Back to the real world

Well, vacation is over and Dennis has gone back to work.  It was a great two weeks!  I loved our trip out west and the special time we shared.  I always love the week of Thanksgiving...all the special food preparation and time with friends and family.  I love our family traditions on Thanksgiving, and I love it that my kids feel the same.  Even tho I always like to try out new recipes, there are some things that must not change:  turkey, Maxine's recipe for dressing and candied sweet potatoes, homemade rolls, having deviled eggs and olives on the table, and ALWAYS having pie and homemade candy for dessert (especially pecan and pumpkin - or sweet potato - pie!).  A game of train after dinner is a must...this year made extra lively by the addition of Sherrod!  Then the day always has to end with a viewing of "It's a Wonderful Life."  It does my heart good to watch this beautiful story each year and see the tears being wiped from the eyes of my loved ones...as I wipe my own.

Dennis and I did a VERY laid-back version of Black Friday.  We slept in, breakfasted at What-a-Burger, and then hit WalMart around 9:00 a.m.  So we miss some bargains, but we enjoy a relaxed shopping experience and still find a few good deals. 

We enjoyed another wonderful Lord's Day yesterday.  Mike gave an excellent lesson about not compromising our Christianity.  It was one of those assemblies where everything seemed almost choreographed.  The first song fell right in line with the opening prayer.  The song after the main prayer followed the closing thoughts of the prayer that proceeded it.  I love how the Lord works on the hearts of those leading the assembly! 

We were saddened yesterday to learn of the passing of Brother Emmett Terry.  Our families have been friends for about 45 years.  He was a gentle man with a big heart and will be greatly missed!

Brother Jim Fox is back in the hospital.  He was taken by ambulance on Wednesday...having difficulty breathing.  Turns out that even while on a hefty dose of Coumadin, he had a blood clot break loose and travel to his lungs.  He is feeling much better now!  This morning they are inserting a filter into his veins to keep any clots from going to his heart or lungs.  Hopefully he will be back in rehab in a couple of days and home soon after.  It was good to see him looking good and laughing and smiling last night.  Please continue to keep him and his dear wife, Mary, in your prayers.

Well, I guess I'd better get to my day...back to my "normal" schedule.  I hope all of you had a pleasant time with family and friends over the Thanksgiving weekend and have a good week to come!

Ps 100:4 Enter into his gates with thanksgiving, and into his courts with praise: be thankful unto him, and bless his name. 5 For the LORD is good; his mercy is everlasting; and his truth endureth to all generations.

Happy Thanksgiving Y'all!

Things are pretty quiet right now.  I have all of my preliminary cooking and baking done...just waiting for the morn to begin cooking in earnest! 

I haven't been doing the "thankful list" on facebook this year.  It is pretty much the same list each year:  family, friends, health, everything we need and much of what we want, and especially all the spiritual blessings that we enjoy in Christ.  I will add a few extra: 

I'm thankful that Alan W. has survived his close call and is back at work.
I'm thankful that my little CASA kiddos are growing and thriving at their wonderful foster home.
I'm thankful that Dennis and I, Sheila, and Daddy and Bobbie all made it home safely from our recent trips.
I'm thankful that Rick is back home and has a good job that he loves.
I'm thankful to call Frank S. my brother in Christ.
I'm thankful to have had Dennis as my husband for the past 35 years.  He has been my stabilizing factor, my "head", my protector and my friend.  I am SO thankful that God brought us together and has given us a long happy marriage!

Way Out West

Had a wonderful week with Dennis on our trip out west!  We started out by driving to Odessa on Saturday night.  We then attended services at the Pecos church and met quite a few new friends.  Ron and Melissa Box were kind enough to take us and the Hays family out for dinner.  We enjoyed our time visiting and getting to know their family.  Then we followed Joe and Leanne home to Carlsbad for a couple of nights.  Their kids happened to be out of school Monday, so they all accompanied us to the caverns.  Dennis and I hadn't been since we were both kiddos.  It was as beautiful as I remembered!  There weren't many people there, and it happened to be free admission for Veteran's Day, so it turned out perfect!

At the park entrance

Taking a rest

We left early Tuesday morning and headed back to Texas.  We followed along the edge of the Guadalupe Mtns. in southern NM and then headed to the Davis Mtns. in Texas.  We enjoyed the beautiful sites along the way and ended up at our destination for the night in Alpine.  I loved this town!  I want to return sometime and spend more time exploring!  That evening we headed back into the mountains to attend a "Star Party" at the McDonald Observatory.  It was amazing!  The stars were so bright, we were able to view an awesome meteor streak across the sky, and we viewed the "stripes" on Jupiter through one of their telescopes.

Our cabin in Terlingua

After a leisurely Wednesday morning, we headed down into Big Bend country.  My "skills" at finding unusual accommodations is still intact as is in evidence by our cabin I rented in Terlingua.  At least it was clean, although it had a strong smoky odor.  It was in the perfect location, tho, for viewing both the state and national parks.  We spent all Wednesday afternoon, until dark, viewing the Big Bend Ranch State Park.  The road is sandwiched between the south border of the park on one side and the Rio Grande River on the other (which is bordered on the south side by even more mountains on the Mexican side).  As the sun started to set, we parked our car and hiked back off the road a ways to try to view some wildlife.  We heard car doors, and as we approached our car on our return were greeted with the sight of the border patrol checking us out!  They decided we weren't illegal, so they waved and went on their way.

We found this bluebonnet blooming...in November!

We spent all day Thursday going through the Big Bend National Park...such a HUGE, diverse piece of wilderness!  It includes vast Chihuahuan desert, the beautiful oasis of the Chisos Basin, and the lush wetlands of the Hot Springs along the river.  My favorite was the Chisos Basin...such a gorgeous place.  We even saw a bear!

"The Window"

"Our" bear - he enjoyed a nice long sunning while all the guests at the Chisos Lodge watched!

Today was a long day of driving home, but we made it safely.  It was good to be back and see Ricky.  I'm looking forward to sleeping in my bed tonight!  The past week was one I'll never forget:  the quietness and beauty of God's creation...away from the interference of man.


Ps 104:24 O LORD, how manifold are thy works! in wisdom hast thou made them all: the earth is full of thy riches.
















Count down to vacation

For a week with nothing planned, last week turned out to be plenty busy.  I got a call on Tuesday from CASA offering me a new case.  It is much different from what I've had to deal with so far...a teenager.  I had thought when I started CASA that I'd only want to work with younger children...teenagers are difficult enough without the problems involved with abused kids and placement in foster homes.  However, the conference I attended changed my mind.  When I listened to those former foster kids talk about their experiences and how much it affected their lives to have SOMEONE who cared, made me decide to venture into this terrifying new territory.  Anyway, I took the case and went to visit my new girl on Wednesday.  She had been placed in a psychiatric hospital (mostly for observation and holding until an appropriate foster home could be found).  THAT was a new experience!  But things went surprisingly well and we had a good visit.  She is being moved to a foster home today, so I hope to go see her again this afternoon to see how things look there.

Jim Fox has been placed in rehab in Weatherford.  He is still extremely weak, and his foot is still too swollen and sore to walk on.  This is really difficult for him and Mary.  It is nice having him closer to home...driving to FW was really hard on Mary.  I'm very concerned about him tho.  This is a tough battle for a 82 old man with COPD to go through.  Please continue to pray for him and Mary!

One of Dennis' coworkers was retiring on Friday and Dennis asked me to do a cake for the party.  So that took up much of my day on Thursday.  Friday, after my regular chores, I went to see Pam and had a really good visit with her!  She is doing better after her knee replacement surgery, but it is slow going.  She was able to make it to the assembly last night, but you could tell she was in a lot of pain by time services were over.

I have another prayer request:  Gary Bell is waiting to be approved by Workman's Comp to have back surgery to repair some problems that have developed from a previous back surgery.  He has been in a LOT of pain for a long time!  They are supposed to receive word this week about whether the surgery is a "go" or not.  They are hoping and praying that he will be able to have it this week.  He is pretty much incapacitated from the pain.

We had several gone yesterday at Highway, but we still had a nice crowd.  Ricky spoke that morning and did a great job.  He had me blubbering by the end of his lesson...it was very personal and meaningful.  Last night, Jared did a good job on his study of Exodus 17.  Our crowd was even smaller, but both Pam and Nancy were able to attend.  It was so good to see both of them.  Nancy has completed her prescribed chemo and will be going back to Chicago for a checkup toward the end of the month.  We are praying that the cancer is completely gone and stays gone, and that she will soon recover from the effects of the chemo!

We plan to leave on our anniversary trip this Saturday evening when Dennis gets off work.  We are really looking forward to it!  Dennis has 2 weeks off, but we only plan to be gone the first week.  He hopes to do a little hunting the next week, plus it will be Thanksgiving week.  It will be nice having him off and able to visit and enjoy family.

Hope all of you have a great week and enjoy this gorgeous fall weather!  (I wanted to share these gorgeous trees that are down the road from us.  I believe we are going to have some brilliant colors this year!)

Jas 5:14 Is any sick among you? let him call for the elders of the church; and let them pray over him, anointing him with oil in the name of the Lord: 15 And the prayer of faith shall save the sick, and the Lord shall raise him up; and if he have committed sins, they shall be forgiven him. 16 Confess your faults one to another, and pray one for another, that ye may be healed. The effectual fervent prayer of a righteous man availeth much.

Never too old to be born again!

I just had to share some wonderful news from the Highway congregation:  yesterday morning, Frank Snow (a 80-ish year old man who is married to Wanda, who grew up attending church at Highway) was immersed into Christ!  This was the answer to YEARS of prayers and studies and encouragement from the whole congregation.  Thanks be to God for a heart made tender for receiving the Word!

Ro 6:3 Know ye not, that so many of us as were baptized into Jesus Christ were baptized into his death? 4 Therefore we are buried with him by baptism into death: that like as Christ was raised up from the dead by the glory of the Father, even so we also should walk in newness of life.