The Dance

Life’s a dance you learn as you go, sometimes you lead sometimes you follow...are you a leader or do you tend to follow?  I feel like a follower.  I wait until I see something I want and then I jump on that bandwagon.  I have learned to be happy just to dance, sometimes it is to the music in my own head but it is still dancing.  I sway back and forth to the music called life.  Sometimes avoiding any involvement at all.  I just barely touch the edge of some peoples life and then others I feel like I am in up to my neck.  I don’t understand why we dance.  But we do.

“Life is a song, love is the music”

We write our own lyrics everyday as we go.  Somedays are happy songs, somedays sad, some are mad days while others are just reflective days.   This song popped in my head this evening:

“Where He leads me I will follow,

Where He leads me I will follow,

Where He leads me I will follow, 

I’ll go with Him, with Him, all the way!”

Once again a follower.  When God talks to you do you always get it right away?  I sometimes can’t figure out what He is trying to tell me!  This week has been that way.  I feel like He is leading me in a different direction than what I am used to.  We are going down a path I haven’t traveled before.  I feel a little scared just because it is unknown to me but at the same time it is exciting.  I know in my heart if this new path is one I am to travel He will equip me.  I have been comfortable in my journey for way too long.  I can say this is coming as a total surprise to me because I feel like I am useful where I am at.  But can I be more useful doing something somewhere else?

John 4:24 (NIV)

24 God is spirit, and his worshipers must worship in the Spirit and in truth.”

If you worship God in that place of freedom and joy, you will see everything with a new perspective. You will see things that perhaps you didn’t see before.  It’s easier to see what God has willed for your life when you worship with Him.

“There will be times when the will of God will not be abundantly clear to us.  During those occasions we are expected to retain our faith and wait on the Lord”            Dr. James Dobson

Once again we are called to wait upon the Lord.  And while we wait…...we worship.

2 Corinthians 5:7 (NIV)

7 For we live by faith, not by sight.

I don’t know about you, but I like to see where I am going.  I shine a light when it’s dark just so I can light my way.  I don’t like the dark.  I don’t fear it, but I don’t like it.  I don’t like the unknown.  Faith-stepping out in faith-is kind of like that darkness.  The difference is that God is there with us.  He is our big flashlight lighting the way.  He shines for us so that we can see the way ahead.  He goes before us.

Hebrews 13:8(NIV)

8 Jesus Christ is the same yesterday and today and forever.

When I was a child at the very young age of 12, I was saved.  Mostly out of fear of going to Hell.  Not that I am proud of that but I was 12 and that’s how it was.  As I grew in age I also matured spiritually, as we all do.  We grow up.  But when we are spiritually young we want to be pleasing to our heavenly father.  We want to do what He wants us to do.  As we get older the line between right and wrong, good and bad, becomes harder and harder to distinguish.  And sometimes the things we have always done will all of the sudden seem wrong.  Gods mercy and grace allows us to mess up, to fall short and He catches us every time.  In all of lifes situations whether good or bad, happy or sad; all the places God takes us, He is giving us the chance to grow in faith.  We are maturing becoming the person He has designed us to be.  We have to go through the fire to be refined!

2 Corinthians 2:14(ESV)

14 But thanks be to God, who in Christ always leads us in triumphal procession, and through us spreads the fragrance of the knowledge of him everywhere.

God is working on me.  He is trying his best to make me humble.

James 4:6 (NIV)

6 But he gives us more grace. That is why Scripture says:

“God opposes the proud

    but shows favor to the humble.”

I have a problem with self though.  No matter how hard I try “self” always gets in the way.

Hebrews 12:10(NIV)

10 They disciplined us for a little while as they thought best; but God disciplines us for our good, in order that we may share in his holiness.

I’m a mess.  A broken mess.  I mess up on a daily basis.  I say the wrong things to people.  I make wrong choices and I know I don’t set the best example for my kids.  My prayer on a daily basis is for me to decrease and Christ to increase.

Romans 5:3 (NIV)

3 Not only so, but we also glory in our sufferings, because we know that suffering produces perseverance;

Broken.  Battered.  Bruised.  Tired.  Weary.  Maybe you don’t see this on the outside.  I like to put myself together...on the outside.  My hair has to be just right.  Makeup just right.  Clothes just right.  Shoes, oh my goodness, you can’t forget the shoes!  They have to match.  Then there is the jewelry and even down to the perfect perfume to finish it off.  You see, when I get up I see the real me.  The one that looks in the mirror and the tired defeated eyes look back.  I see the broken spirit and the weary soul.  So I begin to cover it up.  I put on a mask called makeup and bling.  So that the first thing someone sees is not my sadness or my weariness.  They have to go through a lof of layers to get to that.  The trouble with me is that I wear all of my emotions right there on my sleeve.  But God is helping me with all of that.  He wants me to remember.  I have to remember what He has done for me in the past.  He has carried me to mountain tops, through valleys that I never thought I would get through. When I drug my feet and they were so heavy I couldn’t move then, He scooped me up and just snuggled me up and carried me.  How could I ever forget that?  But those memories dim.  Everytime I encounter another hardship or a bump or pothole in the road of life I have to remember that I am not doing any of this.  My creator and Heavenly Father who loves me is doing this, all of this, for me.  He is doing it for my good.  He is shaping me, molding me.  Not to be a better nurse.  Not to get a raise in pay.  But to touch someone's life.  To make a difference in someones life along the way.  Maybe a word I say.  That one word that comes out of your mouth and you wonder….what the heck was that for?  There was purpose in it.  There are no coincidences,  only God instances.  When I start my day off with the attitude of “what are we going to do today?” my day is so much better.  My attitude is happy.  My steps are with a purpose.

Romans 15:13(NIV)

13 May the God of hope fill you with all joy and peace as you trust in him, so that you may overflow with hope by the power of the Holy Spirit.

I want to overflow….I want to be contagious.  Working in the medical field that is not a word we like to see, but in this instance, I would love to be highly contagious and infectious.  I want to infect everyone I meet with the spirit of Jesus Christ.

We are a peculiar people.  Creatures of habit and I don’t understand sometimes why we do the things we do.   But God knows, he understands and He loves us anyway.  No matter how quirky we are, God loves us which brings me back to the dance.  Thats WHY we dance.  And whether you lead, follow or just stand in one spot...just dance and enjoy the life God created you for.  You were created in His image and He wants the best for you.  Use the gifts God gave you and learn how to dance.

Psalm 149:3a (NIV) Let them praise his name with dancing…

Psalm 30:11 (AMP)  You have turned my mourning into dancing for me...

yes Thank The Lord .God is Good.

Timmy

UPDATE ON TIM::::: God is good!!! Tuesday at 2am Tim woke up hurting with a pulled muscle in his right shoulder under the collar bone. He tried resting and dozed back and forth until 4am. He was hurting really bad and didn't want to take anything for pain, he said he needed to be able to drive for work. He continued dozing on and off until 8:50am, at which time he called me to his side saying he was about to get sick and the pain was going to make him pass out. He immediately started some fast short jerks, and with his eyes open, they rolled back into his head and he went totally limp. Me and his son were with him and he was not breathing at all. I shook him and couldn't get a response so I ended up pounding his chest until he started breathing again, at which time I put one of my nitro glycerin pills under his tongue. It took a few minutes for him to become coherent. I then got him up and was taking him to the car to go to the hospital when he collapsed again. Once again I pounded his chest until he started breathing. I yelled for Timmy Wayne to call 911. I proceeded to raise his legs and pump them back and forth to get the blood flowing through his heart and keep it flowing. I did this until the rescue squad and the paramedics arrived. He was transported to the ER. He was too weak to raise himself in the bed all day Tuesday, Wednesday started out slow and got better by late evening and today he is wonderfully fine and in great spirits, just a little tired. They ran every conceivable test on his heart and assure us it is strong and undamaged. He had what is called Vasovagal. It is a incident not a condition, so it should never happen again. It is caused by having so strong a pain that you tense your body up to the point that you contract all your muscles to the point it cuts off the blood to the brain and the heart and your heard stops. When this happens it is possible it will start back on its on, if not then it is possible to pound the chest and restart the heart the way I did, and if not, then you die. The cardiologist said this is actually what Elvis Presley died from. Yes he was on drugs, but died from Vasovagal. Tim is wired to a heart monitor for the next 7 days, after which he goes to the cardiologist for a follow up. They do assure us we have nothing to worry about and he is totally fine. I thank God for his life and for leading me to do what I had to do. The cardiologist said I did exactly right, and I had no idea what I was doing. He said if it ever happens again to do exactly the same thing. I have just brought him home from the hospital. We want to thank each and everyone for your prayers, I know the power of God is the reason he is still here with us. I thank God in heaven in Jesus name for his life.. Thanks to everyone that helped us, Edna for bringing clothes and books to read and toiletries, Marshall for bringing us The Chicken bus chicken and fixings and also coming to the house and bringing food for Justin and Timmy Wayne, Bobbie for bringing books, cake and banana pudding, and Jay, Jan, Loveline, and Edna for visiting. And Tony for offering to take care of everything here at home for us. And a special thanks for everyone for calling and checking on him and just especially for the prayers. Love to you one and all.

Cindy said not a heart attack!  They think it is electrical and part of the heart isn't firing right. Will do an echo and stress test tomorrow. 

Timmy

I talked to Cindy. He is in radford hospital. From what I can gather he is having a heart attack in what is known as the widow maker portion of the heart. Not totally for sure as we got cut off. He was having arm and shoulder pain for a bit. This morning said he felt like he was going to pass out. Then he did. Lost consciousness and quit breathing. She thumped his chest and gave him nitroglycerin. The dr at the hospital said she saved his life. He is stable  now. Timmy Wayne is there. Will update when I know more. 

Don't Blink

Don’t Blink

He was that little blond haired boy with light blue eyes.  Big smile that would reach all the way to his ears.  Mischievous twinkle peeking out from under those long eyelashes.  There he is reaching out for a hand to hold.  He needs someone to guide him to show him the way.  And at 2 years of age he accepts.  He struggles to keep up with his sister and big brother but he succeeds!  He most often misses their mark but makes his own.  He has been making his own mark ever since.  He marches to the beat of his own drum...I could rattle old cliches a page long.  

I blinked and there was that same little boy with the blond hair, blue eyes, and mischievous twinkle only instead of reaching for a hand he is pushing it away.  Instead of asking someone to guide him he is forging ahead making his own way.  He no longer is the “little” brother.  He has inches and pounds on both his big brother and big sister.

I read somewhere this morning that as parents we should raise our children that we have, not the children we thought we would have.

I always thought my kids would be the same.  But they are so different.  They all like different things.  They react to everything in different ways.  The only thing they do share that I know is the same are memories of Danny, grand parents and church.  And even those will be remembered differently.  God has made all of my kids unique; all different, all perfect in his sight and of course perfect in mine.  Its been 2 years of new beginnings, endings, just life going on.  So this week as everyone posts their first day photos I can't help but think of the changes in his life as he starts the 10th grade.  I know with every new thing in my life I think of Danny so I know he must think of him on this first day of being a sophomore.  Many may say not so much of a milestone but every first that we muddle through without him is a great accomplishment.  This one just puts us a little closer to graduation day.  I know there will be ups and downs this year but my prayer is for more ups than downs!

Proverbs 22:6 (NKJV)

6 Train up a child in the way he should go, And when he is old he will not depart from it

Sand

Many are the grains of sand in a 3 minute timer.  I wonder sometimes how many.  These are the things that wander around in my head.  Of course I googled it.  3 minute timer= 250,000 grains of sand.  An hour glass? 5,000,000.  So as I sit on the beach with the Atlantic Ocean at my feet, these are the thoughts running around in my head.  So how many grains of sand in the ocean?  I am sure there is a mathematician out there somewhere that can figure that out.  There is an algebraic equation for it!  You take the size of a grain of sand and then do a song and dance with a page or two of figures and there you will have your answer.

With my toes buried in the sand I claimed my small portion of the beach. I watched as people came and went;  just like the waves.  There were people of all sizes; big, small, short, tall, white, black, brown, red, tattooed, pierced, young, old, from babies in their mothers arms to grandmothers on walkers pushing their wheels in the sand to catch a glimpse of the ocean view just one more time.  As I sat there the waves came in and lapped up against me.  I could feel the tension leave as the waves went back out to sea.  I tried to leave all my worries and problems at home like everyone else when they go on vacation but they always follow you.  But when you sit there your problems and worries kind of become like grains of sand.  First they are too numerous to count and 2nd they are hard to keep track of and count because we can’t keep up with them.  As the water comes in, it brings new sand and as it goes out, it takes sand with it.  Always moving.  Well thats kind of how my problems or worries felt.  The longer I sat the more I could feel at ease.  The problems of life seem to fade away into the ocean leaving a feeling of calmness, not that I had accomplished anything, but somehow when you look into the vastness of the ocean and you look to the horizon and there is no end, your problems just don’t seem so big.  You know there is something bigger out there besides your little world.  I walked along the beach for many miles.  I looked into many faces; talked to many.  Never got a name but did share a smile, sometimes humor.  I always wondered what was behind their smile, behind their eyes.  What skill did they possess?  Were they heart surgeons, brain surgeons, lawyers, CEO, trash collector, did they perhaps deliver the mail in the same corporate office that the man walking beside me is a CEO?  Here at the beach everyone is the same.  No ties or coveralls, no name tags.  No way of knowing what your calling is in life unless you tell.   Are you happy or sad?  Lonely?  Rich?  Poor?  Homeless? Catholic?  Baptist?  Atheist?  So many questions but here, in the sand, does it matter?  I decided NO!  I tried to let the concerns of my life fade away with the ocean.  I watched the sun come up with thousands of people.  I saw the reflection on the water and on the surface everything was perfect; no ripples.  It reminded me of life.  Many times we reflect life around us and on our surface, life appears perfect to those that just come to watch from a distance.  But when you get a little closer you begin to see imperfections.  The ripples.

As I got farther down the shore my feet began to hurt from walking on the tiny crushed shells.  The water began to take on different shades of blue; depending on which way I was looking at it.  Then with closer inspection I saw lots of activity going on that didn’t first appear.  The sea gulls would wait for the waves to come in then go out so they could snatch the little sand crabs up and eat them.  I saw the dolphins swim in and out, up and down, following the schools of fish.  They would charge full steam ahead splitting the waters and the fish would flop high into the air twisting and wiggling.  The pelicans would swoop down and catch them; All within seconds!  Changing the lives of these creatures but yet it was a continuous cycle over and over, never changing!  It was quite amazing. And this is all that I could see.  Just imagine the activity of marine life that goes unnoticed.  Thank god I didn’t see any sharks, but I know they are there.  No whales, crabs, clams, jelly fish, star fish just to name a few.

Aren’t we similar.  To most people when they peek into someone else's life, they see the surface.  No ripples.  But then we start to notice the little things, the imperfections, the things below the surface.  And just like with the dolphins and fish flopping, thats when we begin to see the real beauty of that person.  All of their little quirks and imperfections become what we love about that person.  God has made us all unique and individual.  He knew us in the womb, knows the hair on our head.  He knows our quirks, our abnormalities!  He created us.

Matthew 10:29-30(NIV)

29 Are not two sparrows sold for a penny? Yet not one of them will fall to the ground outside your Father’s care.[a] 30 And even the very hairs of your head are all numbered.

I try to control every aspect of my life by making lists, making plans, following rules but I am reminded everyday that sometimes I am just like those grains of sand that flow in and flow out.  I can’t control it all. Sometimes there is a bigger picture.  Like the sand in the hour glass, my life sometimes goes up and down, turns over, same routine, same problems, same solutions.  But then once in a while I see the sand in a whole new setting, like the ocean, where the vastness takes the sand to a whole new level.  When I sit there so small and the ocean so big my problems seem small.  The answers are staring me right in the face.  I know what to do. I just have to do it.  I am not in control.  When I see that great big ocean I realize God is in control of it all.  Even when I feel it is out of control…He is controlling it.

Just like he cares for that little sparrow, he cares for me and every detail of my life.  He cares that I have the time to nourish 2 friendships that sometimes get put on a back burner because of family obligations or work.  He cares that I have time to make new memories with sisters that I rarely see.  He cares enough that He could make time for me to have a cup of coffee with a friend when we are headed in two different directions amidst two busy lives and schedules.  He sees the opportunity when we don’t. He sees the big picture.  We are like grains of sand flowing in and out. We can’t keep track of it all but God can.

Matthew 10:31 (NIV)

31 So don’t be afraid; you are worth more than many sparrows

As the water washed over me I could feel all of lives heartaches and cares wash out to sea.  My body ached from the disease and it’s addiction to steroids; and every day as I decrease the prednisone I am reminded of my dependency on it.  But at that moment, the waters felt so healing both physically and emotionally.  There is just something about being at the beach that can take you away from life, away from worry, away from sadness, away from loss and yes away from grief.  If we let that tide that brings the sand also bring that healing water, we begin to heal.  It takes away the old brings in the new and all that sand begins to fill those tiny little crevices that have left holes in our hearts and soul.  They become scars where we once loved but lost.  Scars that remind us we loved deep and true.  Scars that remind us we loved once and yes we would love again. Do these scars disappear?  No!  But they do fade.  These same scars make us stronger, physically and emotionally.

Sunday,  August 3rd, is 2 years since I last saw the face of the one I carry in my heart now.  When I let my self think of this day there is no sand in that scar.  Its open and raw just as it was that day.  But then I remember all the love that was poured out to me and my kids.  That love was just like the sand, it came in and filled all the cracks of those scars.  It brought healing.  Of course I remember, but now I can have those memories without too many tears.  I can remember with laughter all the funny things that he did, and there were many!

Luke 6:21 (NIV)

21

Blessed are you who hunger now,

  for you will be satisfied.
Blessed are 

you who weep now,

  for you will laugh.

Whatever sadness, loss or grief you have in your life; cry!  Weep for what was let the wound be open.  But then you need to let the healing water flow over you and let the sand fill all the cracks of your scar.  Whether the healing water and sand be friends that want to help you or family that want to love you….just let them.  One day you will wake up and realize that your tears have turned to laughter.  You are having more days filled with memories that warm your heart instead of ripping it out.  Just like when you cut your finger, healing takes time.  I will not say time heals all wounds, but I can say for me, God has been merciful.  He has allowed me to feel it all; the sadness, the happiness, the tears, the smiles, even the laughter.  It doesn’t mean I feel or remember him less, it just means God has helped me, even carried me, through those hard days.  Does this mean I won’t have bad days when I am so sad because I miss my best friend? No, I will allow myself that!  But I thank God for lifting me up and pulling me up even when I felt like I couldn't be raised up. I am letting the love of God fill up the cracks in my heart!  And just like sand it is so abundant I can’t count it.  It flows over me just like the water at the ocean.

As I watched the sun come up from my balcony, it was so radiant upon the water.  I imagine that is what our heart and soul is like when we accept the love of Jesus and He shines upon us.  We can bask in the healing of his smile, shining radiantly in our life.   On Sunday I choose to remember Danny with smiles and laughter not with tears, that is what he told me before he died, “Don’t cry for me!”  I choose to continue to let that healing take place and to let that scar make me a kinder, more generous person!  I will get rid of any bitterness or resentment or anger in my life.  I will forgive others and I will apologize!  I choose to let the love of God wash over me and fill all those crevices with Gods sand!  I will treasure the relationships God has entrusted to me and I will not take them for granted.  I will be courageous!

And as long as I have breath, I will take pleasure in the smiles that warm me and in the hugs that always say “I love you”

Every day we are called to do small things with great love…

Mother Teresa

We are having our family get-together over Labor Day weekend this year (Saturday, August 30, Sunday, August 31, and Monday, September 1 which is Labor Day).   Amy wanted to host it at her house as we did the last year before Mommy and Daddy died so we discussed it last week during our sisters' week and we agreed that we would do that.

 

We will have the main event on Sunday, so people can travel on Saturday and Monday.

 

We can use both houses to stay at as we did before.   I figured all the older folks could stay at my house and the younger ones at hers cause they can bring sleeping bags and sleep on the floor since she has carpet, but we need to know who plans to come (and when) so we can arrange sleeping for everyone and so we can plan food for the different meals. 

 

We want to do the White Elephant gift exchange also, so bring your presents.

 

Please inform your own family.

 

Please let us know as soon as you know whether or not you are coming and when.  We will let you know what you need to bring.  More to follow!

Voice 003.m4a

We saw the Newsboys preform this in February at Winter Jam.  The lead singer, Michael Tait, wrote this in memory of his mother.  She had a passed away a few months earlier.  If you didn't know, his sister is Lynda Randall that sings with the Gaither's at their get-togethers.  As I listened to the words that night it reminded me so much of Grandma.  Hope you guys like it :)




http://youtu.be/9vjyq02xBSk

And you should be!  Way to go Emily!

Haha Mommy...actually, 192 is passing, 220 is average, and anything over 240 will allow you to interview for whatever specialty you want (and 260 is pretty much the top end). I ended up with a 249! So, same basic principle but different numbers. ;) Either way, I am really excited!

Congratulations Emily!!  We are so proud of you :)

Emily

Emily just called. She got her step scores back for med school.   Passing is 180. Average is 240 exceptional is 260. She scored 289!  She said she could get into any field she wanted probably with that score!  Woohoo!  

http://youtu.be/0-Mr2pmuad4

Danny, Ruth, great to see pictures of the baptism! Wish I could have been there. Thank you Trish, for posting them. Lonnie, here's wishing you a Happy Birthday. Hope you took the day off to celebrate . . .but then you probably didn't . . . bet you worked hard all day. Hope everyone had a great 4th.

Danny Cadle is one more that Mommy claimed for the cause of Christ!  We see her prayers come to fruition before our very eyes!  Praise the Lord!

Lonnie's veggies

Reunited

After 48 ½ years on this earth I know to look both ways when crossing the road.  I know you shouldn’t stick things in electrical outlets.  I know better than to argue with a small child, because I’m not going to win.  Sorry to say I have learned these things by trial and error.  No…I haven’t been run over because I didn’t look both ways, but almost!  As I was driving on my way to work I reminisced about life.  If things were different, what would I be doing today?  I would be boarding a cruise to Alaska!  We made plans, Danny and I did for our 30^th wedding anniversary.  June 30^th 1984 we said I do and through many ups and downs we celebrated 28 years together.  I still celebrate the years God gave us and I am sure I always will.  Even as I move on with my life the important dates still come and go.  Birthdays, anniversaries, new jobs, kids birthdays, and then later cancer diagnosis, surgery dates, chemo, radiation, the day hospice was called in and the day he died;  All dates no one should have to go through.  But we do.  Seems like we go through everything, life, death, grief…we can’t skip any part of it, we actually have to go through to get through.  And we do…we get through it.  But just like the little things we learn in life about crossing the road, the things that keep us safe, we also learn other things in life and death.  The most important thing I have learned with the time God has given me is to trust him.  It isn’t easy, but it’s worth it!  The other thing I have learned is to learn to love and cherish the ones God has given us!

We aren’t perfect, none of us are.  We all have our faults and our little habits that probably drive the one we love and the one that loves us most crazy!  But we accept it and dig a little deeper.  That one that God has given you is special in so many ways.  I think of my mom and dad who shared 70 years together and I think of how many ups and downs they must’ve faced.  When they married in 1940 and when they passed in 2010 they weren’t the same two people.  Life happened.  12 kids happened.  They struggled through job loss, death of parents, death of children; no one stays the same after that!  Thank God Danny and I didn’t experience the death of a child, but we mourned my parents and I thank God that he was there for me during that time.  The fact of life is that when we change in our marriage whether it be illness, grief…whatever it is…you change to help your spouse, that’s what we do.  We adapt.  Sometimes that means we have to do things we might not ordinarily do but because we love…we do!

1 John 3:18 (NIV)

Dear children, let us not love with words or speech but with actions and in truth.

We forgive when we think we can’t or shouldn’t…because Christ forgave us and does every day.  We mess up, we ask forgiveness and He gives it!  Daily!

I wish in life that you could see what I see.  That little disagreements, even big disagreements, they don’t matter.  If you are willing to forgive, love will find a way.  Love will take you over!  If you can remember why you fell in love you can find a way past the hurdles and road blocks.  They are all just trials that make your relationships stronger.  After 10 years, 20 years, 30 years, 50 years, and 70 years you look back on the hard times, those times that maybe you didn’t like your spouse very much but deep down you did love them and eventually you find each other again but you have to persevere!

The greatest thing God gave us is each other.  Respect it.  Love it.  Forgive it and love it some more!  Because, trust me, after they are no longer here you look back and say, “I could have loved a little more!  I could have tolerated a little more!  I could have given in just that one time.”  When the family is broken apart the devil wins.  I thank God for my 28 years that I was blessed with my complete family.  I will continue to thank God for my family, it’s just we are at different addresses.  He is in Heaven; we are Dawson, Charleston, Athens and who knows where else by the time we leave this earth.  But one thing is for sure, we will be reunited…it may take a while but we will be reunited.  For those of you still in one location here on this planet my prayer is for you to find-or refind- your spouse.  Don’t wait until you get to Heaven!

1 John 4:19 (NIV)

We Love because He first loved us

 

30 years ago

Happy Birthday Steve, hope it was a great one. Was great seeing you last month and I was telling Michael about your garage and what a super job you did on it. He was envious. He thought your bench of the Cherry log was ingenious.

Happy Birthday Steve, hope you have many many more.

Happy Belated Birthday Steve!

Steve

Happy birthday to you
Happy birthday to you
Happy birthday dear Steve
Happy birthday to you!

Love the "Seeds" Trish!  How true! How very true!  Jesus was always using everyday life to teach and bring home a lesson for living!

Relay for life

Seeds

As I write these words I can hardly comprehend the time that has passed.  This is 2014 and Daddy passed March 2010.  It has been 4 years!  Wow!  I can still see him gathering flower seeds, riding the lawn mower, roaming the hills with the weed eater, collecting apples from the trees…all those things that made daddy!  As I maintain my own yard now I am reminded every time I pull a weed of the love and care Daddy took in his yard.  The flowers that are blooming in my yard have practically all been strategically placed by him at one time or another.  Anytime he came over he would pack his pockets full of seeds and I would see him roaming my yard spreading the posies around.  I usually would not see the evidence till weeks later when they began to sprout up.

 

This week on my lunch break as I walked all over town I stopped to admire and of course take pictures of some beautiful flowers along Main Street.  I noticed as I looked at these freshly planted flowers that there among the blooms were a few vegetables thrown in.  A tomato plant and a cucumber vine hidden and growing beautifully and there at the end of the row, a pear tree among a bunch of crab apples.  I thought the town of Rainelle had really come up with an excellent idea!  Pretty and plentiful!  That was Monday.  Wednesday I was in Lewisburg and as I go into Wal-Mart there is Lonnie with a buggy of flowers.  Now that is unusual for me to see so I had to look twice!  But yes, it was my brother with a cart full of pretty posies.  So we talk for a bit about the different kinds of flowers daddy used to have, about perennials, about annuals and collecting seeds.  I tell him about my walk and how the flowers looked so pretty in Rainelle.  Well wasn’t I surprised to learn that the town of Rainelle didn’t plant those flowers…Lonnie did.  And he added those wonderful veggies.  He plans on planting a strawberry or 2 also.  I thought how much like Daddy he was; sowing seeds of flowers!  Daddy would’ve approved; encouraged it and probably given him a few of his own to sow!

 

Proverbs 22:6 (KJV)

⁶ Train up a child in the way he should go: and when he is old, he will not depart from it

I think not only of the seeds daddy sowed down through the years but the seeds that Mommy sowed.  Some have already sprouted, grown and made more seeds.  Some are laying there waiting….I believe they have taken root, they just aren’t all flowery and blooming yet.  They are getting their nutrition, water and lots of sunshine!  We just don’t see the bloom yet.  Daddy’s legacy of love of outdoors, hard work ethic, and love of family has produced many seeds, some we see, and some we don’t.  But the roots run deep, just like with the seeds mommy has sown.  Her goal in life was to see all of her children in Heaven with her one day.  She planted those seeds.  And just like daddy would bring seeds to my house in his pocket and spread them without my knowledge, Mommy was doing the same with us kids as we grew up.  The many times I would see her sitting in her rocking chair with her bible?  Seeds planted.  The many times I saw her in conversation with Jesus?  Seeds.  Being kind no matter what?  Seeds.  Praying with me?  Seeds.  I have seen many of these seeds bloom…and as I watch my children and the other grand children I see more seeds that she planted take root and they are blooming and I know that in Heaven Mommy and Daddy are thinking about their garden here on earth.  They are still watching out for us.  And every now and then I can hear daddy say, pull that weed!  Don’t let it grow because before you know it, it will take over the whole garden!  That’s those little annoying things in our life.  They all start out as little pesky weeds but if we don’t go ahead and take care of them- BAM!- they consume out whole life.  Daddy was the best when it came to killing out weeds.  He would use a dust and a spray and then he would always try a home remedy!  I can’t help but think he would’ve been a fan of Pinterest!  But the main thing was…get rid of the weed.  Don’t nurture it, don’t give it the time of day…get rid of it so the good seeds can grow; become rooted; and bloom!

I didn’t have the pleasure of being with my dad this Fathers Day but I did have the opportunity to enjoy the garden he started.  I got to see the seeds bloom that he planted.  I even got to pull a few weeds in his garden.  And just remember just because you don’t see bloom right away doesn’t mean the seeds you sow aren’t taking root and growing.  All things in Gods time…Even seeds.  So while you wait for the bloom…pull a few weeds.

Matthew 13:8 (NIV)

⁸ Still other seed fell on good soil, where it produced a crop—a hundred, sixty or thirty times what was sown

 

Just wanted to say "Thank You" to everyone for such a birthday celebration you gave me and Vesta when I was home on May 31. It was a surprise to both of us and I considered it very special. Was wonderful to see everyone. Daniel and Alice, sorry that you were not able to be with us. Thank you Rita and Blain for the wonderful hospitaliy. Blain you are in my prayers daily for those pains in your arm and shoulder. Rita thank you for taking me to visit your church and for being my ride to the airport. Thanks for showing me 'your prayer room' in the woods. It is awesome. Lonnie and Marsha, the visit to your house provided me the first opportunity I have experienced since high school graduation to see three of the students with which I graduated nearly 45 years ago. One of them told me the school was planning to have the 45th graduation get together later this fall. Doubt I will be able to make it but it would be nice. They would all be shocked I bet if I showed up in my Dress Blue uniform! Ruth and Dan, thanks for picking me up in Charleston. Vesta, it was a great thrill to celebrate with you on your birthday, a special day you shared with my Mom, and your Great Grandma! Trish and Jacob, want to thank you for letting me help out in your garage. I really enjoyed doing that, more than you can know. Steve, that bench you created out of the cherry log is a work of art. Shows me just how much of Daddy you have, he was never one to throw away anything and could find unique uses for things to which other people would then exclaim, "Will, I declare!" Course they were just sorry they didn't think of it first. That bench will get lots of use. The door to your bathroom is a classic example, a tribute to you Teresa. Michelle, Joe, and the girls just moved out of their house in Germany and into a Hotel in preparation for their departure from Europe. We hope to soon have them where we can actually visit with them on occasion. It will indeed be a treat. Love you all.

Happy Happy Happy

If you’re happy and you know it clap your hands!  How many times have you sung that song?  Clapped your hands, stomped your feet and that was enough to know you were happy. How about this one?  I’ve got that joy joy joy joy down in my heart-WHERE? Down in my heart! Where?  Down in my heart!  Once again; we sing it, the Bible says it so it must be so!

Psalm 32:1-2 (NLV)

Joy of Being Forgiven

32 How happy he is whose wrong-doing is forgiven, and whose sin is covered! ² How happy is the man whose sin the Lord does not hold against him, and in whose spirit there is nothing false.

What is happiness?  What do you consider “Happy”?  Is it a good job with enough money at the end of the month to pay the bills with a little left over?  Is it having your family all together?  Maybe happiness to you is your grandchildren?  To some it may be “stuff”.  And that’s OK!  To those who think “stuff” will make them happy, you will figure it out eventually.  But in order to figure it out, you will probably have to go through something.  Something that will devastate you and you will try to cling to that stuff…that’s when you will figure it out.  Happiness…I am having a hard time with that one.  No matter how hard I clap my hands and stomp my feet…I am not happy.  I am trying to find someone to blame…can’t find that either.  I miss my husband and friend.  I can’t blame him, I have tried.  So how do we become happy?  What’s the recipe?  Because I really need it.  Sadness I think comes from the devil.  I am sure of it, but how do I overcome it.  Depression is not of God, I don’t know how to overcome that either!

Philippians 2:15 (KJV)

¹⁵ That ye may be blameless and harmless, the sons of God, without rebuke, in the midst of a crooked and perverse nation, among whom ye shine as lights in the world;

I feel like my light has burnt out.  I feel like I don’t know how to shine any more, not that I was very shiny anyway, but my sadness is beginning to creep into my everyday life.  I pray…boy have I prayed.  I pray for solutions, I pray for the darkness that has invaded my soul to leave just as the clouds roll in the sky.  That’s how it feels.  I feel like one day I was happy and a dark cloud rolled over and it started to rain on my life.  The rain and dark cloud won’t leave me.  So here I sit.  But I have noticed as I sit under my rainy dark cloud, I am not alone.  I am alone under my own cloud, but there are others out there sitting under their own cloud.

Proverbs 27:17 (KJV)

¹⁷ Iron sharpeneth iron; so a man sharpeneth the countenance of his friend.

If we are all sitting under our own cloud, we aren’t getting very sharp now are we?!  The trouble with being sad is no one wants it.  They avoid it like the common cold.  And if they ask how you are, as soon as you start to tell them, they avoid it or leave as quick as they can.  So it’s easier for all concerned just to keep it all locked up and out of the way.  That works for a while.  Until it starts eating at you and then you get to where you can’t hide it and there ya are!

Luke 10:27 (KJV)

²⁷ And he answering said, Thou shalt love the Lord thy God with all thy heart, and with all thy soul, and with all thy strength, and with all thy mind; and thy neighbour as thyself.

I think if we do this, there won’t be room for sadness, no room for depression, anxiety…no room for anything but Jesus!  Is this easy?  NO!  I haven’t been able to do it.  I am trying but I need that help that comes from above.

The Great Commission.  He gave us a mission with clear marching orders.  Go make disciples…go help others…If we get it figured out enough to pass on to others then that’s our mission.

Matthew 28:18-20 (KJV)

¹⁸ And Jesus came and spake unto them, saying, All power is given unto me in heaven and in earth.

¹⁹ Go ye therefore, and teach all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father, and of the Son, and of the Holy Ghost:

²⁰ Teaching them to observe all things whatsoever I have commanded you: and, lo, I am with you always, even unto the end of the world. Amen.

As I walked Sunday I tried to figure out my life. Why things happen the way they do.   I wondered why I was depressed.  Are Christians supposed to be depressed?  It isn’t from God.  Well I am here to tell you I am depressed and Jesus lives right there in my heart.  But that old devil tries to squeeze in there every chance he gets.  And it’s very often with me!  I have so many faults the devil just takes one look at me and says “happy, happy, happy!”

Lifes struggles and trials aren’t meant for us alone.  If we are doing our part in the grand scheme of things we are looking out for others.  God will send us someone with an encouraging word to lighten our load.  Sometimes He offers guidance, sometimes just a message to hang in there!  That was my case.  I got that word I needed from a friend.  So Monday as I worked I tried to not focus on my problems, not focus on ME!  My day was so much better.  I found myself reciting bible verses that I had learned years before.  Ones I thought I had forgot but they were still there.

Philippians 2:16a (NLT)

¹⁶ Hold firmly to the word of life;

On a normal day I leave work at 6:15p but today we were finished.  No patients so I left at 6pm.  I got a phone call from a friend I haven’t talked to in almost a year.  She was having problems with…guess what?  Depression!  We talked and prayed.  I know God has a reason for us to go through the things we do.  In all my instances I have encountered someone going through the same things I have went through.  And in each of those encounters I have been able to tell them how God saw me through.  Each and every time.  He stood beside me, wrapped me up and sometimes He even said hold on tight cause it’s gonna be a bumpy ride!  But He has never let me fall to the point I couldn’t get up! 

Psalm 119:16 (GW)

¹⁶ Your laws make me happy.
I never forget your word

 

Today is Wednesday.  It has taken me a few days to figure things out and I am still trying to figure things out.  But just like that song says, if you’re happy and you know it clap your hands, it isn’t always that easy.  We know we have much to be happy about but some days it’s just hard to be happy!  So instead of happiness I am working on the JOY JOY JOY JOY down in my heart!  Because if I have that joy, the happiness will come!  The joy will see me through my sad days.  It will see me through the days when I have nothing but tears.  Joy will be there when I don’t have words to pray.  That joy is Jesus.  That’s where my happiness will come from.

As I finished praying with my friend and we were ready to end our conversation she said these words, “Keep shining your light Trish, keep shining your light!”  I didn’t tell her how I felt about my own light being dim!  But those are the exact words I needed to hear!  God knew that!  He sent my friend at exactly that moment to encourage me.  To tell me to hang in there!

Psalm 119:35 (NLT)

³⁵ Make me walk along the path of your commands,
for that is where my happiness is found.

I like the laughing photo best too! Steve almost covered his face with his hand but Emily still got 'the shot!"

Mine too Bobbie!!

The laughing picture is my favorite!

Happy Birthday David

Happy Birthday David

A rhyme a verse of prose

So simple yet it can tell all our woes

But not this verse, not this story

This one is for God’s glory

A tale of a little boy

Born to bring, not happiness, but true joy

In Galatians chapter 5 we read:

But the fruit of the spirit is love, joy, peace, forbearance, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness and self control, against such things there is no law

These are the attributes as you grew into a young man, you took heed

On the day you were born June 3rd, 1951

Mommy and Daddy welcomed an adorable new son

Number 5 in the line of Treadways

But one of millions in the line of Gods”way”

When Mommy gazed into your eyes, 

What did she see? Because we know, yes, she was wise

Did she wonder, as with the 2 babes before you?

Were you for keeps or would God want you back too?

As days became months, months turned to years

You began to fulfill your destiny, putting to rest all fears

God had a plan for your life 

And at a young age, you took a wife

Side by side, hand in hand

You followed Gods plan and traveled all across the land.

Serving your country, raising a family

But still putting God first, happily

When life got busy and yes, sometimes hard

You would return to your roots, and there would be mommy and daddy, standing in the yard

Always waiting with arms open wide

 To welcome you home to the place where love always abides

You are doing what God intended you to do

Being the son, husband, brother, father, uncle, grandpa and patriot too

You are bearing the fruit of the spirit from Galatians chapter 5

And in John 15:5

I am the vine, you are the branches.  If you remain in me and I in you, you will bear much fruit; apart from me you can do nothing.  

I can’t help but remember as I am sure you do as well, 

The many times daddy pruned on his trees, so that the fruit would bear, to hear him tell

I think as he and mommy look upon us today, each and every one of us kids and grandkids here

They think along with our heavenly father, that his pruning was a success, as we celebrate this year.

This year of your birth, 63 in all, 

It’s been magnificent!  What do you think y’all?

Good times bad times we have to take them all

But we follow Gods lead and we cannot fall

Happy birthday my dear brother, thank you for setting such a good example

One we all can follow, sometimes coming back here to give us a sample

God be with you in the many years you have ahead of you

And don’t forget to let God lead as you continue to do

Remember your roots, from which you came

For that’s where your branches get their name.