You Have Turned My Sorrow Into Dancing!

What a wonderful way to celebrate Christmas Sunday with wonderful praise and worship and see three baptized!





This man and his family attended our church because of the food handout that took place last week. This morning he was baptized!

After church today we had mom and brother-in-law, Garnett, over for lunch. Phil took two whole hens and grilled them on the rotissery. The recipe he used was "Garlic-and-Mint Roasted Chicken" in the Webber's "Art of the Grill" book. He substited catnip for the mint since it is in the same family and we have it growing in our yard! It was "WONDERFUL"!! He had already tried out the recipe a couple of times and knew it was a hit but this was the first time on the rotissiary. Along with it we served Rice a Roni - Rice Pilaf (doctored with green onions, small pieces of carrot, red peppers and celery), brocolli salad (with bacon, sunflower seeds, red onion and raisins), and Garnett brought Pretzel Surprise". For dessert we had carrot cake. This was one of the meals where the items really complemented each other.

We spented the evening extending hospitality to a man, recent Phil has been discipling.

Chrismas Love!

Wishing to impact our neighborhood with the love of Jesus this Christmas season, one of the young men at our church had a vision of giving out food to our neighbors. Because our church is located in the poorest part of town, this was a very appropriate way to share the love! Enough money was donated to purchase 219 boxes of "Angel Food" (@25.00/box). The boxes included an assortment of food including some frozen chicken and four rib eye steaks! On Saturday approximately forty people assembled the boxes in an open ended warehouse with the temperature of 20 degrees and windchill of about five! We had an assembly line and then loaded them on to our pick-ups. We then met at the church and divided up into teams assigned to specific streets. We simply went door to door and shared a box with a Christmas greeting and invitation to our church. There were blessed reports of the responses! Today at least two families came to the service as a result of our contact with the food. But I'm not sure who received the most blessing, the giver or the givee! There were quite a few of our teens and children involved and they were greatly impacted by the experience as were the adults. After distribution we had a great time eating hot soup at the church. It was the coldest day of the year so far but our hearts were warm! (Unfortunately, the camera I took with me had low batteries so I did not get any photos!! Boo Hoo!).

The Cleansing Stream I see, I see!!

Last Sunday after our morning service, in a COLD basement youth room five boys from our youth group shared their testimonies and very baptized in a stock tank! I think the photos captures the moment in a way my words can't!

In Sweet Memory......

My father-in-law made his final flight last week and went to be with Jesus! This was a real answer to prayer because his quality of life had deteriorated so and he did not suffer endlessly like some others have. His memorial service was just amazing and wonderful. There was such a sweet presence of the Lord. We couldn't have asked for a more wonderful send-off celebration. One thing that was made so apparent to me was how much he had meant to my children! It made me even more determined to be all I can be for my grandchildren.

Each of my three children had tributes to him as expressed previously which were read at his service. They were as follows: I truly think they were a blessing to all.


Written by Jana for speech class in high school:
In the world’s eyes, a life like the one lived by my grandfather may seem insignificant, but my life wouldn’t be the same without him.
My Grandpa is a survivor
He was born in 1920 and lost his father at age 5
In Grades 1-8 he moved 7 times
In the 8th grade he worked in the fields and joined the army at 16 years of age, and YES survived the Great Depression
My Grandpa is sacrificial!
He only earned $21 dollars a month from the Army but sent $15 of it to his mom who had no income.
As a father, he worked long hours to provide for kids.
He and grandma were able to send all four kids to private college despite being lower/middle class.
My Grandpa is a Servant!
He would give of himself to anyone in need.
I know he’d give his right arm for me!
My Grandpa knows how to work hard!
He grew up on a farm.
He worked as an engineer for the Army.
My Grandpa spent 35 years as a carpenter and after long days at work would come home and play ball with my dad.
My Grandpa Loves God!
He accepted the Lord at 22
He raised his family in the church
To this day he shows God’s love by his actions and words.
My Grandpa is loving!
He didn’t always show emotions but now he hugs me and says "I love ya" with tears in his eyes.
As much as he would hate to admit it, he is soft inside.
My Grandpa has a sense of humor!


When asked about his childhood he replied quickly, "I was born at a very young age, and wasn’t very big for my size. I spent all my life on the farm, but the first 6 months I was only milkin’ and spreadin’ fertilizer."
I helped him paint a fence and we got into a paint brush war.

When I come to visit, he opens the door and says "Oh, it’s Halloween again?"
Others may not see what I do in my grandpa, but I tell you they are missing out!

Lesli posted this on her blog this past Wednesday:

After suffering with advanced Alzheimer's for the past several years, my Grandpa is finally in his right mind today. It's been awhile since he could think clearly and recognize his loved ones, but I'm sure that when Jesus came to take him home this morning he had no trouble recognizing his Lord.I have some great memories of my Grandpa. Early on, I mostly just remember his blue work shirts that said "Lester." Grandpa was a hard working man, and a skilled carpenter.


Later on I remember him attending my sporting events and other important milestones. Even though he wasn't always comfortable showing affection, he showed me his love by the things he did for me. He was very quick witted and ornery. Instead of telling me he loved me, he'd say things like, "Some people have to pay their grand kids to be good. You're just good for nothing!"One of my favorite memories of my Grandpa is when he took me to college. For some reason that I don't really recall, my parents were going to send me off to college on an airplane. My grandparents didn't like the idea of me having to go to my first semester of school alone, so Grandpa loaded up me with all my stuff, and we made the 16 hour trip together. And Jesus got us there in one piece!I'm blessed to have good memories! It makes days like today not so sad. I loved my grandpa. I'm thankful that I got to grow up with him in my life, and I'm really glad that he's finally free of the disease that took so much of his mind so that he can celebrate Christmas with Jesus this year!

This letter was written to Dad by Pat:



2-17-00

Grandpa,

I hope this letter finds you in good health and high spirits.

Last week while I was visiting a close friend of mine, the conversation turned to grandparents. He told me how his wife’s grandfather had been a shining example of Christ to him while they were visiting (before they were married.). Every morning this man could be found sitting by the window reading his Bible by the early morning sunlight, and again when the sun set. This example had such a profound example on my friend that he turned from his life of sin, married the woman that is now his wife and they have a two month old baby named Elijah.

As you know, my brother Rusty has just lost his grandfather. I don’t know if “Paw Paw” knew how much he meant to Rusty.

Grandpa, if tomorrow never comes, will you know how much I love you? Will you know how much your influence has shaped me into the man I am today? Thank you for the times when I was in school, discouraged about life and you had encouraging words for me. When the world made me feel like a failure you were quick to point out that I was special and that God had a plan for my life. I will never forget the years when I was at school at Yucca. I would walk to your house after band practice and you and I would talk for hours about when you were young and about how you learned to “Do it right and then do it fast”. The work ethic you taught me will someday be passed on to my grandchildren.


I will keep forever in my mind the stories you told of hunting with John Reynolds, your brother Paul, and others. I have the Remington model #41 .22 that you used to kill countless rabbits during the Depression, when marksmanship meant eating or going hungry. I think of you every time I look at the old Springfield .30.06 with “FERN” carved on the side. I will keep these heirlooms until I have grandchildren to pass them on to, and along with them will be stories of you and I and how we loved to harass one another and work together.

Granddad, God is doing a wonderful work in my life. I am totally sold out to his will for me. He is drawing me into a close personnel relationship with him and I’m excited to see what He has for my life!

Thank you for always loving and supporting me and for being there even when you didn’t have to be!

Write back if you have time!

I Love you!

Pat

Just Try to Resist!

Rhinestone Fairy Princess Cowgirl!