Burning Bushes

Have you seen any burning bushes lately? That was Ben's sermon topic for his first sermon, at his new church in Greensboro and it was a huge success. The scripture was from Exodus 3:1-12 , and he talked about his personal call to the ministry along with Moses' call to lead the Israelites out of Egypt. No burning bushes for Ben, but he did answer God's call with, "Hear I am, Lord"! And that is a BLESSING indeed for this proud MOM!

We got a grand tour of the church after the service and this is a picture of Ben's new office. I wonder how long his desk will stay that clean... not long if he's anything like his mom. I look forward to many more sermons, as God continues to bless Ben's life richly.

Old Foots

My dad at times would call my mom, "Old Foots"! I'm glad I asked him before he died , "where did that come from?" ... or I would never know the answer to that question. It seems when the grands were small he would say to them , "us OLD FOLKS need to go to bed, come on Old Folks" ... speaking to my mom. As you can see, that easily got changed to "Old Foots", by the grandchildren and for some reason it just ... STUCK. He called her "Old Foots" until the day he died. This picture that I took while caring for the twins, reminded me of "Old Foots". It's my foot and it is old (Cha-Ching cherry nail polish by the way), especially when compared to the tiny, precious, pinkies of my niece. I had Mattie in the bouncy seat that day, while I gave Ella her bottle. Mattie would push on my foot which made the bouncy seat BOUNCE! This entertained Mattie while she waited patiently for her turn to be fed. (Just one of the many"tricks of the trade" that I learned while caring for the twins.) Old Foots (my mom) is really feeling old these days. She has 24 hour care, there isn't much communication, she rarely smiles or shows any emotion. She knows who I am but little else... so you can imagine my reaction the other day when I said, "come on Old Foots let's go eat"- and she LAUGHED. It was a laugh I haven't heard in a long time, one that caused her entire face to light up and even put a slight sparkle back into her eyes. It was a blessing to see "Old Foots" back again... even for a moment! God is good!

VBS

It's Vacation Bible School time and our theme this year is Surfing Through the Scriptures. I'm the Assembly Leader and we're doing a beach scene skit each night. I will be the voice for Flamay, a Flamingo puppet. Flamay is self- centered and egotistical and during VBS week, she changes her life by learning to; Be Obedient, Be Kind, Be Forgiving, Be Bold, and Believing. Having a great Be- Attitude in life is so important for all of us and I look forward to sharing these things, August 3rd - 7th, with the children in our Church and community. Surfing Through the Scriptures can be a BLESSING for all of us, even if we don't have the opportunity to attend Vacation Bible School. I need a daily dose, how about you?

Grand Indeed

Meet Boone, my very first Grand-Dog! His parents are my daughter and SIL that live in Winston-Salem. They met and fell in love during their college years, which just happened to be in the town of Boone, NC... thus the name BOONE! Boone is a red bone hound which in my neck of the woods would be a coon dog. Just look at that sweet face, he's not as GRAND as a grand kid but this is a great start... and that is a BLESSING INDEED!

The Potter's Hand

I love to read! This is the most recent book that has mesmerized me and monopolized my spare time. It is an autobiography written by Pastor/Evangelist Greg Laurie. I often listen to his messages on the local Christian radio station, as I travel the weekly 2 hour trip to my moms each Monday. He is a very practical and thought provoking pastor, that lived a very dysfunctional life until he was 17 years old. It's amazing to read about his life and see the stepping stones that God put in his path to prepare him for the ministry. As I read this book, I've pondered the stepping stones placed in my son's life, preparing him for the ministry. I can see... The Potter, molding Ben's life from the very beginning, with individuals and experiences that helped shape him into the minister he is today. The BLESSING in all of this- God isn't finished with him yet and I delight in watching the molding process first hand, not just now but from the very beginning. It has been my honor to hold one hand while God held the other, as Ben took a step from one stepping stone to the other. The books can be found here along with information about Greg's life and ministry. Maybe it can be a BLESSING to you, as it has been to me.

First Home

My son and DIL have started their ministry together with a new home in Greensboro, NC and a new position as a minister, for a United Methodist Church near Guilford College. A fresh start, a new beginning, with their lives ahead of them... they are as excited as a small child waiting for Santa on Christmas Eve! I too, am excited with all of the possibilities and my heart is bursting with pride. I look forward to July 26th... the day I get to hear him PREACH! It has been such a BLESSING for me, witnessing the Christian growth, dedication and devotion that got them to this point. I look forward to watching them plant the seeds. The seeds that will grow in the lives of all the individuals that they minister to. Oh, the possibilities...

Happy Birthday

It's my birthday on July 3rd and I will be 56! My niece from Michigan is visiting and she will be 13 on July 6th... a BLESSING indeed!