ahhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhh!

I finally got back into my blog!  It has been over 2 years since I have been able to access it!

For Elaine

In this land of dangers going here and there
Trusting in the blessed Savior's love;
Tho’ we may be strangers, in this world of care,
Looking for a city built above.

We’re looking for a city, where we’ll never die,
There the sainted millions, never say good-bye,
There we’ll meet our Savior, and our loved ones too,
Come O Holy Spirit, all our hopes renew.

~Looking for a City

This precious, old hymn is a favorite of my husband's family.  It seems we sing it every time a loved one goes home to Jesus.  It's not new, it's not contemporary, but like my MawMaw use to say... if it's new, it's not the Truth, cause the Truth ain't new. 

This blog post is about Barbara, my mother in law's baby sister and her husband, Bill.  Barbara will always have a special place in my heart because she played the music at our outdoor wedding, and because she and Bill were truly lovely people.

When I was in my early 20's, we went to visit Aunt Barbara in the hospital.  She was in the final stages of her battle with cancer and barely 40 years old. To most people I am sure that they would say that cancer won the fight, but it did not win the war.

I remember going in to the hospital room and seeing her husband crouched over his Bible, he barely acknowledged us as we entered the room, he was in deep battle. He was reading scripture out loud, I will never forget his voice, the look of determination on his face or what he was reading ... "For we wrestle not against flesh and blood, but against principalities, against powers, against the rulers of the darkness of this world, against spiritual wickedness in high places."  It bring tears to my eyes every time I think of that day. I had never seen that before, someone fighting a spiritual battle over a physical disease. I watched the two of them.....saints fighting an invisible, ferocious enemy, but they were not alone, and they both knew it, and they weren't afraid. Perhaps sad at the thought of being separated, but not afraid because they knew what awaited them, a city built above where we never say good-bye.

If I remember right, Bill eventually had to be hospitalized because he was a diabetic and had refused to eat,  but continually fasted and prayed.  His physical needs were not being met and his earthy body needed rest and food to continue, but he refused to stop. I wish I could adequately describe him to you, he was a big, mountain of a man, but with the face of a little boy who might even be up to a little mischief.  His countenance was kindness and grace and he always had a big, huge smile on his face. He was a gentle giant. At least, that's how I remember him. But on this day, he was a mighty warrior, a knight in shining armor boldly standing before the throne of Grace interceding for his lovely bride before our Holy and Merciful God. 

This was all new to me, I had certainly never seen that kind of suffering first hand, and I had never seen such faith.  These precious souls weren't weeping and wailing and blaming God.  They were worshiping a Risen Savior.  I was in total awe.  It's been more than 20 years since this happened and I still remember it like it was yesterday.  I sit here now with eyes closed vividly recalling that day.  I was in this hospital room watching this story of life and death unfold.  I remember feeling like I didn't belong there, what was happening around me was too intimate, too tender, too private, too holy, and I was not worthy to witness such grace. I was very new in my relationship with God, but I knew beyond a shadow of doubt that this was God fearing, Bible believing, mountain moving faith.  And I wanted some of it.  I was truly awe stuck at what I was seeing.  These dear ones were true Christians, the kind I hope to one day be.

Not long after that visit, God gently lead Barbara home.  Years later, Bill joined his beautiful bride in paradise.  The legacy of their love for their family and our God lives on through their children and grandchildren, and anyone that was fortunate enough to know them.  I am grateful to have known them, to call them family on earth and in heaven.  I am blessed to have married into such a precious Godly family, I only hope that some day, I measure up.

Blog Award

I've recieved my first blog award! How fun. Thank you to Jill-

Here's a link to her precious blog.

The Rules:

1. Post the award on your blog.

2. Link the person who has given out the reward.

3. Pass the reward to other blogs you have discovered.

4. Let these people know you have given them a reward!

The blogs I'm rewarding are...

The Holman's in Bolivia

The PWoods

I'm going on vacation!

And, I am so excited.  I am traveling on Sunday, which happens to be my birthday,
with some of my oldest and dearest friends in the world.  We are headed to sunny Florida 

and on Monday we'll hop aboard a cruise ship headed for Key West & the Bahamas.

To get into the spirit of the trip, we have all re-named ourselves with Spanish names....don't really know

why we picked Spanish?  I think Maria started that, yes it was Maria.  Any how, Maria, Consuela, Lupita

& myself, Sarita are so very excited.  I have only cruised once, back in November with 44 of my church pals, and the other senoritas haven't ever cruised before.  So, it is definitely the blind leading the blind.

We really don't have much on our agenda, we want to visit Hemingway's house in Key West, 

do some people watching, read a book, giggle & laugh and act like we did in Jr. High.
Oh, it's going to be great!

Bon Voyage!

Sarita

We're getting our own boy!

This little fella is Brandon, isn't he adorable?  He and Violet are buddies, just like their mommies have been most of their lives.  Well, we found out on Wednesday, Violet's 3rd birthday that Jill is having a boy!  A boy!  Our very own BOY!  In case you didn't hear me the first 3 times............... WE'RE GETTING A BOY!  27 years and 5 girls later.... we are getting a boy!

He will not be spoiled.  I can promise you that, after all, Violet isn't spoiled either.  If you believe that,  let me see what else I can sell you.

To say the least, we are excited.  But, I was excited already at the idea of having another grandbaby around.  Everyone said, I bet you want a boy, don't you?  But, I had already decided that surely one of my girls would eventually have a son, so I was prepared to just sit back and enjoy the ride.  And even if I have only grandgirls I will be happy all the days of my life!  I just want happy, healthy grandbabies, that live their lives for Jesus.  Truly, that's all I want in the world.  My prayer for our baby boy is the same prayer I have prayed for Violet since she was in the womb.  That he would be happy and healthy, that God would write His name upon his heart, that he would follow Jesus and be found pure and righteous and holy in His sight.  A tall order to be sure, but isn't that what we all really want?  To find favor with God and honor Him all the days of our lives.  Amen.

ps - Violet is going to be the best big sister Ev-ah!

Violet is 3!

Violet Soleil
07.07.07

Dear God, thank you for choosing me to be her grandmother!

"You must really like that grandbaby"

I do, I do!

Recently at my class reunion, a classmate said that to me. She was referring to my facebook wall where I post quite a few of Violet's pictures and escapades.  It kind of bothered me.  I mean, of course I really like her.  I adore her.  In fact, Jeff and I are madly in love with her.  Aren't we suppose to be?  I mean we are her grandparents. At the time I wish I had some witty come-back to throw at her, but I didn't.  I just said "of course I do."

Later, I thought about what she had said to me and then I considered her facebook wall.  It has pictures of her dog all over it.  Her dog on the bed, her dog in a dress, her dog in the yard, you get the picture. It's a very nice dog, but it's a dog. It's not like she doesn't have children, because she does.  And it's not like I don't love Mr. Colby, because I do, but he's a dog.

I know, I know.... what if she sees this?  I am not too worried about that.  Because anyone that thinks their dog is better than my grandgirl doesn't care about what I think or even read my silly, little blog.

Violet's Gigi...