his voice

How great is our God, sing with me

How great is our God, and all will see

How great, how great is our God

Age to age he stands and time is in His Hands

Beginning and the End, Beginning and the End

The Godhead, Three in one Father, Spirit, Son

The Lion and the Lamb, The Lion and the Lamb

Name above all names

You are Worthy of all praise and My heart will sing

How great, How great Is our God

Happy 10th Birthday, Mallory!

Mallory was born April 28, 1998

Mallory is growing up right before our eyes.
I think this happens almost without you noticing it with the middle child:)

Mallory is a fun loving young lady with lots of personality.
We see in her the gifts of "helps" and "initiative".
She will see a job that needs to be done around the house
and before you turn around it is done:)

Mallory will have her birthday party this Friday, May 2nd.
I will post her BD photoshow after this.

I did have the blessing of "Spending a Day with Mallory!"
What fun we had and even captured bits and pieces of it for the photoshow below. Enjoy!

Give Your Kitchen Sponge a Bath...

Tip of the week: Some facts you should know

about Sponges!

By Solvie Karlstrom

Whether you're doing the dishes or wiping down the counter, be sure that your sponge isn't leaving behind a toxic mess. Though soppy kitchen sponges and dishrags are notorious breeding grounds for bacteria, avoid the temptation to pick up an antibacterial or antimicrobial option.

Antibacterial products are usually treated with the pesticide triclosan, which provides no additional protection beyond that of plain soap, according to researchers at the University of Michigan School of Public Health, and may even contribute to the rise of some drug-resistant bacteria.

Not only that, but when triclosan is exposed to water treated with chlorine (and most municipal water is ), it can form the probable human carcinogen chloriform. Kitchens aside, triclosan is showing up in places it shouldn't be, such as breast milk and U.S. waterways, where sunlight can convert it to carcinogenic dioxins that wind up in fish and rise through the food chain.

There are "greener" ways to lighten the bacteria load in sponges.
• Wring sponges out after each use, and, between uses, keep them as dry as possible.
• Disinfect sponges at least once a week by boiling them in water for three minutes or more, or soaking them in water with a splash of bleach or hydrogen peroxide. You can also pop them in the microwave for a minute or two.
• Never clean cutting boards used for meat with a kitchen sponge. Use a washable dishrag instead.

It's also a good idea to replace sponges often, but keep in mind that many sponges are made from non-renewable petroleum. Opt for plant-derived, biodegradable cellulose sponges instead (Natural Value cellulose sponge, available at http://www.naturalvalue.com/, $.99 for one).

Check out your local hardware store if the supermarket doesn't carry any, or skip the sponge altogether and stick to washable, reusable dish towels.

Retake on our Iowa GRANDdaughters...

Some had trouble with the video working in this photoshow of our Iowa GRANDdaughters, so I have redone it - making 2 separate ones. The video still seems to take a little time to download and watch. Enjoy:)

HAPPY BIRTHDAY, Todd!

It's your birthday, today!

Born April 26, 1972

(3 month old picture)

???(you do the math!)

Still as handsome as ever!

HAPPY BIRTHDAY, SON!

My Words...

are they a blessing or a curse??

If you could find someone whose speech was perfectly true, you'd have a perfect person, in perfect control of life.

A bit in the mouth of a horse controls the whole horse. A small rudder on a huge ship in the hands of a skilled captain sets a course in the face of the strongest winds. A word out of your mouth may seem of no account, but it can accomplish nearly anything--or destroy it!

It only takes a spark, remember, to set off a forest fire. A careless or wrongly placed word out of your mouth can do that. By our speech we can ruin the world, turn harmony to chaos, throw mud on a reputation, send the whole world up in smoke and go up in smoke with it, smoke right from the pit of hell.

This is scary: You can tame a tiger, but you can't tame a tongue--it's never been done. The tongue runs wild, a wanton killer. With our tongues we bless God our Father; with the same tongues we curse the very men and women He made in His image.

Curses and blessings out of the same mouth! My friends, this can't go on. James 3:2-10(The Message)

Here is the potential we have right under our noses:

A careless word may kindle strife;

A cruel word may wreck a life.

A bitter word may hate instill;

A brutal word may smite and kill.

A gracious word may smooth the way;

A joyous word may light the day.

A timely word may lesson stress;

A loving word may heal and bless.

Author Unknown

We are sojourners (visitors) here on earth--our words are like entries in the Guestbook of Life.

• What entries are you writing with your attitudes, actions, words and the "tone" of those words for the entire world to see?
• Will they think that you were a crabby old person who wanted better service?
• Will they think you savored each day here with your wonderful family?
• Will they think that you would have preferred another life just a few doors down?
• Or will they think that you so enjoyed your time here that you wanted to share it with anyone and everyone who was passing through?

What are you leaving in the guestbook of life for all to read?

Heavenly Father, Your Word tells me that I am a letter being read by everyone. I pray that I won't be junk mail today. I pray that I won't be like a bill making people feel like they owe me. I pray that I will be a love letter, a thank you note, and an invitation to celebrate life. I can only accomplish this in Jesus' Name, Amen.

Now, live this day as if you were a walking, talking letter from God to everyone you meet!

Happy Birthday, Katelin!

Katelin is an official teenager today - a 13 year old!

Where oh where did the years go.....tooooooooooo fast!

I still remember the day she was born like it was yesterday.

Katelin holds that place of making us grandparents...

and now we have a "baker's dozen"!

God is indeed Good to us!

Enjoy, Katlin's "Happy 13" photoshow below!

A Plan for the Valley

This is such a good word - I just had to post it:)
by Mary Southerland

Today's Truth
John 10:11 "I am the good shepherd. The good shepherd lays down his life for the sheep." (NIV)

Friend to Friend

The only survivor of a shipwreck was washed up on a small, deserted island. He prayed fervently for God to rescue him. Every day he scanned the horizon for help, but none came. Exhausted, he eventually built a small hut out of driftwood as a shelter and a place to store his few remaining possessions.
One day, after scavenging for food, he arrived home to find his little hut in flames, the smoke rolling up to the sky. Everything was lost. Stunned with grief and anger, he cried, "God, how you could do this to me!" Early the next day, however, he was awakened by the sound of a ship approaching the island. It had come to rescue him! "How did you know I was here?" the weary man asked. "We saw your smoke signal," they replied.

God is always at work in our lives, even during the most stress-filled moments. When we entrust everything we are and everything we have to God, when we depend upon his truth instead of our own understanding and choose to walk in obedience, God promises to "make our paths straight" (Proverbs 3:6 NLT). No matter how deep the valley, we can count on God for direction.

In Proverbs 3:6, "make straight" means "to do right, to make smooth or to be evenly hammered". I love that truth! I can almost see my Father going before me, the hammer of truth in his hand, flattening every fear-filled obstacle, hammering down every mountain of doubt before me so that, when he has made a way, I can cross over. He straightens out the crooked paths, improving my behavior and causing me to do the "right" things.

Valleys are best faced with a total abandonment to the Shepherd of the valley. How many times have we danced with joy on the mountain top then moaned and complained in the valley? God is Lord of the mountain and the valley. I suspect that the most powerful life is lived in the valley -- not on the mountain top. Every valley is surrounded by mountains and every valley has a shepherd, a shepherd who will walk with us through the valley, a shepherd who will go before us, leading us out of the valley. When the psalmist wrote these words, he wrote my life message, "I waited patiently for the LORD; he turned to me and heard my cry. He lifted me out of the slimy pit, out of the mud and mire; he set my feet on a rock and gave me a firm place to stand." (Psalm 40:1-2 NIV)

As a young pastor's wife, I desperately needed help. Grace Chavis, a gifted author and speaker, stepped into my life and was a friend and mentor to me for many years. I will never forget the day I heard she had been diagnosed with terminal cancer. I picked up the phone to call this precious lady, expecting to offer words of comfort and faith. The person who answered the phone could not possibly be Grace! She sounded ecstatic! But it was Grace! I sputtered, "Grace, I must have misunderstood a message I received today saying you had been diagnosed with terminal cancer!" A laugh of pure joy rang in my ears as she said, "Oh, no! That's right! Now, I am here in my living room, dancing before Jesus and singing, "I'll be with you soon!" I have to tell you that her response blew me away and to this day still challenges my faith. Talk about trust!

No matter where you are today, your Father is there. No matter how deep or long the valley, He is with you, waiting for you to surrender all. Give him your valley, knowing that He will surely lead you out. God has ordained that valley as an altar of sacrifice, an opportunity for Him to work through your broken heart and life. Keep your glance on the valley and your gaze on the Shepherd. Begin praising Him for your deliverance. It will surely come.

Let's Pray
Father God, my Shepherd. I feel like a lost sheep, a broken lamb. I am desperate for You. I confess that I don't always understand how You work, and tend to doubt You in those times. But I want to trust You as a sheep trusts its shepherd. By faith, I come to You, placing my life in Your hands in total surrender. Thank You for loving me just as I am. In Jesus' name,
Amen

Now It's Your Turn
What valley are you facing today?
What is your biggest fear or concern about this valley?
In what way(s) are you like a sheep in this valley?
What do you believe God can and will do to help you navigate this valley?

Read, meditate on and memorize Psalm 40:1-3:
"I waited patiently for the LORD; he turned to me and heard my cry. He lifted me out of the slimy pit, out of the mud and mire; he set my feet on a rock and gave me a firm place to stand. He put a new song in my mouth, a hymn of praise to our God. Many will see and fear and put their trust in the LORD." (NIV)

More from the Girls
Been there? At the bottom of a valley? Surrounded by mountains? As Jodi, my daughter-in-law, would say, "No worries!" It is a common expression of hers and always reminds me that as long as God is God...I really don't have any worries. I know that is easy to say and hard to do. Let's challenge each other to live as women who wholly trust God. Amen!

Looking for more Bible study? Join over 3300 women now enrolled in my free online Bible Study, "Light for the Journey". Blessings!

G.I.G.
Girlfriends in God, Inc.
P.O. Box 725
Matthews, North Carolina 28106
Web site: www.girlfriendsingod.com
Email: info@girlfriendsingod.com

My To Do List...

1. Make and finish a couple of gkids projects
2. Plant garden
3. Keep garden weeded (hoping the straw will help with this - watch photoshow)
4. Finish last details of kitchen make over: purchase light fixture, nail up crown modeling, think about curtains, decorating finish touches, possibly paint refrig white & fix sink and dishwasher leak (a hubbie job!)
5. Think about what color to paint the formal dining room
6. Help mom with Sugarfoots Catalog
7. Work on my own "patterns of love" web blog page (as time allows)
8. Plan"Cuz'n Camp 2008"
9. Gkid activities: birthday parties, cello concert, church play, gkid sit
10. Make birthday cards; baby shower card & gift for my niece, Gini; buy gifts
11. Paint deck
12. Paint walking stones
13. Get pool ready to open most likely the first of June - fix ladder that goes into pool or purchase a new one (hubbie willing:))
14. AND tie a string around my finger for anything I have forgotten to put on my list!

I am into making lists of everything
lest I forget.

I keep putting off the gkids projects: hooded towel with their name embroidered on it. I have 4 to make - one is for a gift. I WILL start that tomorrow - the pressure will be off once I get this done.
Yea! Thanks to my garden helpers (see photoshow below) the garden is all planted!
The finishing touches to the kitchen is coming along - I really want to have it completed by this weekend - but need hubbie's help:) One birthday party down (Katelin's photoshow coming on Wed. - be sure to check back then) and one more bparty to go on May 3rd for Mallory - the next weekend will be Amy's. Isaiah was in his children's Church play - "Go Jonah Go" Sunday night (see photo below).

Katelin's cello spring concert is tomorrow (Tues.) and I will be gkid sitting next Tues. (29th) while Amy takes Camden to the Ear, Nose, & Throat doctor for evaluation for tubes in his ears. He is a prime candidate for them. Poor little guy, he has had a chronic ear infection for basically 5 months - being on many antibiotics!

The rest on my to do list will come - it is enough to keep me busy most of the summer - I do go at a slower pace than I used too and that's alright.

The Beauty of Grace...

"But to each one of us grace has been given as

Christ apportioned it." Ephesians 4:7

Grace is what beauty looks like when it moves. God's grace is what He looks like when He moves, acting out His will through us.

Those on whom God's grace rests are truly... gracious. They are truly beautiful. The cerebral-palsied young man who smiles despite a dreary existence in a nursing home. The elderly woman who always seems to think of others rather than her aches and pains. The mother of two toddlers who is happy to baby-sit a neighbor's little boy. The pastor and his wife who take in a homeless couple for a week while they look for lodging. These people shine with a hint of glory. They shine because of God's grace.

Grace is God's energy, all bright, beautiful, and full of power.

And grace is most beautiful when God is moving through us

to touch the lives of others who hurt.
Grace binds you with far stronger cords
than the cords of duty or obligation can bind you.
Grace is free, but when once you take it,
you are bound forever to the Giver and bound to
catch the spirit of the Giver. Like produces like.
Grace makes you gracious, the Giver makes you give. *[1]
E. Stanley Jones

Do you desire to be gracious? Christ apportions grace. First, a small measure in accordance with your faith, which may be small. But then, like morning sun dawning, your faith grows and grace fills you with its full and excellent brightness.

God of grace, I long to be beautiful in You, I long to be gracious to others. May Your beauty shine through me today as I move in Your will.

[1]* Draper, Edythe, Draper's Book of Quotations for the Christian Work, Tyndale House Publishers, Inc., Wheaton, Illinois, 1992, p. 282

Taken from Diamonds in the Dust. Copyright © 1993 by Joni Eareckson Tada. Used by permission. Zondervan Publishing House, Grand Rapids, Michigan 49530

Small Town America...

This commentary is taken from the webpage: http://www.fromthehomefront.org/

Small Town America, home to Tom and Huck, was always home to me, even as I grew up in “the city.” I couldn’t wait for summer to arrive when my parents would send me “back home” to Grandma in Tennessee.
Surrounded by strangers, I was instantly embraced by aunts, uncles and cousins…and all their friends. Before we arrived on Sunday, the Baptist preacher knew more than my name. And when I missed church one week with an upset stomach, he made a personal visit that same afternoon just to let me know I had been missed.
Life was safe. Eyes followed me wherever I went, a circle of protection that allowed us kids freedom to walk and ride bikes across the town, back and forth, in all directions. Sweet red slicing tomatoes, fireflies, honeysuckle, goats and calves, watermelon at family picnics…I loved it all. But most of all I loved the people, the people who loved me back.
Thirty years later, nothing had changed when my husband and I were able to spend four months in Tennessee, introducing our two children to Small Town America. Standing at the high school counter, enrolling them in the fall semester, the principal walked out to meet us for the first time…calling us by name and asking us how we were adjusting to life away from Phoenix, the big city. He already knew we were renting a mobile home from Ruby and spending time with my Uncle Jimmie. He invited us by anytime, directing us to his farm just past the turnoff to our own home. Any niece of Mr. James was family, not just to him, but to the grocery clerk, the post mistress and the hair dresser.
In Small Town America, you are known for who you are. Pure and simple. Handshake deals still exist for people who have seen character proven over the years.
If you want to get back to basics, there is no better place than in a small town. Down to earth graces are the foundation of reputations. Parking a Jag at the grocery store will certainly draw attention, but it won’t compensate for rudeness, for arrogance or for meanness.
The “law of the farm” is still the rule of small towns. Even when lottery tickets hang on the fridge promising future riches, small town people still treasure friends and family. Hard work matters. Keeping your word, sitting at the bedside of the ill, a warm casserole, an invitation to church…these are the riches of small town life that can’t be purchased or won.
Pretense is impossible. Hypocrisy is hard to disguise in a small town. Your church life, your work life, your family life are woven into an indivisible whole, a summation of your values and character that precede you into a room and are left behind when you depart.
It all comes together in a small town where people save family fortunes to send their precious first-borns off to college and a “better life” in the big cities. Moms and dads will brag about the accomplishments of their distant children, and friends will share their pride. But the child is finally measured not by the degree earned at Harvard, but by the humility of knowing her roots, of her ability to remain grounded in the truths learned back home where a diploma is just a piece of paper.
Obama has revealed a serious lack of judgment. Truly, provincial isolation is no less possible in ivory towers, in the power complex of Congress, or in the hallowed Harvard halls where Obama has spent his adult life. Surrounding oneself with sameness, a big town dinner table crowd can convince an up-and-coming Senator that partial-birth-abortion is a sophisticated humane response to pregnancy. As such, he certainly will be joined in his derision of pro-life people as hicks who “don’t get it” because of their boorish religious fanaticism.
One suspects that Obama is not unaware of how to sing the politically correct praise of small town people. It is easy to picture him standing presidentially in front of the grain co-op shaking hands with the locals, telling them they are the “people who make America what it is.”
But Obama has now been caught in the games that are no longer possible in Big Town America, hiding with our double lives in mass anonymity. Saying one thing to friends, but on the other side of the tracks, singing a different tune, he has revealed his contempt for the very things that make Small Town America great.
From the one side of his mouth, Obama is certainly quite capable of throwing a compliment to the small town crowd. But what comes out of the other side of his mouth should concern us all.
The character of a man is revealed when both sides speak a single truth. More than that, the highest and best character, when it is revealed, is grounded in the values that make Small Town America great.

Tax Day

Kitchen Make Over...

Hope you enjoy the Home Project photo show. We still have a few more things in the kitchen we want to do...like replace the light fixture, put up some white crown molding at the ceiling, and possible make some new curtains. All our appliances are white except the refrig. I am thinking about painting it white. This past weekend we were at our RV Club campout. Warren and I were the wagon masters - that means we plan everything from the camp site location to the weekend schedule. Even though it was cold, wet, and extremely windy, we had a great time with about 2o campers in attendance.

What Do You Do When...

the Storms Rage Around You?

Last night & throughout the night - Skiatook was hit with 3 continuous storms. We had winds of 70+ mph with hail measuring quarter, egg, and golf sizes! The strong winds were rotating but thankfully no tornados touched down.

I usually sleep through these storms, but last night the high winds and hail storm awakened me more than once! Warren and I finally got up at 3:00 a.m. - turned on the tv for weather updates - not much going back to sleep after that!

Yes, we prayed acknowledging God as our Refuge and Shield - a very present help in time of trouble. And yes, we asked Father, God to calm the raging storms - there were 3 of them in a row!

Finally the storms moved on out and about 5 a.m. we went back to bed for a few more hours of sleep. This is another reason to be thankful for retirement - I did not have to go anywhere and could get some good shut eye sleep!

These storms brought back a memory of when I was at home after school (about 4 o'clock in the afternoon) during a heavy rain storm in Shreveport, Louisiana. I was probably a young teen and my sisters and brothers were at home also. Mom was at work. I remember looking out the front picture window of our house - I had never in my life seen rain whipping around so hard like that! I mean, it was raining side ways NOT down! And I must say I was one scared kid!

The storms in Skiatook last night sounded and felt just like that memory! Unlike the Skiatook storms, the storm in my memory did produce a tornado in our neighborhood a few blocks away hitting a couple of houses.

I do not recall calling out to the Lord then, but Truth is the same: He is our Refuge and Shield - a very present Help in time of trouble - whether you know you are in trouble or not!

Our God is Good ALL the time,
ALL the time God is Good!

And now check out my Garden Helpers!

Fun at Neenee & Granddad's House...

The Schubert GRAND 5 came to our house for a short visit.
Check out the fun on the photoshow below.

Bragging Grandparents...

We are SO PROUD of Katelin B. and her accomplishments.

She was inducted into the National Junior Honor Society this past week.

She will start 8th grade this fall school year.

Way to go Katelin! Keep it up!

Katelin is BEAUTIFUL - inside and out:)

Great gifts mean great responsibilities;
greater gifts, greater responsibilities!
Luke 12:48b (The Message)

KEEP Those Notes Coming!

This one is from gdaughter, Mallory...

Mallory, Riley, and Kassidy

are always making

and giving us special notes.

Now if this doesn't make you feel SPECIAL...

I don't know what does!

Granddad is not left out either!






We have the BEST
GRANDchildren in the world
and
We LOVE being their Grandparents!

Poodle Skirt & Some Hip Hop!

The rocking 50's: leather jackets, pompadour hairstyles, white tee-shirts and dungarees were a few of the articles fashion that were introduced in the 50's. The 50's also brought the poodle skirt into fashion. The poodle skirt often was white or pink, consisting of a cute poodle on the front side of the skirt.

Poodles, were not just for pets, anymore!

Mallory in her poodle skirt (made of course by neenee!)

Mallory's 4th grade class Rock's!

View photoshow below of some highlights!

Warren will get me for posting this pic!

But I thought it was so precious after a long, tiring, FUN day!

They are both sound asleep!

Painting 101

Here I am finishing up the last stroke of Kilz Primer on the walls.

Ahhhhhhhhhhh...I'm glad that's done!

mmmmm...sweet peas!

Here is Camden taking his first taste of homemade sweet peas!

This brings back a childhood memory. I always called these peas "Santa Claus Peas"! Mother told me this is what they were named and if I did NOT eat them then Santa would NOT come to bring me gifts on Christmas Eve! This was mom's way of getting me to eat something I did not like! It worked! To this day they are NOT my favorite but I DO eat them!!

I always called and knew them by this name, not ever thinking otherwise, until about 18 years later when I was a freshman in college (really!!). It was our spring break and I went to Warren's house to spend the week. His mom served sweet peas! I quietly asked Warren for the Santa Claus peas (REALLY)!! I will never live this one down!

I now call them SWEET PEAS!

No More Wallpaper!

The last couple of days (except Sunday - took the day off on project work) I have been stripping off wallpaper and painting Kilz primer on the kitchen/breakfast area walls. It has gone well - the hardest part was stripping the wallpaper off way above the kitchen cabinets. See pic below.

The next step will be to paint the wood trim and chair rails. I will hold off faux painting the walls until after the granite countertops are installed on Monday 7th. I want to be sure I get the right color to match everything in there.

I have not been able to do any planting in the garden since we have had cool and rainy weather. I hope soon to at least plant the onions and cool weather seed crops soon.

In my younger years I would have had these projects done in lickity split time! Now, it seems, I tend to just take my time and work at a lot slower pace Ahhhhhhhhhhh retirement...I love it!