50th Anniversary Celebration

August 5, 1960 - 2010
Our wedding photo.

Our 50th Anniversary photo.

Linda made our anniversary cake to emmulate our wedding cake. This was her first attempt at making such a big fancy cake! She did a fabulous job and it tasted better than our wedding cake too!

The Whole Self Family on the left and the extended family on the right! Pastor Steve sharing and Marilyn Mitchell sang "Find Us Faithful" for us.

Find Us Faithful

We're pilgrims on the journey
Of the narrow road
And those who've gone before us line the way
Cheering on the faithful, encouraging the weary
Their lives a stirring testament to God's sustaining grace

Surrounded by so great a cloud of witnesses
Let us run the race not only for the prize
But as those who've gone before us
Let us leave to those behind us
The heritage of faithfulness passed on through godly lives

CHORUS:
Oh may all who come behind us find us faithful
May the fire of our devotion light their way
May the footprints that we leave
Lead them to believe
And the lives we live inspire them to obey

Oh may all who come behind us find us faithful

After all our hopes and dreams have come and gone
And our children sift through all we've left behind
May the clues that they discover and the memories they uncover
Become the light that leads them to the road we each must find

REPEAT CHORUS

Oh may all who come behind us find us faithful
Oh may all who come behind us find us faithful

Thomas Jefferson - Smart Man

How could one man be so

smart about the future this

many years ago?

THIS IS SO RELEVANT !! John F. Kennedy held a dinner in the white House for a group of the brightest minds in the nation at that time. He made this statement: "This is perhaps the assembly of the most intelligence ever to gather at one time in the White House with the exception of when Thomas Jefferson dined alone." Especially read the last quote from 1802. When we get piled upon one another in large cities, as in Europe, we shall become as corrupt as Europe . Thomas Jefferson The democracy will cease to exist when you take away from those who are willing to work and give to those who would not. Thomas Jefferson It is incumbent on every generation to pay its own debts as it goes. A principle which if acted on would save one-half the wars of the world. Thomas Jefferson I predict future happiness for Americans if they can prevent the government from wasting the labors of the people under the pretense of taking care of them. Thomas Jefferson My reading of history convinces me that most bad government results from too much government. Thomas Jefferson No free man shall ever be debarred the use of arms. Thomas Jefferson The strongest reason for the people to retain the right to keep and bear arms is, as a last resort, to protect themselves against tyranny in government. Thomas Jefferson The tree of liberty must be refreshed from time to time with the blood of patriots and tyrants. Thomas Jefferson To compel a man to subsidize with his taxes the propagation of ideas which he disbelieves and abhors is sinful and tyrannical. Thomas Jefferson Thomas Jefferson said in 1802: 'I believe that banking institutions are more dangerous to our liberties than standing armies. If the American people ever allow private banks to control the issue of their currency, first by inflation, then by deflation, the banks and corporations that will grow up around the banks will deprive the people of all property - until their children wake-up homeless on the continent their fathers conquered.' I WISH WE COULD GET THIS OUT TO EVERYONE!!!

Out of Destruction, Beauty Immeasurable!

Posted on May 18, 2010
Filed Under Personal, Theology | by Del Tackett - from the Truth Project

“Know this first of all, that in the last days mockers will come with their mocking, following after their own lusts, and saying, “Where is the promise of His coming? For ever since the fathers fell asleep, all continues just as it was from the beginning of creation.” For when they maintain this, it escapes their notice that by the word of God the heavens existed long ago and the earth was formed out of water and by water, through which the world at that time was destroyed, being flooded with water. But by His word the present heavens and earth are being reserved for fire, kept for the day of judgment and destruction of ungodly men.”
2 Peter 3:3-7

I am in Florida for filming but just returned from a short trip to the awesome parks near Moab Utah. I know people hate to see “home movies” so to speak, but I thought someone might be interested to see the wonders that God brings out of disaster.


I know my perspective may differ from others on this, but I am more and more convinced that the sedimentary layers that we see all over the world are the evidence of the great flood that God brought upon the world in the days of Noah.

2 Peter 3 makes the case that the evidence of this great destruction and tumult is available for us to see and that mockers overlook it—in essence saying that everything is just a uniform process all the way back.

But that is not true.

Verse 5 says that what “escapes their notice” is that there was a major catastrophe in the past, one that destroyed the world at that time and the earth was flooded.

That is why whenever I see these layers exposed, it reminds me of the awesome power of God that was on display when the earth shook with His judgment and that it will shake again someday.


Our “Group” took a few days to camp at Dead Horse Point State Park and visit Arches National Monument and Canyonlands National Park.

In one part of Arches, there is about a mile hike through “Park Avenue”. It is a “gawking” hike, through a canyon of spires and walls, balanced rocks and strange formations. It is a desolate kind of place, yet there the cactus were in bloom and flowers seemed to find a way to exist.

Out of this “destruction”, God has graciously given us awesome beauty and majesty.

Typical of Him, no?

Mother's Day!

Julie took this picture of me on Mother's Day!Flowers from Linda and Naomi. Picture of me at around age 2 years looking at my Gram's big pink roses and colored by Brian was a card Brian gave me and on the inside of it was singing "Oh What a Beautiful Morning" from Oklahoma which I used to sing to the kids while they ate breakfast around the big oak table that my Dad made back in high school; and I was standing at the kitchen sink singing that song to them. What memories these brought back to me. Brian gave me a lovely windchime to hang out on the front porch. Kevin and Rachel gave methe little handprints of Isaac on a lovely canvas tied with a bow. Karen and Steve sent me a lovely bouquet of roses and carnations.

Mother's Day!

Julie took this picture of me on Mother's Day!
Flowers from Linda and Naomi. Picture of me at around age 2 years looking at my Gram's big pink roses and colored by Brian was a card Brian gave me and on the inside of it was singing "Oh What a Beautiful Morning" from Oklahoma which I used to sing to the kids while they ate breakfast around the big oak table that my Dad made back in high school; and I was standing at the kitchen sink singing that song to them. What memories these brought back to me. Brian gave me a lovely windchime to hang out on the front porch. Kevin and Rachel gave me the little handprints of Isaac on a lovely canvas tied with a bow. Karen and Steve sent me a lovely bouquet of roses and carnations.

Mother's Day Gifts from Karen & Kev and Familes

Flowers from Karen and Steve and family ...

Handprints from Kevin and Rachel and Isaac

The Power of Your Name - by Unknown

Verse 1
Surely children weren't made for the streets
And Fathers were not made to leave
Surely this isn't how it should be
Let Your kingdom come

Verse 2
Surely nations were not made for war
Or the broken and due to be ignored
Surely this couldn't be what You saw
Let Your kingdom come
Here in my heart

Chorus
And I will live to carry your compassion
To love a world that's broken
To be your hands and feet
And I will give with the life that I've been given
And go beyond religion to see the world be changed
By the power of Your Name
The power of Your Name

Verse 3
Surely life wasn't made to regret
And the lost were not made to forget
Surely faith without action is dead
Let Your Kingdom come
Lord break this heart

Bridge
Jesus Your Name
Is a shelter for the hurting
Your Name
Is a refuge the weak
Only Your Name
Can take the undeserving
Jesus Your Name
Holds everything I need

What an Awesome and Orderly GOD!!

What an awesome and orderly GOD!! God's order may be observed in the hatching of eggs. For example: -the eggs of the potato bug hatch in 7 days; -those of the canary in 14 days; -those of the barnyard hen in 21 days; -The eggs of ducks and geese hatch in 28 days; -those of the mallard in 35 days; -The eggs of the parrot and the ostrich hatch in 42 days. (Notice, they are all divisible by seven, the number of days in a week!) God's wisdom is seen in the making of an elephant.. The four legs of this great beast all bend forward in the same direction. No other quadruped is so made. God ordered that this animal would have a huge body, and for this reason He gave it four fulcrums so that it can rise from the ground easily. The horse rises from the ground on its two front legs first. A cow rises from the ground with its two hind legs first. How wise the Lord is in all His works of creation! God's wisdom is revealed in His arrangement of fruit, vegetable, and grain seed sections and segments, as well as in the number of seeds/grains. -Each watermelon has an even number of stripes on the rind. -Each orange has an even number of segments. -Each ear of corn has an even number of rows. -Each stalk of wheat has an even number of grains. -Every bunch of bananas has on its lowest row an even number of bananas, and each row decreases by one, so that one row has an even number and the next row an odd number. -The waves of the sea roll in on shore twenty-six to the minute in all kinds of weather. All grains are found in even numbers on the stalks, and the Lord specified thirty fold, sixty fold, and a hundredfold - all even numbers. God has caused the flowers to blossom at certain specified times during the day, so that Linnaeus, the great botanist, once said that if he had a conservatory containing the right kind of soil, moisture and temperature, he could tell the time of day or night by the flowers that were open and those that were closed! God gives us a surprise when we cut an apple in half horizontally--there you will find a star! Thus the Lord in His wonderful grace can arrange the life that is entrusted to His care in such a way that it will carry out His purposes and plans, and will be fragrant with His presence. Only the God-planned safe life is successful. Only the life given over to the care of the Lord is fulfilled. The lives of each of us are ordered by the Lord in a beautiful way for His glory, if you will only entrust Him with your life. If you try to regulate your own life, it will only be a mess and a failure. Only the One Who made the brain and the heart can successfully guide us to a profitable end. I HOPE YOU FIND THIS AS FASCINATING AS I DID.....!!!!

Mathematics and the Love of God!

The Beauty of Mathematics and the Love of God! This is TOO COOL!

Just the math part is good enough, the end is even better.


I bet you will NOT be able to read it without sending it on to at least one other person!

Beauty of Mathematics!!!!!!!
Beauty of Mathematics!!!!!!!

Beauty of Mathematics!!!!!!!

1 x 8 + 1 = 9
12 x 8 + 2 = 98
123 x 8 + 3 = 987
1234 x 8 + 4 = 9876
12345 x 8 + 5 = 98765
123456 x 8 + 6 = 987654
1234567 x 8 + 7 = 9876543
12345678 x 8 + 8 = 98765432
123456789 x 8 + 9 = 987654321

1 x 9 + 2 = 11
12 x 9 + 3 = 111
123 x 9 + 4 = 1111
1234 x 9 + 5 = 11111
12345 x 9 + 6 = 111111
123456 x 9 + 7 = 1111111
1234567 x 9 + 8 = 11111111
12345678 x 9 + 9 = 111111111
123456789 x 9 +10= 1111111111

9 x 9 + 7 = 88
98 x 9 + 6 = 888
987 x 9+ 5 = 8888
9876 x 9 + 4 = 88888
98765 x 9 + 3 = 888888
987654 x 9 + 2 = 8888888
9876543 x 9 + 1 = 88888888
98765432 x 9 + 0 = 888888888

Brilliant, isn't it?

And look at this 20 symmetry:

1 x 1 = 1
11 x 11 = 121
111 x 111 = 12321
1111 x 1111 = 1234321
11111 x 11111 = 123454321
111111 x 111111 = 12345654321
1111111 x 1111111 = 1234567654321
11111111 x 11111111 = 123456787654321
111111111 x 111111111 =12345678987654321

Mind Boggling...

Now, take a look at this...

101%

From a strictly mathematical viewpoint:

What Equals 100%?

What does it mean to give MORE than 100%?

Ever wonder about those people who say they
are giving more than 100%?

We have all been in situations where someone wants you to

GIVE OVER 100%...

How about ACHIEVING 101%?

What equals100%in life?

Here's a little mathematical formula that might help
answer these questions:

If:

A B C D E F G H I J K L M N O P Q R S T U V W X Y Z

Is represented as:

1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 13 14 15 16 17 18 19 20 21 22 23 24 25 26.

Then:

H-A-R-D-W-O- R- K

8+1+18+4+23+15+18+11 = 98%

And:

K-N-O-W-L-E- D-G-E

11+14+15+23+12+5+4+7+ 5 = 96%

But:

A-T-T-I-T-U- D-E

1+20+20+9+20+ 21+4+5 = 100%

THEN, look how far=2 the love of God will take you:

L-O-V-E-O-F- G-O-D
12+15+22+5+15+ 6+7+15+4 = 101%

Therefore, one can conclude with mathematical certainty that:

While Hard Work and Knowledge will get you close, andAttitude will
get you there, it's the Love of God that will put you over the top!

If you find this interesting share it with your friends & loved ones.

Have a nice day & God bless you.

His Mysterious Ways...a Guideposts story

A Grandma's Wish

I had a granddaughter I'd never met. I yearned to be a grandmother to her.

By Christine West, Hardy, Kentucky

Suddenly, we were interrupted by clapping. “Terrific,” the director said, stepping up to the stage from the chapel aisle. “Except, could you kids face the audience a bit more?”

The kids shifted to face the empty pews, which would be filled in a few days for the church play. “Perfect,” the director said. “Now, Grandma, read to your grandchildren.” A pang of sadness hit me. If only I could read to my real grandchild!

I had a granddaughter, but I’d never met her. Sixteen years earlier my son was involved in a relationship that ended badly. But out of it came a blessing: a baby girl named Lena. I yearned to be a grandmother to her—but shortly after the birth, the mother moved and left no forwarding address.

My son had no idea where his daughter was. Over the years, I asked around town to try and find my son’s ex, but it seemed she didn’t want to be found.

I’d just joined this new church a week earlier, and was promptly offered the part of Grandma in the play. At least now I could pretend to be a grandma. The rehearsals went well, and finally the day of the show arrived. The performance was great. “You all looked so natural up there,” one of my friends said.

Afterward, we went to the church basement for refreshments. I walked over to one of the girls in the play. Rehearsals had been such a whirlwind we never really got to talk. “How’s my granddaughter?” I joked.

“Fine!” she answered. Just then, someone else walked up and asked the girl her name.

I wasn’t sure I heard the girl’s answer correctly. But it made me ask her another question. “What’s your mother’s name?”

She told me.

I was still in shock. “And what’s your father’s name?” I asked.

It was my son.

“Lena,” I said, “you’re not going to believe this…but, I really am your grandmother!”

She’d only started going to that church a week before I did. Since that day of the play, we’ve stayed close. Not long ago, she even made me a great-grandma.

IF I HAD MY LIFE TO LIVE OVER - by Erma Bombeck

- by Erma Bombeck
(written after she found out she was

dying from cancer).

I would have gone to bed when I was sick instead of pretending the earth would go into a holding pattern if I weren't there for the day.

I would have burned the pink candle sculpted like a rose before it melted in storage.

I would have talked less and listened more.

I would have invited friends over to dinner even if the carpet was stained, or the sofa faded.

I would have eaten the popcorn in the 'good' living room and worried much less about the

dirt when someone wanted to light a fire in the fireplace.

I would have taken the time to listen to my grandfather ramble about his youth.

I would have shared more of the responsibility carried by my husband.

I would never have insisted the car windows be rolled up on a summer day because my hair had just been teased and sprayed.

I would have cried and laughed less while watching television and more while watching life.

I would never have bought anything just because it was practical, wouldn't show soil, or was guaranteed to last a lifetime.

Instead of wishing away nine months of pregnancy, I'd have cherished every moment and realized that the wonderment growing inside me was the only chance in life to assist God in a miracle.

(Personally I enjoyed being pregnant with each of my kids as well as enjoyed my kids after they were born)
When my kids kissed me impetuously, I would never have said, 'Later. Now go get washed up for dinner.' There would have been more 'I love you's' More 'I'm sorry's.'

But mostly, given another shot at life, I would seize every minute, look at it, and really see it, live it and never give it back. STOP SWEATING THE SMALL STUFF!!!

Don't worry about who doesn't like you, who has more, or who's doing what.

Instead, let's cherish the relationships we have with those who do love us.