Quality Friends are a Gift from God!

Lately, I've been pondering how quality friends are a gift from God to us. Sure, we might say, "We're blessed to have friends like them." But it really struck me that THEY ARE AN INTENTIONAL GIFT GOD GAVE US TO BLESS US! Wow! Among the many blessings of God, more than we deserve, an abundance of godly, quality people that call us friends, keep in touch with us, and show us they love us has got to be at the top!

At at the top of the top is a great family like that. We had the privilege to get to know them when their family was pretty young. Even though they moved across the country we have kept in touch. The photos of their adorable boys have been magnetized to my frig and we watched them go from cute little boys to (hubba, hubba)godly and handsome young men.
What is more exciting is that because of their wonderful parents, they are attractive on the inside, too! (I was going to post all the photos in secession to prove to them I've kept them all but I counted 18 of them....) Anyway, their oldest went off to Bible college a few years ago and then on a "short-term" mission trip to South America.

Well.......the young single and handsome, short-term guy found a gorgeous young lady and a long-term relationship and...well, our great friends recently went to Uraguay to meet her and attend the wedding! How delighted I was to get a bunch of pictures and get permission to share them on my blog!

Here they are meeting their "daughter-in-law-to-be" for the first time!

Congratulations! Keith & Betiana!!!

I'm thinking Russ is thinking "she's a keeper."

We love you guys!!

P.S. I even have the "rude" first thing in the morning, photos you took of me when you stayed with us before you moved! And I've forgiven you for that! :)

Recent Letter from Granddaughter:

Don't you just love the way preschoolers say things? Here's a recent letter from Hannah:

Dear Grandma,

I love you and I want you to come to our house SOON. and I love you, Grandma. Today it's St. Patricks Day at Kansas and I made some green playdough with Hudson and mommy. I put yellow and blue and some salt in but you never should put that much salt in food. And I love you, Grandma, Good bye.

And to Grandpa, she wrote:

Dear Grandpa,

I love you, Grandpa. Grandpa, I hope you come to our house soon - maybe after this day, I don't know whenever you're gonna come. Grandpa, say "hi" for Grandma and I hope she has a great time today.

Love,

Hannah

Today, she called me and said she was "oganizing" her toy box!

Happy Birthday to my First Born!!!

Today is my oldest daughter's birthday! I wish I could be there to celebrate with her. I have "unearthed" some of my favorite photos. Here is a little walk back into her past life before Rusty, FOCUS and twins!

Her life began as a "California Babe"

...with a Hillbilly dad!
But she never lost her glamour!

Although she was still a "little bit country"

...with a Hillbilly dad!

Education was very important. She was so smart she skipped Kindergarten and first grade and went straight to the head of the class in second grade!
Here she is on her first day in junior high! Remember the "layered look"? Note, the matching three pairs of socks and three shirts.

She graduated senior class president and a 4.0 and then some...

On to college and nursing school!

"California Babe once again..."

But she must have missed the country life.....!

Because, no matter how hard they tried, those surfer guys couldn't win her heart!

But Rusty did!

"She catches, she even cleans!"

So back to the country she went!

Hope you have a great day Les! We love you!

Three Funerals and A Wedding

This time last week I was helping a dear friend decorate for her daughter's wedding. By the end of the week we will have attended three funerals. Wow! What an emotional roller coaster! Weddings, funerals, and the like have a real way of making me focus on what is really important in life. Funerals, in particular always make me think about what I'd like people to be able to say kindly about me when I pass! Our first funeral, on Monday, we attended in a small rural community senior citizen's center! When we arrived it was all set up as a potluck! Now that's a funeral! Since the elderly gentlemen was cremated, there was no need to decide whether he would be positioned at the head of the line or by the desserts! And I might say, it was the most amazing dessert table I've EVER seen at a potluck! Anyway, everyone enjoyed a wonderful meal which was followed by a few sweet songs, and inspirational words and verses from the pastor. The "floor" was then opened up for anyone to stand and say what dear Melvin had meant to them. Melvin was truly a kind, caring and gentle man. The words were indicative of how much he cared about people. Even in his eighties he had stopped to help someone in "need" who then stole his cellphone. Melvin's wife raised German Shepherds which is how we got acquainted with him. We had the privilege of having them in our home for Thanksgiving dinner one year. Melvin's "potluck funeral" ended in a flag ceremony by the local Veteran's of Foreign Wars. The shaky gentlemen completed the ceremony with great dignity, and I was thankful our society remembered those who served our country at their funerals. Mostly I went away wondering if people would speak of me as being a "kind" person when I pass.

This "Potluck Memorial Service" reminds me of a story I heard at the recent "Walk to Emmaeus" of which I was a part. The story goes that a lady asked that she be buried with a fork. "Why?" her family asked. Her explanation was that anytime she attended a nice meal, when the hostess took her plate away if she was told to "keep her fork" it meant that there was something better coming! The Marriage Supper of the Lamb is certainly something better coming!



The second service was not so pleasant. We shared in the grief of a precious little family whose sweet baby boy went to be with Jesus. Words cannot express the heartache we feel for them. I went away with a new reality of all our "nice and tidy" lives can be greatly disrupted with the reality of a fallen world and only Jesus can truly comfort us. What if we had no hope? I grieve for those who have no hope. I also went away with a lightening jolt of how I would feel if I had to say good bye to one of my three grand babies. It's too much to even ponder. I pray for their safety everyday, I always have.

Lastly, we will attend the celebration service of my pastor's father. He has been an incredible inspiration to me! His life is a testimony of the amazing power of God to change a man in an incredible way! Here is an exert from his obituary:

From 1985 - 2007, he devoted himself to short term missions. One of his favorite Bible verses was Proverbs 11:30 "The fruit of the righteous is a tree of life, and he who wins souls is wise." In 1985, he took his first mission trip to Panama, then the following year to Honduras. From 1989 - 2006 he went to Mexico several times a year taking food, clothing, toys, and bibles. In November of 2007, he took his final mission's trip to Hong Kong, Vietnam, and China. From 1983-2008, he faithfully ministered in numerous jails and prisons having touched the lives of many inmates both adult and juvenile.
Henry's hobbies included spending time with his children and grandchildren, gardening, yard work, and traveling throughout the United States.
He was a faithful member of Legacy Life Family Church.

My fondest memory of was on Mother's Day, 2005. Our pastor had asked me to preach the Mother's Day service. When I arrived that morning Henry greeted my at the door and informed me he was going to anoint me and pray for me. He escorted me into the Pastor's office, gently touched my hands with oil, then held them and prayed for me. I could definitely sense the presence of the Lord! Another special occurrence was just a couple of months ago. Phil overheard a lady in our DWI class telling some other students that while she was in jail a man came to share the good news with the inmates. She said he had faithfully come three weeks in a row. She didn't want to have anything to do with him so she stayed back in the shadows. The third week he looked straight at her standing in the back, pointed at her and said, "Jesus needs you!" With joy in her voice and a smile on her face she proceeded to tell them she accepted Christ and it changed her life! Henry will truly be missed!!!! There is no doubt in my mind Saturday's celebration of Henry's life will be amazing indeed!