What is God trying to say through this?

Ok it's becoming one of those weeks where you have SO much to do and it seems like all the "little" things reach up and bite you.

Wedding week and you think all will go well huh? Smooth as silk, all things just slowly move right in place....not!

OK Marty came home tonite and he has a flat tire!
OK Kevin came home tonite and he has a flat tire!

So tell me what ya'll think is the message in this?

What is Heaven and Hell?

Two great basic points shared by my future son-in-law in his sermon today. Not that we don't already know this but there may be someone who is reading this who these two statements just might hit home and help them make a decision to follow Christ.

You ready, OK here goes:

Heaven is where "He" is
Hell is where "He" Ain't

What to write about hmmm.

As I was sitting here tonite trying to decide what to share in bloggy world.
I just thought hmmm.....

So busy in my life right now and so many wheels turning in my head I can't get focused.
So here's what is going on in my head...

• quiet time
• wedding
• wedding music
• wedding programs
• when will tuxes be here
• pick up wedding rental stuff
• vacation next week
• work
• worrying
• smiling
• crying
• empty nest feelings
• new family member
• dress
• wondering
• cut the cord? hmm.. (might be a long one to cut all the way to Conway)
• college degree
• her new home (how excited for them)
• when wedding over searching schooling for myself
• 50 mile walk coming at end of May
• new Bible Study next week (whew! what does God have for me?)
• remodel the empty room in my house (that was just emptied out last weekend)
• trip to Colorado
• trip to Memphis
• trip to Maggie Valley
• trip to Hilton Head
• my son dating

ok, ok my brain is overloaded.....I have to stop now....

I'll come back later when my brain has had time to rest!

What do you think that brides do?

Have any of you ever been around a bride about to be married? Whew is one word I can think of.....

She has a lot to do to get ready for that day (and so does the Mamma)
Here is a list of some things she works on in preparation for that day:

1. dress selection
2. hair style
3. wardrobe for honeymoon
4. reception
5. ceremony specialties
6. wedding invitations
7. bridal showers
8. bridal portraits
9. music selection

and oh so much more......she wants to make herself as beautiful as she can for her groom because she loves him so much and wants to please him with herself and everything concerning the wedding.

The Bible uses the image of the bride and groom to describe the relationship between Christ and the church.

Any of us who are Christians are engaged to Jesus. We awake every day waiting and preparing for our wedding day that will happen when our groom "Jesus" comes to get us and takes us to His home.

Think about the lovely bride when she is given her beautiful engagement ring, she wants to show it off to everyone, she is wanting to make the statement to say "hey I belong to someone". Well as believers of Jesus when we accept Christ as our Saviour and get baptized we too are making a statement of our commitment to Him and also saying "hey I belong to Him".

A bride sweet talks about her groom, she wants to spend "all" her time with only him and one of the best things for her is that he "chose" her and nothing makes her any happier than knowing that.

To know that Jesus "chose" us, man what could make us happier (to know someone wants us) WOW!

OK another thing a bride has is a countdown calendar counting down to that final day. She just can't wait until the day arrives to begin her new life,with her husband to be, the one she has longed for, the one she wishes to become intimate with.

Well for us Christians (the bride of Christ) we are also anticipating that day when we will be united with our groom, but until that moment we just need to stay faithful to him and continue to say (Rev. 22:20 "Even so, come Lord Jesus). Our wedding day will come, just hold on and one day we'll meet Him on that aisle.

For any of you who have never accepted Him that special wedding day will never come for you. You don't wanna miss this special day, it will be nothing like the typical wedding day that all us brides plan for. So what are you waiting for, receive Him now, and your wedding day will come for you too!

Here's her new home....

Well in 13 more days here is where my baby will be spending her days.

Her "new" home..

Another Precious moment for me....

Well when we got the last boxes unpacked, furniture unloaded and placed where it goes, washer and dryer installed, dishes washed and put up, at Matt and Kelly's new home there was one last thing that needed to be done. Check this out...


Yep that's right she let me install the "special" bear light switch plate in her new home. It's been with her since day one of her birth and I'm so excited she's letting it stay with her now. It really made my day to be able to place it in her "new" home where she will spend her life with her husband. My soon to be son-in-law.
Oh how sweet a moment this day was for us. Our little baby has grown up. And in 13 more days she will be married! WOW....this moment seemed like it came way too fast.....

A Precious but sad Moment for me tonite....

What a hard time for me tonite as I was packing and loading up the car to move all Kelly's belongings to her new home in Conway SC. She and her soon to be husband have now found them a place to live and we are beginning to move their stuff in tomorrow.

As I was getting down to the last few boxes and stuff there was one last thing left to take down that she told me she wanted and you can see it in the pictures here. On the back side of the plate I had written her birth date, her name and Love Mamma and Daddy.

This is her special light switch plate that I put up the day she was born and has been in her room since that day March 10, 1988. And now it's the last thing I took down from her room to take to her new home. I know it will still be about 16 days until she is actually living in her new home but she will have one special piece of her "old" home in her "new" home.

Kelly I hope you continue to use it and enjoy it the rest of your life and maybe one day even use it for your children.

I love you Kelly!

Go Cougars....

Giving a shout out to York Comprehensive High School Choral Program as they are down in Orlando Florida this weekend in a choral competition.

You go get em' guys, and come home with that trophy!

Giving Thanks.....

Wanted to give a shout out to you yes "you" the one who opens her house up to us each week for us to study God's word and get to know Him more.

And to your family who endures putting up with us and allowing us to have you for several hours.

It is just awesome the way God has moved in your home and each of our lives since you started these little sessions.

I can't wait to see what He has for our futures.

We love you and thank you!

10 days.....and now on his way home

For the last 10 days my soon to be son-in-law has been in India teaching and sharing Jesus.
He is on his way back home, and is scheduled to arrive tomorrow. I can't wait to hear about his trip and all that the Lord did while He was there.

Thanks God for the last 10 days and what you've done in and through me too as I've continually prayed for him. You've changed me by using him.

My God you are an AWESOME God!

30 years ago I took mine.....

30 years ago I was taking my wedding portraits around this time of year and now tomorrow morning I drive down to be with my daughter while she is getting hers taken.

I am so looking forward to spending this time with her and seeing my beautiful girl during her "moment".

Can't believe the time is almost upon us....what 22 days left......whew I might need to go ahead and stock up on some kleenex....tears of joy though! I'm really excited for her and the life God has in store when she becomes Mrs. Matthew Brown....

Love ya my sweetie and ready to spend this great time with you tomorrow!

Wanting Tender Loving Care......

Last night I was at my Tuesday Night Bible Study and after we had wrapped up our very last lesson in "Jesus the One and Only" a few of us hung around and shared a few stories and such from our lives.

As I was sitting sharing and listening, all of a sudden to the left of me I noticed was my friend's cat trying to sleep on a soft footstool, then all of a sudden one of her babies jumped up onto the stool and meowed at her momma still wanting some milk from her. The mommy cat started cleaning her, but the baby kept trying to get at the milk, and then the mommy kinda snapped her paw at her and nibbled at her neck and ear (I guess trying to get her to understand, momma is dry, no more milk here, you gotta grow up girl!)

I kinda started thinking that is just how we are, no matter how old we get when we want or need something we want to crawl up on our Savior's lap and say "Daddy help me".
He has given us His Word to teach us how to grow up, and yet we always want to take the easy road just like that baby cat and just ask Jesus to answer our every call.

Oh don't get me wrong, our Lord loves to help us when we have difficult times, but He also wants us to learn when He teaches us and not have to keep coming back for milk, but progress to meat.

Watching these cats last night helped me to realize that even though the Lord does want me to learn what He teaches me, He is still there to let me climb up in His lap for tender loving care and still give me some milk from time to time.

Thank you Lord for always being there for me "all the time"

29 Days until "The Day"....

Well only 29 Days left until the day of my daughter's wedding.

The thoughts running through my mind every day are just consuming me.

The excitement, the tears, the joy! Whew...

Look at this beautiful cake my sister and mom had made for one of her bridal showers.

Isn't it just beautiful!

I know she is just as excited for this day to finally arrive. I didn't think I would ever be ready for this day, but my God is really helping me and oh what a great son-in-law we will have. Count down is on, and we have lot's still left to do......