Speak Blessings to them

The granddaughter has started to Kindergarten.

As I drove her to school this morning, she informed me that I just needed to "drop her off", that I did not need to go in with her. (note- this is her third day and my first day to take her) "Oh, no!" I responded. "Dee, has to go in with you today, so I can see your room." So, she said, "ok".

Good thing she agreed.... because this "MommaDee" needed to go in. Not for her sake (obviously) but for mine. I needed to hold her hand as we walked across the street. I needed to walk down the hall with her. I needed to see her walk into her room. I needed to stand outside her room for just a minute - pretending to look at the artwork from last week- and pray.

And in that walk back down the hall and out to the car - my mind was FLOODED with memories. Memories of my first walk down the halls of Main Avenue School. (WOW - WHERE DID THAT COME FROM?) Memories of taking my three children down the hall to their first days of school. And here I am again.

And to be completely honest, I am not sure that I like it. Mainly because it is such a reminder of just how fast life happens.

So, once again I am reminded of the scripture, "to number our days. That we may gain a heart of wisdom. "

But the MAIN reason that I wanted to share this with you all today is to encourage you to Speak Blessings to your little ones. We started the practice with our children on the way to school.

The particular blessing that we spoke to them most often is taken from the passage in Deuteronomy chapter 28. And now, I am sharing the same with her:

"Aubrey, today I want you to remember that you are the head and not the tail, you are the first and not the last. And whatsoever you put your hands to do, the Lord will bless you. And also know that Dee and Poppa love you and that we are praying for you today."

Then there is a reference point when I see her after her day: "So tell me about how God Blessed you today?" At this point in her little life, she does not always have an answer to that question... but I want to plant within her little mind the awareness of God's blessings on her all day in "whatsoever she is putting her hands to do."

So, for the parents and the grandparents reading this today... I encourage you to find a blessing (or use mine) and speak it to your children/grandchildren.

Life is short. Our days are numbered. Take the time to plant some scripture and speak blessings in their little heads so that those words help to mold their little hearts. Hearts tender toward Him and His Word.

Sweet, Sweet Blessings to you all!

Merry Christmas 2010...

Merry Christmas to you all!

For the first time since 2006... Everyone is here. No one is a war this year. No one is away in another state. Nope, this year we are all together.

I want to savor it all. I AM taking lots of pictures. I don't care if they get tired of it... It is a need!

I have several Nativity Scenes... and this year, Aubrey helped me place them. And she has had a good time playing with them. I only have one that is "untouchable" -and I chose to leave it put away this Christmas.

I want little hands to touch. To move. To play. To know the story of Jesus. To place baby Jesus in the Manger. To talk about the Shepherds and the sheep and the star. To march the Wisemen to the scene. And I want to watch. (on a side note, she has also decided to hide some of them around the house - I keep finding baby Jesus in lots of places) Sweet memories in the making!

Yes, Jesus is the reason for this wonderful season!

and this year... we are ALL home! Oh yes, I am smiling! Oh yes, I am!

Merry Christmas to you all!

It's Beginning to Look Like Christmas AGAIN!

The tree is still up and decorated. The other decorations are in place. Nothing has been put away yet.



I will have Christmas music playing all day... and I have a Christmas Movie ready to put in the DVD player. We are celebrating again with our Warrior!



The family is coming and the ham is ready to be put in the oven. The presents are wrapped and the stocking is stuffed!



I can hardly wait. (Pictures will be posted later...)



We just get to double dip this year :)

Memories...

27 years ago, Hal and I moved to Decatur Alabama. He had just graduated from seminary, and we had a 3 year old daughter and a 6 month old son. (Our baby came the next summer.) This was the first "full-time" church. We were young... and away from home.

One of the scriptures that I have seen God fulfill in our lives is the promise from Mark 10:29-30
"29 So Jesus answered and said, “Assuredly, I say to you, there is no one who has left house or brothers or sisters or father or mother or wife or children or lands, for My sake and the gospel’s,
30 who shall not receive a hundredfold now in this time—houses and brothers and sisters and mothers and children and lands..."

So, enter the scene of our lives - Henry and Shirley Workman. We had left our family - for ministry - and they became family to us. They took us as their own and loved our children as if they were their own grand-children. I am talking literally here.

i.e. They offered for us to come and swim in their pool - and they were serious. When I did not take them up on the offer immediately, Shirley would call me, to personally invite me to come and bring my babies. Henry gave Hal the key to their house and told us that anything they had was ours too. He meant it. Shirley would call when there was something going on with the young couples at the church and offer to babysit my kiddos so that this young mom could go too.

Our little ones had to come out to "big church" at the age of three. I was in the choir - so after a few weeks of a break from choir and sitting with me, Shirley was the one who told me to go back to the choir and let them sit with her. For all three children. That is just the way she was.

They bought our children gifts - probably way too many - but they would just tell us that they did not have any grandchildren yet - so they would take ours. And on... and on... and on I could go with examples. Seven years worth...

Shirley had cancer when we first met. She had been given 6 months to live. God healed her and her 6 months lasted 27 years. This past week, she met her Savior face to face.

It has been a few years since I have seen her or talked to her. We do not get back to Decatur very often. But I have a storehouse of memories. And heaven is a little sweeter...

So, Henry - thank you for sharing your life and all that you had with us. You will never know this side of heaven how much it meant to us then... and how much it still means to us now. Sweet, sweet memories.

Also thanks to Robert, Tony and Jeff - for sharing your parents and your home and your lives with us. Even though we do not see you often - our lives are richer because of the Workmans...

A Tribute to My Dad...

On this day eight years ago, my earthly father left this old world and met his Savior face to face.

At the end of this post, I have a video that was produced for the December 2007 Billy Graham Television Special in honor of Ruth Bell Graham. But it speaks to my heart for dad too.

No, he did not know the Lord as his Savior in my early years. As a matter of fact, I was 16 years old when he was saved. So, he did not serve the Lord all of his years... but what a difference Christ makes in a life.

Now, do not get me wrong. He was a good daddy. He loved his family. He was good to us. But he did not take us to church. Mom had to do that alone in those early years. He did not serve the Lord, because he did not KNOW Him.

But when he met the Savior... what a transformation that took place. I remember hearing him pray. I remember seeing him reading his bible. I remember hearing the sermon tapes that he listened to on a regular basis. I watched him grow from a baby in Christ to a mature vibrant Christian in a remarkable amount of time. It convicted me. He memorized scripture. And what a blessing to hear him pray using many scriptures to claim.

I can still see him sitting near the front of the church - lifting his hands - saying "Glory". I can still see his smile. I can still feel his rugged hands - as he would lift them to me for me to kiss :) instead of kissing him on his head.

There are days that I want to call him and talk to him. We often mention things that we know he would be saying if he were here with us. We have a storehouse full of precious memories.

But then I hear this song... and I am reminded once again of where he is and what he is experiencing. Many times he would tell us that he looked forward to leaving this old world and meeting his Lord. He would ask us, "Why would I want to stay here?" He did tell us on his 60th birthday - that if he had known that he was going to live this long - he would have taken better care of himself. :) (I will have to share about that birthday party at another time)

Truly, he would be one who would say..."You can have this old world... give me JESUS".

And how precious to know - He has Him. He is in the presence of His King. He is experiencing the real JOY of his salvation. And I will see him again one day, when I leave this old world... What a glad reunion day...

All I can say is, "GLORY!"

Fernando Ortega - "Give Me Jesus" from Adamson.TV on Vimeo.

Yellow Ribbons and Sentimental Stuff...

We were so excited when we moved into our new house 14 1/2 years ago. It was the first one for us to buy. The first one to be OURS. Really - we were MORE than excited.

We had just been through one of the toughest years of our ministry. Probably THE toughest year. This was such a dream come true - and such a witness to the faithfulness of our God - through the storm.

The house was a new construction - and someone left a circular saw blade in our yard. Our Jonathan was 13 1/2 years old. He and Hal had a lot of fun throwing it at the little pine tree at the side of our yard. And that is where they left it. After several years - I decided that was not a good idea and removed the saw blade from the trunk of the tree. I thought it was not smart to have a saw blade sticking out from a tree in the yard. However, I was rebuked severely by the two men in my life - and they promptly took a hammer and placed it back "where it belonged."

That is where it has remained. So there is a circular saw blade seriously embedded into the trunk now. I have gotten used to it. I have used it to hang things on when I needed to spray paint them (i.e. the baskets for weddings). It has just become part of the "landscape".

How fitting that I now have once again, hung the yellow ribbon at the top of the saw blade. The tree is in the back yard - at the end of the driveway. Every time I come down the drive - I see it. Oh I have one on the front porch right under the flag also. But I think the one on the tree - with the saw blade under it - would have to be my favorite. Jonathan would like it too. I know he would.

The tree has really grown. The saw blade is secure. The yellow ribbon (yet again) is a reminder that our God has His Hand on our Soldier and we are awaiting his return home from this war. We know that God will be with us all through this storm.

Regardless, I am now sentimental about the tree, the silly saw blade, and the yellow ribbon.

Just thought you would want to know.

WFW # 19 Beach and Babies...

Psalm 78:4 (b)

"...we will tell the next generation

the praiseworthy deeds of the LORD,

His power, and the wonders He has done.

Tuesdays Together (#20)

Welcome to TUESDAYS TOGETHER (in the WORD). I am so glad that you have joined us.

Our goal/purpose is that we are reading God's Word and we are sharing with each other a "nugget" of what we are learning. Join with us - at any time. We welcome your comments and/or your thoughts of what you have read and/or your link to your blog post. You do not have to be a "blogger" to join in on the encouragement and sharing together.

This week our reading (as posted on the sidebar under the button) was from I Thessalonians 4-5; Psalms 4-5; Proverbs 11; and II Thessalonians 1-3.

I Thessalonians 5:16-18

Be joyful always;

pray continually;

give thanks in all circumstances,

for this is God's will for you in Christ Jesus.

When our children were little, we would have a "theme" verse (or passage) for each summer. Of course it would be put to memory... but also we would refer back to it for reference/ encouragement/ meditation together. This was the passage one year.

I would ask, " Are you being joyful?". "Have you prayed about that?" "Is that a thankful attitude?" You get my point. And I felt good that I was really teaching the children to apply scripture to their lives.

It took on new meaning a few years later.

You see, the first year of homeschooling was terrifying to me. I felt so inadequate. I had no support group. I did not know ANYONE who had traveled this road. And I nearly killed us all.

But I remember one day, walking down the road behind our house praying about MY attitude and my fears and wondering if there was ANY way that this could possibly be God's will for our lives.

I would tell you that I was crying, but that would not be accurate. I was sobbing. Uncontrollably.

And God reminded me of this passage that had been our "theme passage" a couple of years previous.

And in the still small voice that spoke so loudly... I was reminded that it was God's will for me to be thankful in all things. I may not know other things about God's will for me, for my children, for our family, for our schooling. But this one truth was written for me in black and white.

"in EVERYthing give thanks, for this IS THE WILL OF GOD in Christ Jesus concerning you."

I had not been thankful for this opportunity to teach my children. I had been focusing on the fears, the work, the change...

So, what did I do? I began each day (for weeks) praying this prayer...
"Dear Lord, by choice of my will, I choose to thank you for this opportunity to teach my children. And I trust you to change my emotions." And literally it tooks a few weeks, for the emotions to begin changing... but as I was obedient in being thankful ... I began to view the role as a wonderful opportunity rather than a dreaded responsibility. God changed my heart. But I had to begin by being obedient and choosing to thank Him.

I learned a big lesson that year. Not only about our homeschooling experience...but also about God's will in my life. And even when I have questions.... I can know one thing... I am to be thankful. And as I told my children numerous time in their lives... Obedience always brings blessings.

So, can you apply this to any area of your life? Maybe have questions about what is or is not God's will? One thing I hope you will remember... it IS God' will for you to thank Him. This my friend is written in black and white.

Now, your turn.

Remember... leave a comment... share your thoughts... and if you blog - link with us. Also, please post a link back here so that others can come and read the other Tuesdays Together posts. You can use the button on the side bar if you would like.

Mother's Day Meme

Angie at The Knightly News is hosting this meme for Mother's day...

Since it is such a busy weekend - I want to share with you about my MOM from my post last year... and then see pics and updates on her Cancer from earlier this year here.

I hope that the other moms that read will join in ... link to Angie's blog so we can all visit together during this next week.

Being a mom is a high calling. I am blessed to have a Godly Mom... and I am blessed to be a Mom.

Look forward to visiting with you all!
Sweet Blessings...

IT'S FRIDAY.... BUT SUNDAY IS COMING!

Like I posted last year we always had a Galilean Meal on Friday morning...
I miss it. Maybe when the Grandbabies get old enough... they can spend the night with me on Thursday ...... and we can have fish on Friday morning. (unless they have it at their house).

Regardless.... I think it is good for us to reflect on the sacrifice that Christ Jesus made for us. He paid the price for our sin. It is Friday....

Oh... but we know the rest of the story. SUNDAY IS COMING!!!




Have a blessed Easter...celebrating our Risen Lord!

WFW # 16 New Life...

The Spirit of God has made me;

the breath of the Almighty gives me life.

Job 33:4

The miracle of birth still amazes me...

the blessing of offspring...

the joy of family...

Blessed beyond measure...

Baby Barrett

***UPDATE***

The baby has turned - and they are going to have to do a c-section. But not today... Jen's Doctor is sick. They are scheduling it for tomorrow morning.
Thanks for your prayers

*****And I will update tomorrow******

Our Grandson - Barrett McMillian Stewart - is on the way!! We are on the way to the hospital. I will post again soon with pictures.

Thanks for your prayers for our Jenifer (MOM) and for baby Barrett. Pray for Andy (our Wonderful Son-in-love) and for Little Aubrey (the big sister).

Children truly are an heritage from the Lord - and grandchildren... well ...

Proverbs 17:6 says, "Children's children are a crown to the aged..."

Precious crowns...

And we are about to meet #2...

Blessed beyond measure!

Happy Birthday Hal (edited 6:15 p.m.)

Today is my hubby's b-day. (edits in red)

We are having the children over for supper. (Julia and Ronnie - we will miss you.)
That is his preference. He is actually going to grill out. (Remember - I do not grill)
He would rather do that than go out to eat.??? Since it is HIS day - we will do what he wants.

*** since I went to the hospital yesterday (the 15th) with chest pains - this is all wrong.
Julia came home - so Ronnie - we miss you! Jen and Andy and Aubrey are not here either.

***No grill - Thank you so much Anita for a wonderful Lasagna supper!*(that is actually one of my favorites!)

***Sorry - Hal - we will celebrate your birthday on Monday night - and let you grill some steaks for us then! :)

So... Happy Birthday, Hal! I love you!

WW # 17 Making Cookies - sorta

WFW # 10 Remembering Homecoming

There really are no words to describe how you feel when your VETERAN arrives back at home. But the scripture that we claimed for the entire deployment filled our minds and hearts. (As they ran out our eyes.) This week is a wonderful time to remember... to thank... to pray for those still serving (some in harm's way).

THANK YOU - JONATHAN

PRAISE YOU FATHER!

All of Psalms 91 - but for today - particularily these verses...

9 If you make the Most High your dwelling— even the LORD, who is my refuge-
10 then no harm will befall you, no disaster will come near your tent.
11 For he will command his angels concerning you to guard you in all your ways;
12 they will lift you up in their hands, so that you will not strike your foot against a stone.
3 You will tread upon the lion and the cobra; you will trample the great lion and the serpent.
14 "Because he loves me," says the LORD, "I will rescue him; I will protect him, for he acknowledges my name.
15 He will call upon me, and I will answer him; I will be with him in trouble, I will deliver him and honor him.
16 With long life will I satisfy him and show him my salvation."

(for more WFW's visit with 160AcreWoods)

Sharing our Evening at DISNEY ON ICE

We had a wonderful time....

So, I share a few pictures of the evening.


Aubrey is waiting patiently...

Here she is calling,

"MICKEY - MINNIE - COME SEE ME!"

And they arrive ... In all their glory!!!

Granddaddy, Granna, Mom, Aubrey and Dad...Mom, Aubrey Dad, Momma Dee and PoppaCAN YOU TELL THAT SHE IS EXCITED! It was a good evening...

But I have to tell you - After a trip to the Christmas Section at LOWES last Wednesday with Granna... that has become the new favorite place to go!

So, when Poppa came into her SS Class yesterday to get her to tell her teacher about the night at Disney On Ice... He said, "Aubrey, tell Mrs. Tami where you went last night." (Thinking that she would want to tell all about this wonderful evening that we all spent together.)

She proclaimed, "LOWES" or in her words, "ROWES". LOL We could have saved all of us a lot of money- had we just gone to Chick-fil-A and picked up a quick supper and then made a trip to ROWES.

If only we had known.

OH, the life of a 2 1/2 year old.... and her silly parents and grand-parents trying to entertain. Our style.

Regardless, we DID have a good time. Just did not make the impression on her that it did on all of us.

So, today we are on our way to 'ROWES'.

Just thought you would want to know.

M I C K E Y MOUSE

Just a quick note to tell you all that we are going to Disney on Ice tonight!
Momma Dee and Poppa
Granna and Granddaddy
Mom and Dad
......and Aubrey!!!

What fun... I think I am more excited than she is .... and that is saying a lot!

I am sure that I will have pictures later... and MOM too.

But I just had to tell you.

Cause I knew you would want to know.

"PaPaw-isms"

My dad was never at a loss for words. When he did not know the correct word or could not think of a word - he would just make up his own... We began calling those words - "PaPaw-isms".



I will try to give a few examples...

---instead of Highway Patrol - he would say Highway Control.

instead of UFO's - he would say PQR's
(go figure that one - I guess he just knew it was three letters)
and as I re-read this before posting I also want to explain - not that he ever saw an UFO - just when he talked about it. Oh.... the more I try to explain -the worse it gets -LOL

---instead of "I am going to relax" - he would say "I am going to exlax". :)

---He had a hard time saying "Hal" for some reason... so he just call him - "hoot". (or Pope)



So,the cycle of life continues.

Our precious Aubrey (now 2 1/2) does the same thing. And I love it.

---I told her I was taking her to Pottery Barn..... later she wanted to go to "Barn Door". No hesitation - no thinking about it...
I guess in our home-Pottery Barn has a new name.

---When we go to Cracker Barrell - she really likes the hushpuppies. She will tell you - I want "puppie doggie".

And there are more - but I just can't think of them right now. (for both generations)

Maybe I will update some more later.

Those are the times that I miss my Dad so much. I would love to pick up the phone and call him to tell him the newest "Papaw-ism" that Aubrey has just said. It would have tickled him so much.

It has been seven years since Dad went to be with His Savior. Seven years since we heard some of his "-isms".

Until now...

Now, the grand-baby carries on the tradition. And I have a feeling like this is just the beginning.

To be continued...

WFW # 8 Children's children

Read the T-Shirt...

And we have just recently found out that it is a boy...

"Children's children are a crown to the aged..."

Proverbs 17:6a

I need to go buy something blue :)

(for more WFW's visit with 160AcreWoods)

A Broken Leg

(With a friend who has a Broken Arm)

Is it true that misery loves company?

I don't think they look too miserable.

Much harder on the parents (and grand's) than the children themselves.

This outfit was one of the many gifts she got when she broke the leg.

Certainly it was an Alabama Fan...

(Her Daddy was not very amused :)

But Isn't She Cute?

Some are telling her that this means "TOUCHDOWN!"

...but MommaDee is telling her it means "Thank-You, Jesus!"

This is Dee's Precious!

A precious gift straight from the Heart of God!