Wednesday, March 18, 2009

Hug Them A Little Tighter Tonight

What a week it has been already. It is only Wednesday and my body feels like it is Friday, I am drain... You know I started off this week just upset Stephen all the dealing of parenting a teenager that is going through his change of life. Yeah, one day I need to do a lesson from mommyhood from a mom of teenagers. Anyway, my heart was so heavy and I was ready to throw my arms up and just send him to days or military school (still thinking on that one).. But on Tuesday morning I was at work and had snuck on Facebook and another mom that I know message me and ask me if I had heard about Brandon McDaniel and I told her no, last I heard he was in India on a mission trip and she said no he came back and he had died in a car wreck that morning. I couldn't believe it and she was still getting details from her daughter then we found it was true. I didn't know Brandon that well but I was a huge fan of his band McCalvary and our youth group had adopted all those kids into our group. Kelly, Brandon, Rob, Thumper and Ernesto are all great kids and my oldest loves to hang out with this group of kids and I have always encourage him to and when they were going out and he wanted to go I never gave him a curfew cause these are some great Godly kids that are just about making music but they were about truly worshiping Jesus and leading others to him. There were so many times I have seen them and I had truly felt the presents of the Lord there. I have been brought to a place of true worship just through God using these kids. Brandon had just came back from a mission trip in India and I have been reading the loving comments on FB from people that knew him and I wish I had gotten to know him better. The last time I saw Brandon was when Eric and I went to Gatlinburg McCalvary was up there playing for a youth retreat from Greer and we were suppose to go and see them but I had the wrong hotel and I looked all over that weekend to see one of the kids and Kelly's mom but never did until Saturday night and we ran into Kelly and Brandon and they were rushing back to hotel for sound check before the night concert but they stop for a minute and talked and I can still see his face he just had a smile on his face and his eyes were just so peaceful. I was picking on him about taking Kelly out to dinner for valentines. My one thing I wish now was that I had follow them back and had gone back to hear him play and sing again. Last night at church Bucky had a prayer service for Brandon and there were kids there that I had no clue who they were but my heart was breaking for these kids that had lost a close friend a brother in Christ and this one guy I just kept watching he was really breaking my heart and he began to pray and come to find out he had grown up with Brandon and even through his tears he was so at peace with losing his friend cause Brandon had told him he was not scare to died cause he couldn't wait to hang w/ Jesus that he was excited about it. At that moment I just felt a sense of peace and comfort. Boy, Brandon is worshiping at Jesus feet and seeing him face to face right now. He is sitting there with his Lord and Savior he has played or sang about. That is comforting to me but my prayer is for his mom and family and the band mates and their families and all his friends and fans esp for sweet little Kelly that just lost her first love. I pray that they will feel the love, support, comfort,strenght and peace that only our Savior can give them. The next days to come will be hard on them and I believe with their faith they are going to lean on God to get them through this and even in the darkest and lonest days they will still be singing praise to Him.

Then today we get the sad news of little William that went missing and then they found him in the river. Oh my heart broke again and I could not even imagine what his family is going through. I lost Tyler one time at a friends house when we were in Hartsville and that was the worst and most gut wrenching 10 mins I had about ever had. Thankfully he just wanted to go and see the neighbors dogs and I had a red jacket on him and saw him through the woods of pine trees. I hope that the family knew our Lord cause I couldn't imagine getting something like that without of Him. If nothing else with the sadness that has happen in the past 2 days and the Lord calling home 2 of His children I do pray that it will touch somebody life to come to know our Lord and Savior. My prayers go out tonight to William's family, friends, and all the people that help with the search.
I know alot of us that are moms and most of smaller children I wanted to share this song that somebody had posted on FB for all of Brandon's friends. After reading the lyric I am happy for Brandon and William and I can't wait to get to know these young men one day and to hear Brandon play his guitar and sing....



Wish You were Here - Mark Harris


I wanted to tell you how closely I've kept
The memories of you in my heart
And all of the lifetimes that we had to share
Live even though we're apart
But don't cry for me
'Cause I'm finally free
(Chorus)
To run with the angels
On streets made of gold
To listen to stories of saints new and old
To worship our Maker
That's where I'll be
When you finally find me

No don't you be weary cause waiting for you
Are wonders that you've never known
Just hold on to Jesus, reach out for his hands
And one day They'll welcome you home
And that's when you'll be
Finally free
Finally free

(Chorus)
I wish you were here, I wish you were here

And all of the dreams that you treasure
Will soon come together
And that's when your sorrow will find tomorrow
And you will rise again

(Chorus)

We'll run with the angels on streets made of gold
We'll listen to stories of saints new and old
We'll worship our maker that's where we'll be
When you finally find me

I wish you were here

I will hug my kids a little tighter tonight, I will look at the blessing of each of them and I will pray that God will help get me through these teenage years with a soft heart and wisdom and guidance. You never know life is short, he could call them home tomorrow. I think I will tuck those teenagers that put in the gray in my head into bed tonight... Give your kids a hug and kiss...

Tuesday, March 17, 2009

Devotional For Today

A friend shares her devotional with an email group each day and this one was really good and worth sharing. All we have to do is call His name out and He will be there.


IT IS GOOD THAT YOU RECOGNIZE YOUR WEAKNESS. That keeps you looking to Me, your Strength. Abundant life is not necessarily health and wealth; it is living in continual dependence on Me. Instead of trying to fit this day into a preconceived mold, relax and be on the lookout for what I am doing. This mindset will free you to enjoy Me and to find what I have planned for you to do. This is far better than trying to make things go according to your own plan.

Don't take yourself so seriously. Lighten up and laugh with Me. You have Me on your side, so what are you worried about? I can equip you to do absolutely anything, as long as it is My will. The more difficult your day, the more I yearn to help you. Anxiety wraps you up in yourself, trapping you in your own thoughts. When you look to Me and whisper My Name, you break free and receive My help. Focus on Me, and you will find Peace in My Presence.

Philippians 4:13 (AMP); Proverbs 17:22

Sunday, March 15, 2009

A Race and Auction all in a Day

Saturday our Awana's hosted their yearly Awana grand prix race and it was a great way to spend a rainy Saturday afternoon. Last year Tyler won 1st place but this year he got 3rd in longest distance. I think these kids just love to go out and race their cars they made.Tyler just wanted to put wheels on his and color it w/ a marker. There were really great cars in the race and I think all the kids should have won the Christ like award. I am a terrible mom I did not charge my batteries before this so I don't have that many good pics nor did I get one of him w/ his car. Thankfully Stacy did get one of him w/ his award and a cute up close one of him and Kain.






That night our adult choir hosted a hotdog dinner and auction to raise money for our student choir Day6 to go on their mission trip in June. First I want to say a big thank you to Julie and Joye for getting this all together. I had the pleasure a couple of years ago going on the choir tour trip and I have to say at of all the youth trips I have been on this was actually my favorite. These kids really get out there and work with their hands and they don't complain what they are doing, there is unity in the group, they are truly blessed to be sharing the gospel. The sleep on church gym floors, they eat cold pop tarts for breakfast, have bag lunches for lunch and then for dinner it is not what they want each night but they are thankful for it all. They are ready to sing all week and you can see the love of the Lord on them all week. I would love to bottle that week up and have it everyday. The one that I went on I will always hold it in my heart cause how truly blessed I was. I have to say those teenagers and adults are amazing singers too... They put in alot of practice and the cost of there trip depends on how many practice they have been too so if my kids went to all practice they would go for free or almost nothing If they go to like half then we have to pay half the cost. That is a big reward for all the hard work and the seriousiness they take of this choir. Sarabeth has done a great job with the kids and teaching those wh didn't know how to sing to sing. For them to go on this trip they have to take a charter bus and it cost about $6000 for the week and then they have to rent 15 passengers vans when they get there to drive the kids to the sites all week (they will be going in dfferent directions). So, last night auction was truly a blessing. Now, this is my first auction ever and I had no idea how to do this. We had a silent and a live bidding auction. On the silent one there were several items (esp that BBQ set) that I really wanted and I did get outbidded on them and I was going to out bid whoever it was on the BBQ and on Kim's cake. But Kim and I decided that we were going to bid on the Gatlinburg cabin trip together and our 2 families go so we sat there and watch all these items go at a bidding war and the things I really wanted went for alot of money. So needless to say we lost out on the Gatlinburg trip cause it by pass both our limit. DJ, Kevin and Sam were fun to watch and they really got the money in. They even auction off Bucky and Stephen's goatee for $125 so they would be clean cut pastors. From all the generous loving people at AMRBC we raised $6900 in one night they will cover or about cover the transporation. Thank you all for coming out and giving your money for the kids to go on this trip, thank you to all put there time in putting this together and thank you to SaraBeth, Bucky and the other adults in the student choir for pouring your hearts and love into this group of kids. I have 2 kids in that group and I am truly honor and bless to be part of such a loving church that cares for the students... God is good!!!!






If you are on Facebook and are a friend of Mike Lancaster he has all the pics from the night, if you are not a friend request to be one he takes alot of pics for the church.

Tuesday, March 10, 2009

The Excellent Wife

My friend Tammy email the other week and told me that she was doing a bible study called Excellent Wife and was telling me a little bit about it so I went online and read some excerpts on it and thought it would be something that I would like to read. While I was in Greenville I went by LifeWay and picked me up a copy of the book and the study guide and I have began reading it and I am going to try and blog about each chapter or things that really hit me in this book...

The Excellent Wife- by Martha Peace some quotes from the back cover- Not only does it explain what God requires of a Christian wife, but it explains clearly how to obey God's commandments in order to become that wife....Within its pages it is a detailed portrait of a godly wife...Not only is the standard high and holy but Martha demonstrates that by God's grace it is attainable

Chapter 1- Started out telling about her background and as I read her testimony I sat there and thought how there was times in my life I was just like her. We as women we put our kids, work, friends, our self, even church, errands and etc before our husband. Where God's will for every Christian wife is that her most important ministry be to her husband (Genesis 2:18). After her own personal relationship with Jesus. Here are some traits from Proverbs 31: 10-31 what an excellent wife is and she put it as.. As a beautiful flower in hte light of the moring sun reflects the glory of God's creation, an excellent wife reflects God's glory by her attitudes and actions.. Excellent Wife is trusted, kind,fears the Lord, blessed by her children,careful,praised,not afraid,worker w/ hands,wise, generous, good to her husband,of exceptional worth, respectful to her husband.. boy after reading all of those I got a lot of praying and work to do. But what got me is that she said A wife's responsibility is to learn to put her confidence in the faithfulness of God and His word- to do what He says. I can become what He wants me to become if I do what He wants me to do..

The end of chapter 1 talks about sin being the only thing that keeps us from becoming a godly wife. That our sin alot time is wanting to do things our way and not God's way. Sin is also thinking we can get by w/out God's help and that we presume that God will help even when we neglect His truth. But the great thing is that when we trust in Jesus Christ as our Lord and Savior, he saves us from our sins and we are no longer slaves to sin. John 8:34-36 Truly, truly, I say to you, everyone who commits sin is the slave of sin..If, therefore, the Son shall make you free, you shall be free indeed. So we have help with our struggles is that just not great... God has provided everything that we need.. In John 14:16-17 Jesus told His disciples not to worry because God the Father would send help. So we are w/out excuses cause our loving, merciful and holy God has truly provided everything we need to become a godly wife, to become the excellent wife.

She ask if you are ready to begin then we need to confess to God that we have not been the wife God wants us to be and to pray to ask for his grace to become the excellent wife He wants us to be.

Chapter 2 is about A Wife's Understanding Of God- God's Protective Authority

Sunday, March 8, 2009

Lunch w/ Friends

On Saturday I took off to Greenville to meet Cindy my best friend growing up so we could go into downtown Greenville to a place called Brick Street Cafe to meet twin sister Amy & Jamie that we were good friends with back in school. It was a great time of catching up and getting to know each other all over again. Jamie and I have been in contact since we work near each other we have had lunch together a couple of times and Cindy even came and meet us one day but this was the first time in 20 something years seeing Amy. I feel like I know who these ladies are just from pics, notes and all you can on Facebook.. I hope and pray that Saturday was just a start up of friendships that will continue on and we will be able to meet up every so often and stay in contact beside Facebook.

These girls will say things now and I am oh yeah I remember her, him or when that happen so they have been a great reminder to me...I can't remember when mine and Cindy friendship started we lived out in the country so you had to be friends with the kids around you cause that is all we had but even if she would have lived somewhere else she would have still been my friend... Cindy was always the friend that made me laugh and told me like it was at times, but she was silly and we always laugh together. She had a wonderful family and all her sisters had the initials CLG which I thought was great. Actually one of my most embarrassing moments in my whole life I was with Cindy. Back in the day we would go to the mall and hang out cause my mom work there and I think we were in the 7th or 8th grade and we were going out with 2 friends and we were all walking through the mall and I turn around to say something to Cindy and Jody and what to do I do I run smack into a pole, I mean it knock me back. Of course I was embarrass but I remember us laughing about it. Now, the guy I was with happens to be her husband now and they have been together I believe for 23yrs and have raised 2 wonderful young men. We went through great times with friends, we have gone through the girl drama time with each other rather it had been between us or other people. But as I had sat back and reflected on my life over the years Cindy was the one friend that I had that I truly missed. I missed out on knowing her boys, her knowing mine, b'day, celebration times and times of trouble, our husbands being friends, moves, jobs, laughter, tears, encouragement and sometime just being able to tell each other what we needed to hear. Through the years I have thought of her often and have felt lead to pray for her on occasions. I missed out on a friendship for the last 20 years and as I sat there yesterday on our way back from lunch us 39/41 moms riding back w/ the top down I realize that even though we have not been there for each other we were able to start right where we left off. I am so proud of her for the woman she has become and the mother and wife she is. She runs the a preschool at her church and just looking at her pics, and reading comments from her girls that work for her and the moms that bring there children there she is loved by all. Just what I knew would have happen w/ her life cause back in the day she was loved by all then too and was the one with the beautiful spirit and always with something funny to say and a smile on her face. My prayer now is that our friendship will grow more each day and we will never miss out of each other life's again.

Saturday, March 7, 2009

Only In The South

I am behind all the other posting about snow (I missed my computer up, still needs working on) and as I sit here posting about all the snow we got which was only 5/6 days ago today will be high 70something. Only in the south will that happen..lol

We heard all about the snow coming and oh course I didn't believe it cause we never get it but boy was I surprise to see coming down on Sunday night. I just thought at this moment it would just be enough to put everything on a 2hr delay boy was I wrong on that too.. I think Eric said we got 6" and it was beautiful. Eric prepare us by batteries, firewood, food, you know all the stuff just in case the power goes out. Which thank goodness we never lost power, I know some friends that lost it on Sunday and didn't get it back until Tuesday and I am totally surprise we didn't cause we always do. We did lose our satellite around 7pm and didn't get it back until 11:30. I was complaining about not getting to see the first night of Celebrity Apprentice but Eric reminded me I was warm and had light and could heat something up and there was people who couldn't so that was my one and only complaint... I still need to get DVR..

Ok, what did we do w/ no TV Sunday night?? Well, Eric had bought everything to make a cake and made a comment about the chocolate chips would be good in it. So, I made us a chocolate cake w/chocolate chips and chocolate frosting (I must have rub off on him w/ my chocolate love). I got it out before it burn (our oven is weird), I let it cool before I put it on the cake pan and frost it but for some reason it doesn't didn't do what I wanted to. By the way, I was told by Eric if I didn't post about this he would do it so I figure I would give myside of the story..lol



Now, do you think I need to go and get Kim to help me out. Her cakes are always so pretty. This might look bad but it is all gone and that is unusal in this house esp when I can't yeah you just read that right I CAN'T eat the cake not because of dieting which it help it out but since my surgery chocolate is one of those foods that I bothers me to eat and this cake really hurt my stomach so those 2 bites I had where good but not good for the pain it cause.

The other thing that happen during all of this was that Ryan had gone to Cumming, GA to play at a D Now weekend with our youth band Ready To Rise and on the way back they came up in the traffic, saw lots of wrecks, and wipers freezing up and not working so Bucky did a great thing and pulled off and got rooms at a hotel in Powdersville, they had to go to 2 but they were off the road and safe so I was able to sleep that night. I am sure those kids and Bucky and Julie have stories to tell. They finally made it back to Spartanburg about 1 Monday after a stop to Crackle Barrel and some play time on 85 while they were in stand still traffic.

We didn't prepare by having gloves, snow shoes or waterproof, getting the 4wheeler fix so we could go out and ride, checking out around us for hills and getting sleds so we didn't get to have all the fun that everybody else did but they men in my house did go out for a snow ball fight. Nobody wanted to build a snowman and with me still coughing and had been sick all Friday night and Saturday I just went out to take pics and came back in.. So, here is some of our snow day pics. Sorry I do in a slide but it takes like 5 min per pic to download and slide is easier to do cause I can do all at one time and while downloading I can go take a shower..lol

Monday, March 2, 2009

What happen?

I installed Internet 8 and now I have lost my toolbar for posting. I can't add anything to my post, I can't check my spelling (boy I need that one), I can't save and come back I have to post to save. I can't even read some of your blogs. Do you know how to fix this????