One of those Days

Have you ever had one of those days followed by another one of those days? I have recently been humbled by God's presence. You know the children's' story "Alexander and the Terrible, Horrible, No Good, Very Bad Day" by Judith Viorst, well that is what yesterday was Kind of like but it began very good for me, just not for a student. Everything just seemed to go "wrong" late to school, spilt breakfast, melt down after melt down until almost total shut down. :-( I got so frustrated because anything I tried to 'help out with' didn't help; it only made matters worse. "I" tried everything possible until The Spirit reminded me that I forgot the most important thing of all - 'Did you pray?' Yikes, not until the little reminder that He is the only one in total control every time. Good thing I had a beginning that was positive and for once it wasn't a regretful day for me to look back on with mistaken 'reactions of impatience'. The student - well - was only reacting to a long weekend and a bad Tuesday beginning. Then one of the girls had that same kind of day. Yikes. :-(

With much prayer, preparations, prayer and eagerness today was a different day. It just seems like things went so much better. Yes today was one of those days that makes you think, why was yesterday so bad really? Mind set - what was the focus? It is so important for me to keep my mind focused on the Lord and the most wonderful gift of the saving Grace of Jesus Christ. I was beat both days but I am glad he sustained and continues to sustain me with each and every "One of those Days" because one day it may be my last before I go home. Maybe just maybe it is time to remember that when one of those days rolls through it is another great opportunity to share the Love of Jesus Christ so that none would perish. We all need him as our Savior, some just haven't been given the gospel message of Jesus Christ to open his gift freely given to all who will take it.

Well, One of those days may end up being the best one yet and getting to share Jesus.

Red Neck Cookout :-)

Hey Ya'll, What has a gun, gills, legs, hooks, hunters and shells all have in common? They are all used for & in a red neck cookout. :-) We were invited to a fishfry/cookout tonight that ended up pretty interesting. When we arrived our host said we had been invited to a true Red Neck Cookout, had we ever been to one before? "No, what is that?" was our reply with a smile. Well we were going to have Bass, Catfish, Dove (freshly shot today) and frog legs along with some fix'ins. It was GRRRRReat! I liked it all, I wish it could be said of all the meat it "tastes like CHICKEN". The fish was great, the dove was seasoned and bacon wrapped, the frog legs -yummy actually (although I laughed really hard when they brought us over some to "try" because it was the lower half of a frog and I giggled at the sight). Fresh fruit, salads, corn bread, and taters along with many homemade icecream, pastries and desserts to melt your buds right off your tongue! Anyone leave hungry and you alone deserved to be "shot", for sure (just kidding) but it was an excellent time.

We laughed, shared stories of "bein' kids" and only the good Lord's protectin' us - (how any of us ever servived we wondered), enjoyed the outdoors, fellowship, the laughter of kids playin' and jumpin' on the trampoline, four wheelin', motor cycles, and a type of football toss, not to mention a hatchet toss target, all we would have needed was to have "granny and Jedd Clampit" roll by to invite us to their "cement pond". :-) The Red Neck Cookout ended up being a shot gun fun time while exposing our past memories and watching our children create their own! :-)

By the way - I loved my very first solo ride on a four wheeler with three others gals on three four wheelers on the dirt road while Emily giggled to share with her daddy that "Mommy drove her own four wheeler Daddy!!!! All by herself! ;-)" It was a great Labor Day (started 1882-83 in the state of New York). All Praise to God and all his creation which was an Out of this world country experience to add to our family's memories! Thanks to those of you we spent our 2008 Labor Day with Ya'll made us feel very welcome and we enjoyed our time with you - another memory with friends we can call family.

What was your Labor Day 1 September 2008 like? Hope you enjoyed your friends/family like we did today. :-)

Fall Fest - YEPPIE!!!

Yesterdays are fond! And "yesterday" was no different. Our Fall Fest was AWESOME. The family at RCC pulled together and gave with all they had and it showed with an over abundance of LOVE! I love it when that happens. Yes I was able to be "Ana crazy" - and did an obsticle course that was so amazingly fun (also funny to witness as I rolled over the huge 'hills')!!!

The vision was cast, we came together and lived the vision out. It was so rewarding to see how everyone pulled together from the backbone unseen to the visuals everyone worked together and shared the love of Jesus Christ to the community giving a family day for FREE to a world that always charges something because "there are no free lunches". Oh to reach out and serve was blessed all day. The gospel was shared in every way.

Advertisements with "no catch". smiles. laughter. meal. wagon pull ride. pony rides. blow up fun activites. children friendly duck pond, balloon darts, facepainting, dunk tank. Pie eating. World Renown Juggler and Gospel quartet brought in all with one come goal - Win - Build - Send for Jesus Christ! It was so refreshing to see all ages come together and smile hearing the message of the Gospel unashamedly and boldly. PRAISE HIM for he gave a picture perfect day. I loved it All!

But my favorite was when our line for the facepainting was very long and it was time to "close" temporarily to go to a main session. The last little boy was given the your the "last one" cut off, so to move along. When I happened to look up between children being painted and smiling I witnessed something wonderful. The "last one" let a few more children step in front of him so that they could get their faces painted while he was still the "last one" before closing. I could only smile and think and then pray for him, "Lord, Bless him because our desire was to give to this community out of Love be not charging one penny to any one. He gave your love be allowing others to come first - therefore bless him abundantly for his very unselfish attitude!" It made me make sure to smile, paint, and bless each little one that allowed me to paint their faces knowing that one little one "got it" and shared love to others also. For everyone who helped Fall Fest - Yeppie~!!! Good Job good and faithful servants - your hard work and Love showed.

Friends

Friends came over today and I loved being with them. 3 generations during this visit and it was sweet! OM goodness I actually forgot to take pictures!!! :-( They made me realize how grateful I am to many of you for your presence in my Life). You are NO MISTAKE! Your a masterpiece created by the CREATOR who blessed me with YOU!

Anyway I am so glad that my visit with my friends today was not like the friends I have been reading for my daily reading lately. Jobs' friends . . . wow were they harsh. I am reading in the New Living Translation and I am amazed at . . . well their forthright attitudes. It almost breaks my heart. Sure there are qualities they bring up about the Lord however, they also just show their human error.

I enjoy my friends. We laugh together, share one another's joys as well as burdens, some have been around to see my children born and others to be there when one went to be with the Lord, some shared practical jokes, as well as my shared prayers, and some have come to know the Lord Jesus Christ through our lives with one another. There are those whom I've known for many years and others whom have just entered my life and they all are important. Some know me quite well (YIKES ;-} ) and others whom are just getting to know me. Some have known me most of my life and see where I've come from ;-( before I knew Jesus and others who've known me after Jesus. Some have the joy of sharing in our yet new beginning again with "HaSa" through all these steps of my life I am grateful for my friends. I even married my dearest friend :-) (Love You B!) Friends - are family and Family are friends - They/YOU are a part of who I am - so Thank You~!

Faithful
Respectful
Itimate (In To Me U Shall See)
Everlasting
Near
Dependable
Sincere

All tuckered Out

Today was a full and HOT one! Literally it was so very Hot outside! The SJSD buildings all had to have had little ones and others sweating like crazy! ;-0

My student is a charmer and I love what I do. Other little ones are just now figuring out that we are with child :-)! That is a fun one! HaSa is starting to move like never before. Maybe my temp was a bit too warm - who knows! ;-p

The "babies" love that we are in the same building because they get a few little "perks" getting to come in the building with me and being "helpers". They will probably really enjoy it later when it gets below zero or close to the freezing temperatures - UGH!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! Now (literally) a storm is brewing in. Well . . . tonight is a family night and well . . . we are going to have a good time. Even though a bit tuckered out from a full week and heat.