Julia's Coming!

Julia is coming in the morning!

I can hardly wait...

This Mom is excited.

On Friday, Ronnie will be driving here and together we will celebrate Julia's (29th) Birthday. Hal, me, Ronnie, Julia, Andy, Jen, Aubrey, and Brantley. (We will sure miss you Jonathan).

I will share more later :)

Got things to do....... YES!

Word-Filled Wednesday # 2

Through the LORD’s mercies we are not consumed,

Because His compassions fail not.

They are new every morning;

Great is Your faithfulness.

“ The LORD is my portion,” says my soul,

“ Therefore I hope in Him."

Lamentations 3:22-24

(A beautiful sunrise in the eastern skies - over Iraq)

So thankful that his mercies (compassions) are new every morning.

No matter what side of the world we are on.

For more Word-filled Wednesday entries visit the 160acrewoods

WW # 12 Almost Time to Come Home

F.Y.I.

April 14, 1974... (yes - 1974). Hal asked me to "go steady."


I was 15... he was 17. You do the math. He did not know how "steady" we would be, huh?

Just thought you might like to know :)

I may try to find a picture and scan it in...

Blogging Question

Well, I am having to do some investigation...

I have recently been told that some publishers will not publish any thing that has been in print even on a blog. So, if any of you have the aspirations of having anything published...

Well... it is a thought, huh?

Like I said, I am doing some investigation.

I will let you know what I find. :)

Blessings.....

My Younger Brother

Happy Birthday Paul!

Just some thoughts for today...

First of all...It was so good to have you and Susie and Matthew here with us for Easter this year. I think that may need to be a tradition!

We don't get to spend much time together - but just like I told Danny - that doesn't mean that I don't think of you - often! And I have many special memories.... that come to my heart and mind.

So again, I think I may just list a few...

I remember :

• when you were born and they brought you home from the hospital. I was only 6, but I was so tickled to have a baby brother. You were a beautiful baby.
• Mom teaching you that your name was "Precious Paul Bishop".... and when we would ask you- and you replied in that manner - Daddy would say "No... Rotten Paul Bishop". You were such fun.
• Being able to "keep you" in the summer after I turned 12. I was so bossy! I think I really thought I was part mom...and I did love you so. I guess it was just practice for when I had my own.
• The night that Hal asked Dad and Mom if he could marry me - and you were so shocked!
• You coming to spend the night with us in Birmingham and the three of us going grocery shopping in the middle of the night.
• You and Phillip Dean coming to our home... we all had such fun together.
• Really, anytime that Hal was not going to be home, you would come and spend the night at my house. I guess I thought you would protect me huh?
• Your diving accident when we were camping at Wind Creek. You scared me to death!
• Hal and me and Julia moving to Texas to go to Seminary. That was so hard. Hard on you. Hard on us. I can still see your face the day that you all left for the long drive back to Alabama. It was so much harder than we could have ever imagined. You were my brother and Hal's brother-in-law... but you were part of our daily life and you were our friend. Maybe we should have just kept you with us. I felt like it at that time. It was hard leaving any of the family - but I think leaving you was the hardest of all. Once again, I felt like you were part mine :)
• Realizing how much I had "bossed" you when I had Jonathan and would sometimes slip and call him "Robert Paul!" That is when he was really in trouble. You know, a parent will call you by your name.. and when you get the full name - it is serious.. So Jonathan went from Jonathan to Jonathan Daniel to Jonathan Daniel Warren to ROBERT PAUL! That was really serious!! LOL
• Being there when Matthew was born. Children really are a precious gift from God. So glad that we could share in that special time with you.
• All of the fun times together at Christmas... we are such a crew! The pictures - the videos - the fun gifts - and even now the Dirty Santa! We always have such a good time!
• Us all being together at the hospital the week before Dad died. Even though it was a really hard situation... it was still so good for us all to be together.
• And then me, you, and Danny standing with Mom as we all said our final good-byes to Dad.

Life is busy - too busy most of the time. But I want you to know how much I love you and miss having time with you. Maybe we should make more effort...

Regardless...... thank you for many precious memories....

Have a wonderful birthday, Paul. I love you!

Helping Homes Assignment # 1

First assignment on Helping Homes Blog.

Would you visit with us there and let's have some Friday Family Fun!

Looking forward to hearing from you.

Word-filled Wednesday # 1

Psalms 139:7-10

"Where can I go from Your Spirit?

Or where can I flee from Your presence?

If I ascend into heaven, You are there;

If I make my bed in hell, behold, You are there.

If I take the wings of the morning,

And dwell in the uttermost parts of the sea,

Even there Your hand shall lead me,

And Your right hand shall hold me."

(Picture was taken by Jonathan from the plane - on the way to Iraq)

WW # 11 Easter 2008

Women Mentoring Women

Tonight we had our Women Mentoring Women potluck celebration. It is the end of the first six month commitment for our ladies. It was such a blessing to hear the testimonies given - with so many expressing how God had used their mentor/mentee to minister to them. And then I was blessed to hear the different pairs tell how they knew that God had put them together.

I shared with them that earlier today I had been very discouraged. Felt as if maybe this was not a ministry for our particular church. I had heard a few negative remarks... and Satan had decided to sit on my shoulder and tell me what a failure this ministry had been. I should have known where such thoughts were coming from. So... as I arrived I really did not know what to expect. But God is so FAITHFUL. He used the testimonies to not only remind me of His work in our individual lives - but also in our church and in these particular Mentoring relationships. He used the testimonies to encourage the ladies. It is a commitment to mentor. It takes time. But time invested in the lives of others for the sake of Christ is NEVER wasted.

Ladies, keep on keeping on. Let your Savior use you in the lives of other women. Even if you are not involved in a particular "mentoring" relationship... God places people in our paths/lives for a purpose.

For any of the men that visit my blog... don't think that there is not an application for you... Men need men too. Godly men. Accountabilty. You need it... and you need to give it.
"As iron sharpens iron, so one man sharpens another." (Prov 27:17) Will you be that iron in another's life? It will take time. It will take commitment. It will take being IRON yourself.

A familiar quote: "God is not concerned with your ability... He wants your availability."
He will do the work... but He always chooses to use people. Available people.

What is God calling you to do? Who does He want you to minister to? Where does He want you to go? God will do the work... but He wants to use YOU.

"Let your light so shine before men, that others may see your good works, and glorify your Father in Heaven." (Matthew 5:16)