Arkansas Pilgrim

Want a unique, handcrafted Christmas gift?

2011-12-09T22:36:00.000-08:00

I make evening purses out of Reader's Digest book covers. They can be made from various colors, themes, or dates. The prices range from $35 to $75. Contact me at wagnersisters@yahoo.com for more information or requests.

Here are views of some other purses:

An-tic-i-pa-tion!

2011-08-08T19:56:00.000-07:00

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His mouth began to open just a little. His hand began to rise, carrying the ice cream cone he was eating on this hot summer day.

Grampa, after Grandma died, would come out from New York State and visit us in Arkansas for about a month. It usually happened in the summer when Mom and Dad’s plans were to go to New York for a visit, so that he could ride back with them,

Grampa was a dear old man. And I loved him very much. But there were times he could just be downright annoying! That was because he liked to tease. I decided in later years, long after he was gone, that he must have done that because he really didn’t know what else to do to interact with his grandkids. They were mostly girls but also some grandsons. Besides he was not a ball-tossing kind of Grampa. He farmed and he watched TV. And teased!

He liked to tease in a variety of ways, but he had his favorites. This was one of them. He would sneak up behind you and *getcha* in the ribs. Now I wasn’t really ticklish. But the suddenness would always make me jump and/or scream. So what does that do? Just encourage him to do it some more!!! Or he’d bump my elbow, always on accident of course, just as I, or anyone was about to put some food in his or her mouth!

It was his little game and way of showing how much he really loved us kids. Well! When I got older I decided that I was going to show him how much I loved him, too. So the game was on. I’d do to him things that he would do to me. But on this day, I got him good!!!

I have no idea where we were all headed. But that doesn't really matter. Mom and Dad were in the front seat of the car. Grampa and I were in the back. I sat behind Dad who was driving, and Grampa sat behind Mom.

He was always ready to eat ice cream, day or night, rain or shine, full or hungry. In later years, sometimes that was the only thing that Mom could get him to eat. He loved his ice cream.

I made a plan and set it into motion. We were all busy licking our cones, lapping up the cool, delicious summer treat. It was get-back time and I was going to score with this one!!!

His hand got a little higher. I knew I had to time it just right. His mouth opened wider. It was like slow motion on TV. The cone was rising through the air.

I watched Grampa out of the corner of my eye as he prepared to take another lick of the luscious cone. I scooted back in my seat to I would have my balance just right and my right arm free to move. His hand was getting still higher yet.

I had to act very innocent as if I was continuing to eat my cone as well. His cone moved closer, and closer, ...and closer. I took another lick of mine.

His mouth was fully open, poised to close down on that delicious cool delight. I shifted. I loosened my arm.

I knew I would have to have my palm facing forward and the back of my hand toward his mouth if this plan was to work. I also had to time it just right!

He was closing in, I could see the look of expectation on his face!

With the snap of a frog's tongue, I shot my arm over! Bull's Eye! The ice cream scoop plowed right into the palm of my hand. His mouth came down on - NOTHING! The look of shock flew across his face!

'What happened to my ice cream cone?' The look on his face said it all! It was perfect!

The unfortunate scoop landed in his lap, the cone still in his hand. That was an unexpected bonus! Of course I never gave it a thought what it might do to his clothes. I was too busy cracking up laughing, and licking off my hand.

I got him goooooooooood! The look of chagrin on his face said I had scored!!! Suzanne 1, Grampa 0. He knew exactly why I had done that. It was get-back time and I won!!!

Course now, I had to be on the look out for he would be planning next to get even with me! But I didn't care, and neither did he, really. On this day, the grandkid won!

Learning to spell

2011-04-01T20:04:00.000-07:00

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I probably should look in my archive of posts to see if I've told this before, but I'm lazy. So if I have, maybe someone new will get a laugh out of this.

When your kids are little do you ever "spell over their heads" something you want to communicate without them knowing what you are saying??? My mother used to do this all the time when I was little. But one day she gave up. We were living in a trailer (they weren't called "mobile homes" back then). We had finished our meal and my mother wanted to ask my dad if he wanted something she had made. "Ira, would you like some j-e-l-l-o?" she said. Well, there are some words that sounds just about the same as how they are spelled. So I figured that one out. (I was about 5.) I quickly answered and said with delight, "I want some jello!!!" She never spelled again.

Fast forward a generation. Our oldest daughter was about 5 years old, my husband and I were living in a mobile home (no kidding!). We had been to VBS in the morning and had come home to eat lunch. I wanted CG to eat her "sonch" (as she called a sandwich) without being distracted with what I saw out the window. I said to my husband, "I see a c-a-t" and motioned with my eyes, to look out the window. This time CG didn't catch on to what I said, but neither could my husband. "ick-a-cat?" he said with a puzzled look on his face. I finally had to tell him 'cat' which he turned to see. CG was never fazed and finished her sonch. He never did let me forget that one!

CAN'T GET TO HEAVEN IN A ROCKIN’ CHAIR

2011-03-12T12:43:00.000-08:00

(I tho't I had posted this but couldn't find it. So I'm posting it today. Hope you get a kick out of it.)

Chorus
Oh, you can't get to heaven in a rockin' chair
If you're a rockin' you're not gettin' there.
If you're rockin' you're not goin' where?
You can't get to heaven in a rockin' chair.
Rockin’, Rockin’ Rockin’.

Verse1
If you want to live in heaven up there
Get on your knees and say a little prayer
Confess all your sin or you’re not gettin’ where?
You can't get to heaven in a rockin' chair

When you're burdened down with worry and care
Go to the cross for Jesus is there
Get readin' His Word and sayin' a prayer
Cuz, you can't get to heaven in a rockin' chair.

Verse2
Rockin' back and forth just gets nowhere
You're wasting your time you’re not gettin' there.
You gotta get up if you wanna go where?
You can't get to heaven in a rockin' chair.

Tell all your friends that Jesus cares
They can't go to heaven in their rockin chairs
Tell 'em Jesus is the only way up there.
They can't get to heaven in their rockin' chairs.

2009, Suzanne Guinn

When I arrive in heaven...

2011-01-09T12:51:00.000-08:00

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When I arrive in heaven on Jordan’s golden shore
I’ll sing with sweet abandon praising God for evermore
I’ll bow my knees to Jesus and kiss my mother’s face
I’ll lie down with the lions and sing Amazing Grace

I’ll walk along with loved ones and sit at Jesus’ feet,
Forsaking all my sorrow for fellowship so sweet.
I’ll sit beside King David as music fills the air.
I’ll play with my dear brother, who’s waiting over there.

I’ll visit with Ole Peter or mingle with the saints.
I’ll walk the streets of Salem and work with no complaints
I’ll wash in heaven’s fountain, run fingers through the sand,
Climb every single mountain, and march in heaven’s band.

When I arrive in heaven, so happy I will be
For now I’ll live with Jesus and be forever free.
My soul will sing forever, rejoicing I will be
For now I’ll live with Jesus and be forever free.

Suzanne Guinn
January 9, 2011

Lost Dog

2011-01-03T19:28:00.000-08:00

A few weeks ago our elderly dog got out through the garage and we did not know it till later when we discovered him missing. He is nearly blind, and deaf as well as diabetic. We, naturally, were quite concerned and upset. Fortunately he was found the next morning. But the experience taught me several spiritual lessons:

1. I, as a sinner, am lost, blind and deaf to God's call.
2. I was disobedient and wandered away.
3. I could not find my way home.
4. I was cold and hungry.
5. I would have died if my Father/Master had not found me.
6. He left His home to search for me.
7. He kept looking for me, long into the night.
8. He kept looking till He found me.
9. He put out the word/message letting people know he was looking for me.
10. Through the help of others, He found me and I was rejoined with my Father. (God uses people to spread His word and bring others to Him.)
11. There was great joy in the reunion.
12. I was 'starving' when He found me; he filled me with wonderful food and water.
13. He took me home and cleaned me up.
14. I was hurt and He helped me get well, again.
14. He loves me and carried me home, even though I was disobedient and wandered away.
15. Once I returned home, I could rest in peace, and safety and sleep, sleep, sleep.

Lest we forget.

2010-09-11T20:07:00.001-07:00

(Crude as it may be...)
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CNN Headline

2010-08-31T16:17:00.003-07:00

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For my next post I was going to comment on the various stages of dress (or otherwise) that I see now that I am 'out front,' at the library as opposed to working 'in the back.' But that probably says plenty enough. Sometimes I wish I could wear blinders. ;-)

You may have seen a variety of headlines, titles, signs, or whatever that taken literally can be quite funny. This was a headline today on CNN's website: "Suspect admits texting dead teen."

Uh, Um - Did your message arrive?
Did she text you back?
Where did her message come from?

If you are on any professional or job-related listserv, this is some "Friday Humor" a little early!

When Liberty becomes a stumbling block

2010-08-17T15:48:00.000-07:00

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The current controversy of building a mosque near Ground Zero of 9/11 reminds one of a passage of scripture that talks about our rights verses putting others first.

We have the right to worship as we see fit, in this country. The day we no longer have that right, we will cease to be the America that was created in 1776. Many people fled to this new land to get away from religious tyrants. They wanted the right to worship God as they felt led. This is who we are. But we don't need religious tyrants demanding to exercise their right to worship just because we have that right. There's more to think about than that.

September 11, 2001 Islamic enemies of this country and terrorists confiscated our planes with mostly our people on board and flew them into some of our country's greatest iconic locations. These heartless people have no concern over the innocent lives that were lost, including some of their own.

Now in the name of religious freedom, Islams want to build a mosque within 'spitting distance' of Ground Zero. If they believe that they (who are building the mosque) are not the same as the terrorists who bombed us with the our own planes, then maybe they need to rethink how they demand and choose to exercise their American rights. They say they are peace loving Americans, "like the rest of us."

If they truely are, then maybe they ought to take a second look at the impact this intended place of worship will have on their fellow Americans. Sometimes it's NOT about our rights, but it's about thinking of and putting the other person first and not ourselves or our agenda. I don't deny that anyone can worship how they wish. But some compassion and consideration should also be taken into account as to where they chose to do so. Going to Mecca and holding a church service is not the way to go about winning Muslims over to Christ.

One of our forefathers (I haven't looked up who, yet) made the comment to the effect that people who are Christian people also make good citizens. [I will see if I can find the exact quote.] So, if the Christians in this country will practice 'not excersizing' our liberty just because we can, but instead consider what that right might do to others, maybe others will see our example and do the same.

It's time we all think about the victims of 9/11, which include the families of the victims. They are victims, too. They are left with grief and trauma of what happened to their loved ones. Excersize your form of worship, but this is a huge country. Even New York City has a lot of real estate. Look around and see where else you might could build your place of woship. In so doing, you would be more considerate of others. You would show that you care about others more than yourself. Want others to be tolerant of you? Then show some tolerance and consideration of others and move to some other location.

I Don't Care To

2010-08-09T19:06:00.000-07:00

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Church had just let out and the parishioners were filing by shaking the preacher's hand. As one older lady came by, his wife standing close by asked her if she would be interested in going to a regional church meeting later that week with them.

Dad pastored a little country church in a southern Missouri town, called Cape Fair. We had just moved there a few months earlier, from a field assignment in western Kansas. Beth and Ira Wagner had answered the call to the ministry while still living in New York State. They attended a bible school graduating in 1957. From there they had first been placed in a western Kansas community before moving to Cape Fair. It was now 1958.

The lady answered cheerfully, "I wouldn't care to." Somewhere in the conversation one of them had told her the day and time they planned to go. Still learning Missouri, hillbilly colloquialisms, they weren't quite sure what she meant.

The day came and Beth and Ira were ready to head to the meeting, (probably an IFCA* meeting held in nearby Galena, MO.). Beth mentioned to Ira, "We better go by Erma's** house and just make sure whether she wants to go or not." [**I don't remember the lady's real name.]

They drove by her house, and into the driveway. Sure enough, she was ready and waiting to go, watching for them to arrive. They learned that day that her response meant, 'she wouldn't mind going, she would enjoy it.' Not that 'she cared nothing about the trip, whatsoever. '

That was a close call and a fast learned lesson of another Missouri colloquialism. They were glad they decided to stop and make sure what she wanted to do and not pull a faux pas and leave her behind!

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There's a lot of people I do remember from that country church, even though I was only in the 4th grade and part of the 5th.

Willie and Jaunita Withnall. He was a deacon and always wore overalls. They lived by a store which I think they ran.

Mr and Mrs Jorden who had fraternal twin boys. They didn't even look like brothers. One was tall and skinny, the other was shorter and not-so-skinny. For many years, I remembered their names, but can't recall them now.

Elderly Mrs. Smith who still came to church. She was a typical, sweet little-ole-lady, bun and all. Her husband who was in his upper 90's was unable to come anymore. (I want to say he was also blind, but I'm not sure). Mom and Dad visited with them frequently. They lived in a white clapboard house, right along the edge of the road about a mile or so 'from town.' We would sit in the quaint, homey living room while Dad read scripture to the gentleman and have prayer before we left, on every visit. (Religious pictures and crocheted art hung on the walls.)

On Sunday afternoons, we would go to Wooley Creek. A group of people met there in the school house for Sunday School whether they had any preachin' or not. So we would go out and Dad would do the preachin' for the folks. The Fosters and the Jones attended Wooley Creek.

The Jones were a fairly large but poor family. Their father was like Pa in Little House on the Prairie. Their Pa played the fiddle. The kids would sing, especially three of their girls. They would lean back in the dining room chairs around the pot bellied stove, swinging their bare feet while balancing on those back chair legs, singing their lungs out! Ah, those were the days.

These days folks have an annual singing at Wooley Creek, I learned last year. I need to go.

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(*Independant Fundamental Church of America)

Pictures of Water

2010-07-27T00:39:00.000-07:00

Earlier this year a friend and coworker asked me to write a poem about water, since our Summer Reading Program theme was "Water Your Mind." Later we presented this poem at a Poetry Reading, as a duet, each reading half a line. It was fun, and had a nice effect on the presentation. It was arranged a little differently than presented here, but I like the outline this arrangement gives.

PICTURES OF WATER (Set)

SUMMER:

Puddles. Pools.
Foam. Fun. Spray. Sun.
Tributaries. Sanctuaries.
Waves. Swells. Tides. Wells.
Drips. Drizzles. Drops. Frizzles.
Angry. Gentle. Blinding. Mental.
Flooding. Fury. Torrents. Hurry.
Moisture. Misty. Moody. Mystery.
Cleansing Shower. Energy. Power.
Rolling. Crashing. Pounding. Smashing.
Drowning. Dragging. Dripping. Nagging.
Cascades. Ocean Sprays. Everglades. Dreamy Days.
Embryonic Universe. Unexpected Lightening Burst.

WINTER:

Peaks. Poles.
Peace. Place. Slow Pace.
Sleet. Slush. Snow. Mush.
Conversation. Transportation.
Crystals. Falling. Quiet. Calling.
Freezing. Chilling. Bone-drilling.
Avalanches. Landscape Blanches.
Crushing. Crafty. Blanket. Drafty.
Glaciers Thawing. Gouging. Clawing.
Farm pond Skating. Snowman Making.
Ice Blocks. Icebergs. Snow Peaks. Snow Birds.
Snowflakes. Snowfalls. Snowdrifts. Snowballs.

~ ~

Peace. Strife. Death. Life.

Quietly Laughing. Blubbering. Gaffing.
Boisterously Bawling. Lazily Crawling.

Deep and moving. Roving at will.
Limpid and languishing. Shallow and still.

Renewing. Life-giving. Refreshing the living.
Death, Strife; Peace, Life.

-by Suzanne Guinn. 16 February 2010

Fern Isabel Coppedge

2010-06-07T18:26:00.000-07:00

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I just learned of this American painter, on Antiques Roadshow. I have never heard of her before, but I LOVE her artwork. It is impressionistic, yet primitive, soft yet bold, homey and avant garde at the same time, especially in her day for the paintwork itself but also because the painter was a woman.

Here are some examples.
The Delaware Valley

Hillside Village

New Hope

Mountain Creek

Unlike most of her artist friends, she was a "plein air" artist - painting on location, year around. It has been said that she could be found painting from the back of her car until her fingers were stiff, in the winter. She was part of a group of women painters called the "Pennsylvania Ten" who lived in New Hope, Pa. I hope you enjoy these. If you want to see more, just type in her name in Google or other search engine. I think I found about 80 distinct pictures on line.

Reader's request

2010-06-05T20:51:00.001-07:00

I received a request from someone I don't know who read my poem, "My Favorite Season" that I posted in November. She wants to use it in a (church) service. Surprising, but pleased it is being a blessing to others beyond my 'world.' This shows what an impact the Internet has on the world. When you put something "outthere" - you never know who's going to read it. "Oh, be careful little fingers what you type" - to paraphrase a children's SS song.

Another song to memorialize our soldiers

2010-06-04T16:50:00.000-07:00

Brothers in Arms
Sung by Celtic Thunder
written by Mark Knopfler

These mist covered mountains
Are a home now for me
But my home is the lowlands
And always will be
Some day you'll return to
Your valleys and your farms
And you'll no longer burn
To be brothers in arm

Through these fields of destruction
Baptism of fire
I've watched all your suffering
As the battles raged higher
And though they did hurt me so bad
In the fear and alarm
You did not desert me
My brothers in arms

There's so many different worlds
So many different suns
And we have just one world
But we live in different ones

Now the sun's gone to hell
And the moon's riding high
Let me bid you farewell
Every man has to die
But it's written in the starlight
And every line on your palm
We're fools to make war
On our brothers in arms

Memorial Day remembrances - The Green Fields of France

2010-05-31T08:10:00.000-07:00

One of my new favorite music groups is Celtic Thunder. One of the songs they record is "The Green Fields of France." It is perfect for remembering all those who have died for their country and for others. Below is lyrics of their version of the song.

In researching the lyrics to make sure the words below were correct, I found a website, posted at the end, that tells about the man who wrote the song. In looking at the website, I discovered that there is another verse to the song that CT does not sing, as well as some adjustment to the words. I hope you enjoy this ballad, and take the time to visit the website that tells of the writer and the song. (Link at the end of this post.)

This Memorial Day, take time to remember those who have died on your behalf: Those who died for your freedom and The One who died for your soul.

The Green Fields of France

1. Well how do you do, young Willie McBride?
Do you mind if I sit here down by your graveside?
And rest for awhile `neath the warm, summer sun.
I’ve been walking all day and I’m nearly done.

I see by your gravestone you were only 19,
When you joined the great fallen in 1916.
Well I hope that you died quick and I hope you died clean.
Oh Willie McBride was it slow and obscene?

Chorus--
Did they beat the drums slowly?
Did the play the fife lowly?
Did they sound the death march as they lowered you down?
Did the band play the Last Post and chorus”?
Did the pipes play the “Flowers of the Forest”?

2. Did you leave a wife or a sweetheart behind?
In some faithful part, is your memory in shrine?
And though you died back in 1916,
In that faithful heart, you’re forever 19.

Or, Are you a stranger without even a name,
Enclosed forever behind a glass pane?
In an old photograph torn, and battered and stained,
Faded to yellow in a brown leather frame?

3. Now Willie McBride, I can’t help wondering why,
Do those who lie here know why they died?
Did they really believe when they answered the cause?
Did they really believe that this war would end wars?

But the sorrow, the suffering, the glory, the pain,
The killing and dying, where all done in vain.
But to Willie McBride it all happened again
And again and again and again and again.

Check out this website regarding the song and who wrote it: Aftermath.

Happy Memorial Day.
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Bloggers' Delimma

2010-05-23T10:36:00.000-07:00

What does a blogger blog about if there isn't a specific theme, like their profession, or dedicated topic (faith, politics...), or other specialized blog? If it's just a general type blog what do you blog about?

I saw a report of someone bemoaning bloggers and people on social networking site who talk about going shopping, or going to work/coming home or other mundane activities of life. 'Who cares if you just got up or heading to bed?' was the complaint. Why would you want to announce to the world the minutia of life? Remember that anybody can read your blog. (Well some are subscribers only, but not all.) Do you really want the whole world to know you just got up???

So, do you use it as a soapbox to let off steam? Or do you use it as a creative writing outlet, like your latest poem (guilty!) Or should a personal blog be used to vent about what is going on in politics, entertainment or the front page, complain about ______________? You fill in the blank. Or is it your e-diary?

I don't blog (obviously) very frequently on this blog because of some of the reasons given above. Many thoughts and ideas go through my mind - especially when I'm not sitting at the computer, - of things that might be good to post. But life gets busy and time goes by without getting them posted. I don't even always have time to read all my email - partly because I get so many forwards, or email from places of business that now have my email address. I probably delete more than I read. By the time I check my email, the news and FB, I don't have the time to think about what to blog.

Well today, I do have something I want to post. And believe it or not, it came from an email forward. But I thought I would put it here and not take the time to forward it on to others. If you read this and want to look into it, you may. If you don't want to, that's fine. And you will not have to worry about forwarding it on to someone else.

This is thinking outside the box! Whoever is the marketer for this Dutch business has a good imagination. Here it is. Enjoy.

Now, here's my poem 'for the day.' Actually the pastor mentioned the first three lines in his sermon today. I just added the 4th, as this is what I could 'hear' in my head as he was speaking - as if it was going to be the next thing he said. It wasn't:

When life is overwhelming,
When life seems to be unfair,
When life has taken your joy and peace,
Remember that God is there.

"by Ron Fields/Suzanne Guinn"

Well, good night folks. I'm going to bed. (well, soon anyway.)
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Rogers Art Guild update

2010-05-03T18:02:00.000-07:00

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I know, you want to know how the judging turned out. So, no, I didn't win anything. But I really didn't think I would. The judge is an art teacher from MO. She was very helpful and gives suggestions how to make your picture even better. :-) She gave me some very good suggestions for mine.

The Best in Show was also my favorite of all the paintings. It was of an Amish girl and her dog - a very good display of atmosphere, feeling as well as compositon, values etc. She was standing in the shade of a tree, facing her dog and he to her. You could almost "hear" her talking to him.

The judge discussed several of the paintings to the members. It was very instructive to hear the comments she made. Congratulations to all the winners! Job well done.

Here's my favorite of my three. It is called The Potted Plant:

This next one is called The Grocery List. Have you ever just 'scribbled' all over the page, overlapping lines and circles, then colored in the spaces? This piece it taken after that idea.

This last one is a result of cataloging too many science fiction at the library. All three of these piece are outside of my usual style, but especially this one. It is a little on the weird side. Whoever saw green water with yellow foam, or red rain??? It is called What is Reality.

ENJOY!

Rogers Art Guild

2010-05-02T18:58:00.000-07:00

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Last year I joined RAG, (Rogers Art Guild), partly because I need to get back into my art and this will be a way to motivate me. I really don't have a lot of time to devote to it, and I can't even attend most of the meetings. But with one Monday off a month, once in awhile it falls on the meeting day. So I have been able to attend 2 meetings now since last fall.

Their Annual Spring Show (which is juried) is in May. I had experimented with some abstract art and some "science fiction" type pictures - very uncharacteristic for me - this past year. So I framed three items and submitted them. We'll see what happens. I don't expect any awards, there are a lot of very good artists in the guild. Judging is May 3rd.

If I could figure out how to post pictures on the blog, I'd post pics here. I'll see what I can do.

Earthquake in NW Arkansas

2010-05-02T18:51:00.000-07:00

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A 2.5 earthquake occured in Centerton, AR a few days ago, on Thursday, (Apr 29th) I believe. The quake actually was several hundred miles below the surface. But there were reports around the area. One person heard a loud boom, someone else noticed the lights at work swinging and wondering why, others saw other things moving, too. But overall it was so minor that it wasn't noticed by most and no damage was reported.

Centerton is about 12 or so miles n.w. of Rogers where we live. And, no, I didn't know about it till it was reported.

Earth Day

2010-04-22T18:24:00.001-07:00

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Celebrate Earth Day!
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Take a walk with your kids or grandkids; walk your dogs.
Plant flowers or a tree; clean out a flower bed.
Take tote bags when you go to the store to put your purchases in.
Go for a bike ride.
Start sorting your trash to collect recyclables.
Lower your furnace, or raise your A/C 2 degrees.
See if you can come up with other ideas.
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Recycling is becoming a popular thing with society. We as Christians sometimes resist being pushed in any direction by environmentalists, or our culture, but who better to take care of God's creation but His children. We should set the example of doing the best we can to take of the earth and our world around us.

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God's Secret Helpers
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My husband had Tuesday night off from work, so when he got up Tuesday afternoon he planned to mow the yard. When he stepped outside someone had just mowed it! I didn't go to work till after lunch, so someone had to have mowed it that afternoon while he was sleeping! We don't know who did it, but I wonder if it was my snow shoveler from February. (see Feb's post). Whoever it was, may God bless our 'Lawn Angel'!!

THIS DEAR OLD MAN

2010-03-12T17:03:00.001-08:00

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His quiet smile and strong warm hands gave strength and peace to life’s demands.
His love for God and for His Word carved out his life and shaped his world.
Though loss was his from home to son he ne’er gave up. And everyone
That crossed his path knew it was true – he loved the Lord and family, too.

He fixed our dolls and painted bikes. When I was five he bought a kite,
Then hid it up above the door, till I spied it – now hid no more.
He worked all day till tasks were done then worked at home past set of sun.
He planted trees and tilled the ground; his balding head and hands were brown.

No matter what the work at hand from preaching Christ or clearing land
To fixing cars both old and new, he gave his all, ‘twas all he knew.
Though sweat was often on his brow his kerchief band helped out somehow.
Then later when his knees were pained, he never grumbled or complained.

His ethic of a working man was written in his calloused hands,
So scarred and worn from years of toil. Yet, ‘twas my heart that gave him soil,
For there he planted seeds of truth that he had taught me from my youth.
So then through life as he would stroll he left his prints upon my soul

Though born in means of low degree and knew how hard that life could be
He used the gifts that God had given, his heart and hands to help the livin’.
Now father’s gone but left behind: a heritage that now is mine.
I’ll always miss this dear old man. I’ll ne’er forget this godly man.

God answers the small prayers, too.

2010-02-18T16:27:00.001-08:00

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January 29th was the 1-year anniversary of a horrible ice storm for northwest Arkansas. And what was the forecast for this day? Snow! Folks were leary that it would be a repeat of a year ago. But it wasn’t. There was no ice, but we had plenty of snow, 6-8-10 inches, depending where you were.

Friday and Saturday the library where I work was closed. It gave me an extra day for the weekend. Sat. Hubby, who works nights, got up in the afternoon. So he was willing to help me do some driveway shoveling. Being a heart patient, he could not last too very long. At that point we had over ½ the driveway done. I told him I would try to at least, get the rest of one side done, so we can get our truck in and out.

I was about 2/3’s done when I was getting exhausted as well. I’d pick up 2-3 shovels full, then stop and rest my head on the end of the long handle. Every time I stopped, panting and resting my head, I prayed, "Lord please send me some help". A car would go by. Then another. Most didn’t even look sideways, but were focused on what was ahead. But I kept it up. I’d shovel; I’d stop-rest-and-pray. I’d shovel; I’d stop-rest-and-pray. After a few cycles of this, I heard a noise across the street. A young teenager, with a shovel in his hand, hollered out. “Would you like some help?”

“Thank you, Lord!” immediately went through my mind. BUT, not wanting to sound to eager I said, “Well, uh, sure; it would sure be nice…” trying to stall a little bit (but not much!). By that time he was in the drive. He started shoveling. I felt a little guilty letting him do all the shoveling, but he told me I didn’t need to shovel any more, he’d do all the rest. He was willing to shovel all of the snow on the driveway, but I told him to shovel what we started out to do. He finished it in no time!! I gave him a small gift of remuneration with a promise of chocolate chip cookies he said were his favorite.

A few days later, I fulfilled my promise with cookies, and met his parents – our neighbors - in the process. Maybe this will be a bridge to evangelism later. I thanked all of them again for his help.

Second answer: (this won’t be as long.)
President’s Day weekend I had the day off, so with my honey’s blessings I went to KC for the weekend to see my friends, my “lunch buddies,” from where I used to work, as well as other co-workers, even friends from a church that we attended at one time.

On my way home, I had a driver “tailing” me. So to encourage him/them to pass, I slowed down a little. They came up beside me and put a note in the passenger window: “Your plate blew off.” My plate??? I was trying to remember if I had set a paper plate on the top of the car when I got in, but a paper plate would have blown off a lot sooner. I didn’t have a paper plate in my hand, tho. Finally I mouthed to them “license plate?” After the second time of “saying” it – the lady in the passenger seat nodded her head yes.

I went to the next overpass and turned around and began the search. All the time, I prayed, Lord please direct my eyes right to the plate. I called 911. They were no help. :-( So I kept looking. I decided to go back to one more intersection, then I would quit and head home. Within about 2-3 tenths of a mile of the intersection, I saw a plate. I was driving back north at that point. The plate laid to the left of the southbound lanes. I didn’t know what our plate number was, but it was the right state and expired the right month. It didn’t look weather worn like it had laid out in the weather a long time, so I took it. (It turned out to be the right plate.) I turned around, headed back south, made a pit stop in the next town and put the plate in the window. THANK YOU, LORD! Another answered prayer – not to mention his protection while I looked – a prayer given before I had left home for KC, MO.

Life Lesson? God isn’t interested in just the Big Things in our life. He’s interested in the little, minor, minute(?) details as well. God is Awesome!!! He doesn't ALWAYS answer these kinds of prayes, especially so quickly. But He can and He does. And it's all to His glory!

The Best Pork Chops I ever COOKED!!

2010-01-22T17:52:00.000-08:00

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I have never been very good at cooking pork chops without them being dry, no matter how hard I try. So I decided to go on line and find a recipe.

Here's what I found:
saute chopped onions in butter till clear.
brown/sear chops on one side, turn over. (I piled the onions on top of the chops.)
cover with 1/2 can mushroom soup and 1/2 cup of sour cream.
Simmer 20 minutes.

I didn't have the sour cream so I put the whole can of soup on the meat.
It was absolutely WONDERFUL!!!

It called for one large onion, but I used only a 1/2 onion and it was still fine.

"Try it, You'll like it!" (yeah, I know - I'm telling my age with that line.)

Ted Kennedy's seat

2010-01-19T19:54:00.001-08:00

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HALLELUJAH!!!! The republican, Scott Brown, won the election in Mass.!!!!
Watch out, Obama. You haven't pulled off your health care bomb yet.

Putting into remembrance

2010-01-10T20:48:00.000-08:00

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I have been intrigued for some time about the topic of "the development and history of knowledge". How, over time, even centuries, did this progress, starting first with early civilization, even before alphabets were created, (much less reading and writing)? These are "technologies" that have been part of the history of man. Adam, especially before the fall, was a very intelligent person. How could he not be? We know he had a language as he fellowshiped with God and he named the animals and woman. Language is a technology, putting thoughts and ideas into words. But the written language was still a long time to come. Adam gives evidence of using the first technology and development of knowledge: speech.

Oral traditions were held high and valuable by many cultures. What enabled these cultures to have oral traditions? The knowledge of these people had to be memorized by new generations in order for it to be preserved.

[As these technologies, (e.g. alphabets and languages), were developed, they were decried as detrimental by others. The more man depended on these technologies, the less the brain was used, so they claimed. This cry has been a re-ocurring theme for centuries. It was posited when the Gutenburg press was created. The concept has been revived again in the last decades as the technologies of the computer have 'exploded'. One recent article asked if the technologies of today made our students any smarter than before? The conclusion was no, it only enabled them to communicate faster than anyone before. The development and use of the brain is one road we could travel. The development of technology and its effects on the brain and on knowledge is another pursuit. The development and history of knowledge is another, seperate road, yet they all run parrallel through out man's history. They go hand in hand, but it is this latter topic my mind dwells on.]

Keeping track and documenting the various tidbits that I come across on this subject have been difficult, at best, with no single means of gathering all these in one place. However, just today in church I was intrigued by a verse in the bible I came across that plays into this thesis. So I made note of it.

Peter was writing to the church, "his children." Given that, we must realize that the NT was not complete at this point, as what he was writing later became part of that holy collection. This is one of the reasons he even wrote them. They needed to be reminded of the the things they had been taught. II Peter 1:12-15 discusses the concept that in their day and culture, they had to "keep in remembrance," i.e. memorize, what they were taught in order to keep track of it, make it a part of their lives, and pass it on to the next generation. Yes, they were holding in their hand something he had committed to writing. But having something in writing was still not yet a common occurance.

So here, even in scripture, we have evidence that knowledge - even as late as the early A.D. centuries the written word was rare and held only by presumably the privledged and the rich. Everyone else even yet, still had to commit to memory whatever they would need to learn. They still actively used and depended upon what they memorized. They didn't 'need' to put into writing what they needed to know because memorizing was such a part of their way of life. It wasn't part of their mindset at this point. It hadn't become a need, yet. On the other hand, the where-with-all to put knowledge into writing is still a long way off, in being part of every man's daily life, and common at the grassroots level of everyday life.

What difference does this make to you??? Maybe nothing. But in this world of secularism, and disciplines taught from a humanistic and secular world view, it is important the Christians maintain a biblical worldview, even in, or especially in, their professions.

Timelines from these opposing "camps" are probably the biggest and most obvious difference, as 'everything' else hangs on when they happened. Consequently along this line, I have been interested in collecting, collating, sifting, composing and in general, mulling over the development and history of knowledge from a biblical worldview and perspective. My profession, being librarianship, deals with records of knowledge and is what librarianship is all about.

Here, in this passage in II Peter, we see evidence in scripture, in New Testament times, how knowledge and learning was recorded, so to speak, by committing it to memory. Yes, language was already reduced to alphabets, and there are records of history that were put in writing. But yet at this point, memory was still the more common way of learning the knowledge of the day and passing it on to the next generation. Here in the days of the Romans, memory still played a vital role in the history of knowledge and how it was developed over the centuries. Here we have, in our bibles, a time and place of how knowledge was handled. Here we can peek into a portion of world history and see a portion of the history of knowledge itself, recorded in our very own bible - the "history of knowledge" not only presented from a biblical worldview, but recorded in the bible, itself. This realization was an "Ah-ha" moment for yours truely.

Hopefully as I continue to study and read I will find even more instances that can be culled from the scriptures. I would most gladly be interested in your input and discussion. You may email me directly at swguinn at gmail dot com if you wish to share your thoughts and comments.

Where's the line to see Jesus?

2010-01-06T17:05:00.000-08:00

This is an awesome (!!!) song that a man wrote after his grandson asked the question. This man and his daughter then recorded the song. It is beautiful. I "wish" I had written it and I LOVE the music. Go here to see it: "http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=pPViKJRHyZo"

My Master

2010-01-03T11:25:00.001-08:00

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When sin is my master, the world’s what I love.
When Christ is my master I’ve life from above.
For life as a sinner comes to a dead end.
No peace in my heart and no vict’ry within.
.....My old ways were filled with sin’s hatred and strife
.....Its wages are final and take away life.
.....When sin had dominion then death reigned in me.
.....But God is my master, yet I’m also free.

His spirit now fills me with his love and peace.
And life with the Savior - it never will cease,
For God’s Holy Spirit is living in me.
I’ll soon live with Jesus for eternity.
.....When led by the spirit, though unworthy of,
.....He fills me with goodness, longsuffering and love.
.....The spirit of God when he’s living in you
.....Will lead you from sin and enable you, too.

When Christ's second coming has all come to past,
Our struggles and tests will be over at last.
Then Satan’s dominion will come to an end.
Our conflict with Satan he cannot defend.
.....This cursed mortal body will someday descend.
.....Yet God’s Holy Spirit will raise it again.
.....And creation’s groanings will no longer be
.....When Jesus returns with complete victory.

Now your mortal body will someday fail you,
And your destination will be final too.
Oh life with the Savior’s, forever my friend
For once he redeems you His life never ends.
.....So who is your master? You must now decide,
.....For Jesus is waiting with arms open wide.
.....Receive his forgiveness he’s offering you.
.....Accept his salvation; his message is true.

-Suzanne Guinn
December, 2009

These thoughts come from Romans 6-8

Christmas Greetings to you and yours.

2009-12-23T12:05:00.001-08:00

GREETINGS!
Last Sunday the preacher was talking about the birth of Jesus in Bethlehem. This was a farming community where people raised sheep. The barns, or stables, were where baby lambs were born during lambing season. What better place for the Lamb of God to be born, but in a lamb's stable? And the Good Shepherd's first visitors were the shepherds that were out in those Bethlehem fields tending their own sheep. Isn't God's attention to detail amazing and inspiring?

Another point the speaker made that I had not thought of before was this: Bethlehem was a village of probably a few hundred. Yet thousands and thousands of people had to travel to Bethlehem for the census count. Maybe this explains why Mary and Joseph were still living there when Jesus was 2 and the Wise Men came for their visit. There's no 'proof' this was the case but it does lend to plausibility.

We pray that this Christmas will be a blessing to you and yours as you are 'pondering' - as Mary did, - on this gift God gave to mankind, that precious baby lamb that came to take away the sins of the world.

NEWS ON MIKE AND SUZANNE:
If you haven't heard (due to my lack of correspondence,) :-) we moved to Rogers, AR a year ago to help a church that was struggling to stay alive. After working with the folks for a total of 2 years (one year commuting, one year residing) the church has not made any gains. It has been voted to sell the church and Mike has stepped down as pastor. We still attend the church and will for the time being at least till the Lord leads us elsewhere. Services will continue to be held until some finality comes along.

There are some exciting possibilities as to the future of the church, one being maybe merging with another group that is better established but has no church home (building). They have their own pastor and have been conducting 'our' services for the time being.

Mike continues to work in respiratory therapy in a nearby hospital. I, Suzanne, work in the local public library as a cataloger. It has been an interesting year of stretching and adjusting from an academic, Christian library setting to a public, secular one. We are in good health "all things considered." We just have the usual aches and pains and runny noses. The calendar seems to dictate living life at a little slower speed then we used to.

I was able to attend a librarian's conference in June since it was close by. The day after I got home, Mike left for a respiratory conference. (Somebody's got stay home and feed the dogs.) :-) In July we attended a pastor's conference just over in Oklahoma. It was good!! Mike also performed one wedding, and just recently, one funeral.

An ASIDE - Mike needed his ordination certificate for the wedding. We never did find it, but did find his license to preach. Wednesday night, Dec. 23rd, as Suzanne was cleaning the Living Room and her "office area" - she found it in a box with Easter decorations!! Of Course! They had all come out of his office two houses ago!!! (Don't ask...)

NEWS OF OUR KIDS:
Christa (aka Christy) and her family are still serving the Lord in the Philippines. Erin is involved with coaching at Faith Academy as well as outreach projects for the students. Their kids are growing up too fast: Paul, 11, is in 6th grade (middle school), plays soccer and the guitar and clarinet. Samuel, 9 is now in 4th grade, likes and plays soccer, but enjoys other sports as well. Amy, 7, is in 2d grade already, enjoys her dolls and playing house. She plays soccer some as well. (How could they not, if their dad's a soccer coach???)

Michelle has been living in a group home now for 3 years, in Burlington, KS - near where we used to live. She has worked with many of these residents for many years and knew them as friends before she ever moved in. She really loves living there and being in all the activities they have for them. We are, however, looking into moving her closer to us. It will make dealing with little issues or questions from time to time if she's closer.

James lives in our house in Kansas and works at a restaurant in Lawrence, KS. He is doing well and slowing getting back on his feet. He's been at the restaurant for 4 years now - much longer than most employees as this is a college town. His daughter, Aurora, is 8 and in the 3rd grade already.

Jonathan and Jessica still live in KC, MO. He graduated last May from Calvary Bible College with his bachelor's degree in pastoral studies. At the moment they are both working and waiting on the Lord for direction of service.

James, Michelle, Mike and I spent Thanksgiving at Jonathan's and Jessica's house. We had a nice time together celebrating Thanksgiving as well as getting out Christmas decorations and putting them up and driving in a slow moving lane for 2 hours, I think, to see Christmas lights.

FAREWELL
May you have a very Merry Christmas and a blessed New Year, filled with that blessed hope of our Lord's soon return. (How can he not?)

Mike and Suzanne

Update on "Congratulations" from Oct 10th.

2009-12-06T18:25:00.000-08:00

December 6,2009 -Update
I met J. & A. D. today, and Mackynzie as they were at church today. She's a sweetie. Mom and Dad are nice people. too. It was fun getting acquainted with them at the church dinner afterwards.

"Funny thing happened on the way to the market"

2009-11-15T11:04:00.000-08:00

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When we were expecting our first child, my husband was still in college and we lived in the married students apartments. One eve. M. had already gotten ready for bed when a commercial came on the TV talking about apples. A cold, sweet, juicy apple sounded so good that I talked him into changing back into his clothes and going down to the 24 hour grocery store and getting me a few.

When he returned, he had also stopped and bought some donuts. Well, I LOVE donuts, specially those kind!! They are almost a "weakness" for me, even yet. Now I had a dilemma. What was I going to do? He had inconvenienced himself to do something for his pregnant wife, only for her to refuse it for something else when he brought it home to her? How could I???

I looked at the apples, then I looked at the donuts! Apples will keep in the fridge, and even be cold by tomorrow. The donuts are better fresh. They don't keep. So donuts trumped apples and I ate the donut instead.

He changed back into his p.j.'s and went to bed...

Little Redhead

2009-11-12T21:29:00.001-08:00

"Heaven, beware." The little redhead has arrived!:-) Can't you hear her infectious laugh?
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Dr. Gannett always referred to his wife as his (little) redhead , or his redheaded sweetheart. His love for her beamed from his eyes whenever he spoke of her. She was a people lover and took everyone to heart. She had an impact on thousands and thousands of people. She will be missed. She and her husband, however, left a legacy in their family and in every graduate who has gone out into this world, (from Southeastern Bible College), serving Christ.
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Her funeral will be Friday, Nov. 13, 2009 in Birmingham, AL. If the Lord brings her to your mind pray for the Lord's comfort for her family, and for the service as they celebrate her life, and give praise to the Lord for the blessing He has been through her to so many people.
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Delivered to Heaven

2009-11-11T21:59:00.000-08:00

In Memory of Georgetta Gannett, who passed into heaven yesterday.
(President's wife of my alma mater when I attended there.)

Just like a babe, delivered in pain,
Passed thru the waters and given a name
I’m welcomed by family, in Jesus’ name.
My journey to heaven is almost the same.

Death pains are only the labors of birth,
E'en passing through waters when leaving this earth.
My Father will greet me and welcome me there.
He’ll hug me and hold me with warm tender care.

I’ll put Jesus’ face to that wonderful voice.
I’ll breath in new air; I’ll cry and rejoice.
He'll show me my home prepared there for me.
New garments of white, are waiting, spot free.

I’ll drink from the fountain refreshing and clear.
Surrounded by family that I hold so dear.
The saints will rejoice when to heav’n I’m borne.
By angels I’m carried on that wonderful morn.

What a wonderful day when Jesus I’ll see
When to heaven I’m ‘birthed;’ delivered, and free.
Loosed from earth’s bonds, unfettered at last
Eyes looking forward, forgetting the past.

The dark of earth's "womb" aside `twill be cast.
The “Light of the World” I’ll bask in, at last.
For finally I’ve reached my heavenly home
Forever to be and no more to roam.

autumn trees...

2009-11-10T09:04:00.000-08:00

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look like nature's fruit colored lollipops.

Question

2009-11-09T14:30:00.000-08:00

The nation of Israel originally was referred to as just "Israel". Then at some point the nation was being referred to as "Israel and Judah". When and more importantly why? I believe it was long before the nation split into north and south kingdoms. If you know or have a thought, I'd like to hear it. It is something that has bugged me for sometime, but I have not found an answer.

My favorite season

2009-11-07T09:52:00.000-08:00

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My favorite season is the spring:
…..When life anew is peeking out
…..And colors soft and fresh are clean,
…..New hope returns without a doubt
…..And longer nights all flee the scene.
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My favorite season is summer:
…..Days are bright with azure skies and sun
…..Gardens burst with food and blooms.
…..Life fills days with outdoor work and fun.
…..And special days for brides and grooms.
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My favorite season is the fall:
…..As rains refresh the waiting soil,
…..Colors dab the painted trees.
…..Harvest brings rewards of toil
…..And thankful pilgrims on their knees.
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My favorite season is winter:
…..The peace and rest of snowfall’s white
…..Renews alike the soul and ground.
…..The earth’s asleep `neath blankets, light
…..With sleeping creatures all around.
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For the Infant of the Nativity
Is the Master of Creativity.
For the seasons all year round
Declare His wonders that abound.

Suzanne Guinn
7 November 2009

The hues of the seasons.

2009-11-04T20:03:00.000-08:00

Spring hues softly whisper, “I'm here.”
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Summer colors speak up and say, “I'm here.”
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But Autumn tones resound with “I Am Here!”
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Before the quietness of Winter white begins.
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swg

Fall colors are like...

2009-10-26T17:23:00.001-07:00

*
God. They were there all the time. But it takes certain circumstances to see them. So is God. Just because you can't see Him, doesn't mean He's not there.

Jesus Loves Me, For Seniors

2009-10-23T16:17:00.000-07:00

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Jesus loves me, this I know,
Though my hair is white as snow
Though my sight is growing dim,
Still He bids me trust in Him.

(CHORUS)
YES, JESUS LOVES ME.. YES, JESUS LOVES ME..
YES, JESUS LOVES ME, FOR THE BIBLE TELLS ME SO.

Though my steps are oh, so slow,
With my hand in His I'll go
On through life, let come what may,
He'll be there to lead the way.
(CHORUS)

When the nights are dark and long,
In my heart He puts a song..
Telling me in words so clear,
"Have no fear, for I am near."
(CHORUS)

When my work on earth is done,
And life's victories have been won.
He will take me home above,
Then I'll understand His love.
(CHORUS)

I love Jesus, does He know?
Have I ever told Him so?
Jesus loves to hear me say,
That I love Him every day.
(CHORUS)

Anon.
An email forward from a friend.

Break from my rantings:

2009-10-22T22:10:00.001-07:00

Have you ever noticed that the German way of spelling the name of this month we're in makes an appropriate sentence? Oktober=OK to brrrrrrrrrr. :-)

OK, so I have a weird sense of humor. What's else is new?

OK, CF, I'll say it for you: "Mom joke!"

Congratulations...

2009-10-10T18:37:00.000-07:00

To the Duggers and the Duggers. One has a new baby, the other has a new GRANDbaby!!

Oct 8th Mackynzie Renee was born. 8 lbs and 19.5 inches long.

December 6,2009 -Update
I met J. & A. D. today, and Mackynzie as they were at church today. She's a sweetie. Mom and Dad are nice people. too. It was fun getting acquainted with them at the church dinner afterwards.

Question

2009-10-08T15:51:00.000-07:00

If men want to help you fix a problem, then why do they refuse to get help to fix their own problem....?
Just something to think about.
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Gosselin hysteria

2009-10-01T19:46:00.000-07:00

Ok - My blog, my soap box. :-) I'll state my point first. Cancel the Jon and Kate show and drop the whole thing. Don't revamp and rename. Just drop it.

TV has already done enough to contribute to the demise of that family and marriage. One parent is not totally innocent or totally guilty. So why then "reward" one parent by keeping them in the show, and not the other??? The one they keep is the one that has "misbehaved" more on the TV show than the one they let go!!! Oh, but controversy draws in viewers and therefore makes more money for the company. At the expense of the kids and the family as a whole????? We are an outrageous culture! This is absurd.

I know that single mothers raising a family is a big epidemic in this country. But did you ever stop to think about the family-less fathers??? Not all of them are bad or jerks. They have lost more, in a lot of ways then the family that got left behind. Yes, the children are young and impressionable and need a father and a mother. Yes the mother struggles with raising the kids alone. But did you ever stop to think what a father goes through? Yeah, even the rotten ones. Lots of times they behave the way they do because of guilt.

Does anyone try to reach out to these dads and help them? Here's a novel idea - let's have a reality show that showcases how single fathers, family-less fathers deal with their situation!! Less boring, you say? Less drama? Maybe, maybe not. How would we know, we've never had a TV show that focuses on what the fathers go through that end up divorced and away from their kids. Maybe it's time we did!

OK, I'm stepping down. :-) I feel better now.

Pray for our kids in the Philippines.

2009-09-28T20:19:00.000-07:00

Got this from our daughter in Manila, Philippines.

Hi Guys-- this will be quick, as I don't have long and want to get our blog updated with more detailed information.
short points-- We had a Tropical Storm come through over the weekend, which turned into a Typhoon just after it passed over us... but while here it dumped 15+ inches of rain. We typically get 12 or so inches in the whole month of September... In all of this we had a landslide behind our condos-- no damage to our building and cars. We were without power for 3 days-- generator that would come on periodically but not reliable. We are safe and fine. We have food, water and power-- for now. Nearby areas of Marikina, Pasig, Cainta have been damaged greatly. If you hear of those areas that is our neighborhood. We can get out and around mostly. The ongoing concern and prayer would be for the warehouses of food storage-- for grocery stores--many have been flooded and all or most inventory lost. So pray for the supply of food and water to be replinished.

Also there are 2 more storm systems making a path towards the Philippines-- so pray for protection in that as well.

There are many families in our community whose homes have been ruined or damaged, so please keep them in your prayers.

With that there will be more information on our blog... We still don't have our internet-- but at least we have power.

love you guys,
Christa

Life Lesson

2009-09-16T18:34:00.001-07:00

Naomi, her husband and children moved from Israel to Moab because of famine and the need for survival. During the 10 years they lived there her husband died, her sons married and died. She then decided to return to her homeland and one of her daughters - in - law, Ruth, went with her. Now most of us know that Ruth ended up in the lineage of Christ. But they didn't know that at the time.

Lessons learned:
1. God uses circumstances in our life sometimes to make major changes in our lives and position us in such a way to bring about his purpose.

2. Naomi suffered the loss of three loved ones and felt even abandoned by God. She could only see the immediate circumstances. Even tho' she felt sad, lonely and abandoned, she wasn't alone. She went through and experienced those negative emotions, yet God was with her the whole time.

3. Even tho't Naomi was overwhelmed by the little picture (her immediate circumstances), God had the bigger picture in mind. In the end he provided for Naomi in ways she never dreamed of; he "manipulated" (if you will) events to bring about his purpose; AND, He brought Ruth into the lineage of his son's birth on earth, thus providing for all of us what we need most - a saviour.

Do you (or I) know what God is doing in your life or the reason for events taking place in your life? Maybe not. Does God? Absolutely.

Can we trust Him to see the big picture and to take care of us in the mean time? Absolutely!!!

TRUST - and - OBEY! for there is no other way to be in the center of God's will and get the best results.
*

Sept 14, 36 years ago

2009-09-13T20:12:00.000-07:00

I remember it as if it were yesterday. My husband was still a student in college and we were living in Birmingham, AL. We were expecting our first child. I woke up in the early hours of the morning in labor. We headed to the hospital and I was sure he aimed for every pot hole on South 8th Street. It was the only way to go to St. Vincent's hospital. At 7:33 p.m. our first born child, a daughter was born. She was absolutely beautiful. Still in the delivery room, I told my husband let's have another!

She really was a beautiful baby - really. And, not because she was my baby and I thought so. Even others commented on how she looked like the baby on the Gerber jars. She had smooth pink skin and big brown eyes. I would sit by her bassinet and stare at her and watch her sleep. "For Hours!"

It was a joy to watch her grow. Her first steps, (holding those baby food jars). Her first tooth (finally, at 13 mos.) Her first day at school. Her first date, her first car. And becoming the woman God wanted her to be.

She was named for her Aunt and her grandmother and her name meant "the dwelling place of Christ." Today she is a beautiful women, with three children of her own. The meaning of her name has become true of her, for as she is serving the Lord on the mission field, He is able to reach out to others because he dwells in her heart.

Happy Wonderful Birthday, CB. We Love you! - mom and dad.
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9-11 Remembrance

2009-09-11T17:04:00.000-07:00

God bless the USA!

Take a moment today and pray for our country!
Pause and say thank you for those who gave their lives.
Take a moment and praise God for those who lived
Pause and say God bless you for those who survived.
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This country has always given its life to save others.
Jesus has done the same - for you and me. For eternity.

This week in Rogers, AR

2009-09-04T14:40:00.000-07:00

-Last Saturday, I helped out at the library's booth at the annual Frisco Festival. I was quite tired afterwards, from standing on brick pavement for 3 hours, but enjoyed it nonetheless. I was scheduled to work Sunday afternoon, but got off as a result. Friday evening before, I did do a walkabout and found a store for local "starving artists" where they can sell their wares. I'm going to keep that bit of information tucked away in the back of my mind.

-Today was my short Friday, so I went and picked up my antique (!) bicycle. I had taken it to the repair shope as it needed a new seat and new tires put on it. It is a J. C Higgins and over 50 years old. It's called a 'touring' bike, no gears, just brakes. I took it for a spin for a five whole minutes. BOY am I out of shape. But I look forward to more outings on my bike.

-Plans with company for this weekend fell through, so I made new ones. MG and I are driving to Harrison, AR to see another childhood friend of mine (VW) who has also moved back to Arkansas after many, many years!!! I don't think I have seen her since our wedding. I know we kept in touch for a few years, but she moved to New Jersey and that nixed seeing each other.

-Oh, I have heard back from my friend, CC. We have finally established contact through Facebook pages and exchange of email addresses. She has moved to OR and is looking for a place to settle down. So, she doesn't have access to the internet yet through her own computer. She has to go to the local library to get online. - Boy, I know how inconvenient that is. Been there, done that!

Taking Note

2009-08-27T17:28:00.000-07:00

--A week ago today was Hawaii's 50th anniversary of becoming a state. I can remember hearing about it when I was a kid. Let's see - we were living in southern Missouri, but if I remember right, we were in NY state at this time that year. Won't tell you how old I was, but a half a century ago is "bad" enough. I did read however that celebrations in Hawaii were going to be low key because not everyone was happy with their royalty being bumped and becoming part of the US. They certainly have a culture quite unlike the mainland states.

--The passing of a person of historical significance: Edward Kennedy. Even tho' I cannot agree with his philosophical views, ethics, and politics, I am sorry to hear of his passing. He is now in eternity and his "fate" is sealed and in God's hands. I would be amiss to at least acknowledge that he definetly had an impact on our country, maybe even moreso because he didn't serve as president. He was able to be in office much longer by being senator then being president.

--Got 10 more boxes unpacked this week!!! (Art supplies) Now I'm getting antsy to do some art work once again. But still have a few more things to do to get everything in place. I also still have other craft room boxes that need unpacking. I need to: "organize, organize, organize!"

--It was nice to get some yard work done this week, a couple of rose bushes and 2 other plants planted. Thank you DM. We have so much shade it's hard to know what you can plant and where. We really don't have a spot that gets sun all day - thus my 3 tomatoe plants are not meeting expectations! It's taking them several weeks to even grow and are just now putting on about 10 tomatoes that are the size of a golf ball and smaller. September is in one week. So my hopes of tomatoes are slim.

--I'm still waiting to hear again from my "long lost friend" CCM. She was getting ready to move. So it may be a month or two before she is back online again. I did locate her on Facebook as well as her older brother. (He hasn't responded either.)

--The place where I work has a foundation associated with it. Our mayor apparently disapproves of how they spend their money. But they don't answer to the city and I guess he's having a fit. Because the mayor is the mayor his correspondence is subject to FOIA. (Freedom of Information Act). So the newspaper is going to publish a letter he wrote the foundation. So we'll see what enfolds.

Long Lost Friends

2009-08-12T20:13:00.000-07:00

As we go through life we make a lot of friends. If we move and live in different places, we make even more friends. Unfortunately, over the years, the more we collect friends and move on, the harder it is to keep in touch or track of friends from our early years. As we get old-ER we sometimes think back and wonder what happened to some of them.

After we moved to Arkansas, I discovered sort of by accident that one gal I knew had also moved back to Arkansas - even to the same town area when she had lived before. What a surprise. Altho' we still haven't gotten together, we have been in email contact.

I have another friend I knew as a teenager. We didn't go to the same school but we did go to the same church. In our twenties we lost touch and drifted away. It was probably as much my fault as anyones. (I haven't sent Christmas cards for the last 3 years and that doesn't help.) Well for the last 15 maybe 20 years I have tried to track down this one friend. Her husband was in the military and last I knew they lived in Ore. But that yielded no results. I checked information with the phone companies, more than once. Through my genealogy research I even tried finding her, to no avail. I searched for her on the internet. No help. I contacted the college she graduated from. She had asked to have her name and address removed. Her's brother's name (my old boyfriend) was there. I had even found his phone number and address through information. So I wrote. It never got returned, but neither did he answer. No surprise there, really.

After we moved to Arkansas I started working at the local public library. Not long afer that so did a fellow who used to go to school with my friend, CC. He went to grade school, Jr high, one year of high school and even college with her. But he didn't know where she was. We talked about it last week. I came home and tried once again to find something in Oregon with no results. I have a facebook account, so I decided to see if she was on there. I didn't pull anything, but it did give me a link to Classmates.com. So I tho't I would try that.

I clicked on the link and read the info that was public. It matched! I was sure that was her. Who else would have the same maiden and married name and attend the same high school and college!!!??? So, I took a chance and left a "public note" with my email address written out with not "@" symbol.

The next morning I had off from work, as I worked into the evening. I got on the computer to check my mail, just in hopes that maybe I had a response. But, I knew that the chances were unlikely. I have a classmates account, but I "never" look at it, except once in a blue moon, if then.

I opened my account and there at the very top was a response from my posting. Yes, it WAS her!!! I could not believe it. After all these years of hunting, I finally found CC. She was surprised but happy to hear from me. It was short with promise of more to come. She is moving, so I am impatiently waiting to hear from her again, soon. I hope she is able to get to some internet connection even before she gets moved, settled and set up once again. But I look forward to hearing all about her life, her children, her siblings, and yes even the boyfriend. Weird thing of that is, I've had better "luck" knowing where he was then anyone else in the family...:-(
But that didn't do me any good, if he (or his wife) won't write me back!!! Can't blame them there, tho. But now, I'll just have to wait. Afterall what's a few more days after 15 to 20 years!!!

Weekend visit

2009-08-10T21:11:00.000-07:00

"Michelle and the three J's" were down for the weekend! We had a delayed July family celebration. We all have either birthdays or anniversaries in July. So 'the kids' were able to come to Ark. We had a really nice time together. Now everyone is gone, including my husband who is gone to work. So the house is quiet except for the TV in the background, and the raindrops falling on the skylights in the ceiling. This is my "long weekend" off from work, so it has been very enjoyable and - tonight - quiet and relaxing. I've posted pictures to facebook, searched for an old friend and may have found her on Classmates.com. I left a message. I hope I hear from her. It has been over 30 years since we last were in touch.

Some family news flashes

2009-07-29T19:38:00.000-07:00

Our daughter, MS, turned 33 last Sunday. Her brother surprised her and took her out for lunch. Her mom and dad sent her flowers.

The next day our oldest grandson, EPF, turned 11. (He'll be a teenager before you know it.) Happy Birthday, you two.

I've started walking again for exercise - even take the (old, half-blind) dog with me sometimes. My blood pressure has gone up (used to always be good). I've put back on the weight I lost last year. :-( And Mike thinks I should be check for sleep apnea. So I need to do something about this!

MS was here a couple of weeks ago for a 1-week visit. It was good to have her here, but I do think she was a little bored.

MG and I attended a Pastor's conference last week (evenings) in Okla. The messages were really good. (The suppers were, too.)It was tiring to work all day and travel 3 hours round trip each night but it was worth it.

I took my old, worn out, rusty bike in to be fixed. I found out it was worth something because of it's antique value!! He told me NOT to paint it. Not sure what I'm going to do.

I applied for a job in another library that was a "perfect" fit with my experience. It was based on having a degree and pays much better than I'm getting now. But I didn't get it. So I'll stay where I'm at for the time being.

I thought about posting my opinion here about the current state of affairs of our country. But I'm so disgusted with this president that I'm not even going to waste my breath doing it. I didn't think anyone could top Clinton. But he was corrupt morally. This president is corrupt, - well I was going to say mentally, but 'philosophically' is less cruel and probably more accurate. He said he'd bring change; folks said they wanted change. It proves the axium - be careful what you ask for - you might get it... We're getting change alright. Its disgusting.

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New Printer

2009-07-29T19:26:00.001-07:00

Last Friday eve. I bought a new printer. YEAH! I have been without one for almost a year - since before we moved. - Long story. But I am so glad to finally have one again. It's amazing how dependent we get on something, and how hampered we are without once we've had it.

I bought an Epson Workforce 600 for about $150. (on sale). I almost bought a more expensive one because it has 5 color cartridges instead of 3. But I decided - for what I do, this will work just fine. A few days later, when I was at work (library) someone came in wanting to know how something had been rated. (don't remember now what), so, later, I looked up printers too. It stated that an Epson printer was in the top 6 best rated printers. I couldn't remember for sure which one it was I had bought. But when I got home I looked at the box - and sure enough - I had bought that Epson that was rated one of the best. PTL I made the right decision. This one was rated better than the more expensive one. So a high(er) price doesn't always mean high(er) quality.

Death of a pop star

2009-06-26T20:29:00.000-07:00

Our world and the media has gone mad over the death of an entertainer, who died yesterday. On CNN alone, I counted 157 videos on their website and only about 7 were not about the death, the music, the life of Michael Jackson and the reaction of people around the world.

To me this is a good example of someone who looked every where for happiness and never found it: Music, Fame, Looks, Money, Sex, Drugs. You name it. He tried it. He looked everywhere but to Jesus Christ. Someone once said we have a God shaped hole in our heart and nothing but Him will fill the hole. Anything else will leave gaps still empty.

His death also shows the shallowness of our world and our country. We have lost our moorings. Scripture talked about how Israel went whoring after idols. We are no different today then Israel was then. I am sorry that a soul has gone out into eternity without any indication of belonging to Christ. But he was certainly not my idol. Pop or otherwise.

Liberal media and censorship/Murder in Little Rock

2009-06-15T07:46:00.000-07:00

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An American citizen-turned-muslim shot and killed an American soldier in Little Rock, Arkansas recently because we have soldiers in Iraq killing muslims over there.
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The news media however squelched the story because Obama was on his way to visit muslim countries and "we" didn't want to offend any of them.
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This is a 2-fold outrage:
1. The belief that killing one man here was going to have any effect on those over in Iraq, (just because of your beliefs.) That's not even logical thinking. That's like saying I'm going to pour water over this person here because that person over there needs a bath. Yea, lotta good that will do.
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2.The news media censoring the story because it might offend foreigners that our President was visiting.
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What about those of us who are offended over here this situation for doing that? (Also for our President bowing to the King of Saudi Arabia. I'd like to see Queen Elizabeth do that!!!)
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What about standing up for our own values and our own country?
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What about being enraged over someone committing murder? Even the recent killing of the abortion doctor in Wichita is still murder!
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This is not a muslim country! Why are we cow-towing to them?
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We are so concerned about being so politically correct that we are blinded to real values and truths, especially biblical ones. If you have read this want to know what I really think, write and ask me. (!)
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Class was a dud

2009-06-13T20:42:00.000-07:00

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Earlier this week the library asked me to teach a class today on MSPublisher as I was now the only there that knew how since someone else left. So I worked a half day yesterday so I could work half day today. Well, 4 people were signed up - but none of them showed up! Oh Well - maybe they will next time. It was a nice break from cataloging, to prepare for the class. How many people can be paid at work to make a garage sale flyer!

Since I worked half days (mornings) I had the rest of the days off. So that wasn't too bad really. I took naps both afternoon. Guess I'm still resting up from the conference I went to, Tuesday and Wednesday.
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Celebrating a momentous birthday

2009-06-10T10:56:00.000-07:00

Tuesday was my birthday and it was for one of those signifcant double digit changes. It has been celebrated in some unusual ways. I'm at a chrisitan librarians' conference; we went to hear Shoji Tabushi last night in Branson, MO; I've had cards and emails and good wishes on facebook from 'everywhere'; one of my kids even tried to make me feel younger by deducting 10 years off my age!!! I even got my nails done as a birthday present to me. I met a Vietnamese gal and left a christian witness. Guess it was worth the $25!!!

Barbershop singing

2009-06-06T18:07:00.000-07:00

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I sang in a barbershop quartet today in the middle of a parking lot!!! Well sorta! There was an International Festival in town today. One of the booths was for the Pride of the Ozarks Barbershop Quartette. (sp?) We "sang" My Wild Irish Rose. Well I hummed as much as I said the words!! The 3 men sang melody, baritone and bass and knew all the words!!! I sang tenor! Well, I tried to anyway. It was fun.

Sayings:

2009-06-04T18:42:00.001-07:00

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Life is what happens when you're making other plans.
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Sayings:

2009-06-03T19:49:00.000-07:00

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No decision is a "no" decision - about Christ, or anything!
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Sayings:

2009-06-01T20:28:00.000-07:00

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Has it ever occurred to you that nothing has ever occurred to God?

Church sign in Rogers, Arkansas

Sayings that I hear, like, and remember...

2009-05-31T12:03:00.000-07:00

will be posted from time to time...

"Don't spend time thinking less of yourself.
Spend time thinking of yourself, less."

-David Jeremiah, 5-31-2009

Memorial Day Sunday

2009-05-24T15:38:00.000-07:00

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My husband is pastoring a small, struggling church. Today we had 5 families that were gone because of the holiday weekend. So we mixed things up a bit - had "church" in the fellowship hall instead of the bigger (more empty) sanctuary. It made for a more informal, cozier time together. Afterwards we had everyone (all 10 people) at our house with an impromptu potluck dinner. One lady in our church (whom I knew as a teenager) helped me Sat. evening get some things ready for the dinner. It was a wonderful time of food and fellowhship. What could have been a down and discouraging day was wonderful and a blessing.

Proud of my family!

2009-05-23T13:06:00.000-07:00

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JRWG graduated on the 9th from college earlier this month. Congrats and Way to go, Son! Even if it did take you 12 years, you finished what you started. We're proud of you.

Our older grandson, EPF, is learning to play the guitar and even played in Chapel at his school this year!
ABF, our younger granddaughter, is taking ballet and was a little swan in a production of Swan lake! Of course she was the prettiest one there!
SCF, our younger grandson, did something in sports this year. But his grandmother is getting old... I'll have to go look that back up and come back here and post it! But I don't want to leave him out. He's made some accomplishments and learning new things all the time, too!

Our older granddaughter, ARG, is finishing second grade this year. She was taking ballet, too, at one point. We do not get to see her any more, (long story), but we are still proud of her and love her, too! We hope she knows that.

Entropy

2009-05-19T19:38:00.001-07:00

Do you know what "entropy" is?
Think about it for a while and I'll be back later with some thoughts.

Happy Mothers Day

2009-05-13T15:45:00.000-07:00

Happy Mothers Day, friend. I hope you had a wonderful day. Mother's day for me this year was almost everything you wouldn't want it to be. We had a nice service at church Sunday morning and flowers were passed out. But, I didn't get that special dinner, I didn't have my kids all around me for the day. I didn't get all that usual attention on Mother's Day. "Worse yet" I had to work that day. We rotate Sundays where I work and mine was on Mother's Day. That could be a real bummer, too. But it really wasn't.

The day before was my youngest son's graduation. All our "stateside" kids were there. They took a moment to share cards and gifts with Mom; AND we shared the whole day together. When we got home from graduation, I had an email from the other 'kid' with pictures and greetings.

So - yeah - I had a wonderful Mother's day - spent time with my family - saw or heard from all my kids - got cards and gifts - and a rose at church. It was just spread over Saturday and into Sunday morning and not your usual, typical kind of day. But that didn't really matter. What matters is family, love, remembrance and time together.

I hope yours was special in your own unique way.

Why should I blog?

2009-04-30T09:01:00.000-07:00

Well obviously it has been months since I have posted anything. I have come across items, events or thoughts to put on here but never get it done. Such as---

--A new president elected. (Lots of opinions there!)
--An ice storm that ravished NW Arkansas and other areas. (How it effected us.)
--End times discussion, (precipitated by our last election).
--Developing the thesis statement: What I believe doesn't determine what is true.
--Discussing unity in the church, recognizing we are all human (imperfect), but need all the 'body parts' to be whole.
--Work related issues, 1. local use vs. authority records, 2. accepting change, 3. getting along with your coworkers.
--Noting personal milestones: (my youngest son graduates from college in May, at age 30. Woo Hoo! Good for you JRWG)
--And personal activities, (1. I joined a local community choir; I've enjoyed it but it takes a lot of my time; concert is Saturday so we'll be done for a while. 2. I'm still trying to get us all unpacked and settled. 3. I want to do more scrapbooking, and even get back into my painting... 4. We've had visits by friends and family.)

I also need to determine what direction to take this blog. Do I want to keep it personal? But who cares in the world about a strangers life? Do I keep it professional? If so, General or specific? Do I make it spiritual and discuss issues that come in the Christian world. Do I use this just to voice my opinion on national and world events? But what difference does it make what I think? Keep this as a diary?

So, hang in there. We'll see if we want to continue and on what theme or to use this time getting all those other things waiting for my attention.

While we're talking about it...

2009-01-16T16:13:00.000-08:00

...I just heard a week ago that Louis Teicher passed away this past year. You may not know who that is unless I say "Ferrante and Teicher" and if you are 50 and older. They were a piano duo that met in Juliard and went on to fame as duo-pianists. They came to Birmingham, AL while I was in college in the late 60's/early 70's. I was able to attend the concert and enjoyed every minute of it - especially since my undergraduate major was piano. I still have the records of them that I had bought those many years ago. Even tho' they no longer can play together, we can still enjoy their tremendous talent.

Death - so routine, yet not.

2009-01-15T18:06:00.000-08:00

Tuesday evening, some friends W&MW lost a friend to cancer. SB was a fairly young man, about 49 years old. He was estranged from family. W&M and 2 other couples were about the only "family" he had. We visited the hospital Sunday where SB was hospitalized; medicated so heavily because of pain.

This has been hard on W&M because he was like their son. Being that we are friends of the friends - it puts a layer of people between us and SB. Does that make sense? But watching this from the sidelines has brought some musings to my mind. SB was a christian and ready to go be with the Lord. Yet, he was not wanting to die. He wanted to fight. We all have that will-to-live fight in all of us. It is natural. Yet, "from dust thou art, to dust thou shalt return."

This, of course, is not the first time I have encountered the death of someone. Our parents, other relatives and many friends have passed away. (Even my last post was the obit of a professional friend of mine.) Yet every time it seems like such an interruption to life, sometimes even a waste from the human point of view.

Dying is a natural process, yet we very seldom want to embrace it. It isn't routine, obviously, since it can only happen once in each persons own life. Yet it happens all the time. Is it something we can accept? Just why is it so hard to accept the death of someone? Often we have emotional ties to the deceased. We will not be able to have that kind of relationship again.

This is true, but death is a very natural part of life. I don't know that I really have an answer to these questions, but it is something to think about. I don't know that I really am any closer to accepting or understanding death, either. I do know that death is not an evil thing. Scripture even states that 'precious in the sight of the Lord is the death of his saints.'

I suppose we fall somewhere between being totally torn apart when someone is ripped out of our life to being emotionally detached knowing that death is just part of the cycle of life. It could be that none of us will never really, totally understand death until we experience it for ourselves. Yet the knowledge gained cannot be passed on to someone else, until they, too, pass to the 'other side.' In other words, this may be something we can never know on this side of life.

Hilda Kroeker's obit

2009-01-09T19:03:00.000-08:00

Kroeker, Hilda
Hilda Kroeker passed from this life to be with her Lord on January 4, 2009. She was born Dec. 16, 1924, at Mountain Lake, Minn., and was the third of nine children born to Martin and Helen Kroeker. At a young age, the family moved to the community of Marion, South Dakota, where she attended elementary and high school. She graduated from Tabor College, Hillsboro, Kan., and received her masters degree from Emporia State University, Emporia, Kan. She began her teaching career in 1950, at the elementary and high school levels. She joined the faculty of Calvary Bible College as head librarian in Kansas City, Mo., in 1962, where she remained through 1984. After retiring, she began her second career in apartment management. She was an active member of Mission Road Bible Church until her health would not allow her to participate in many activities. She kept a personal interest in the lives of many of her former students and remained friends with them. She greatly enjoyed traveling, and participated in many of the trips sponsored by Powell Gardens. She kept extensive scrapbooks of each of her trips. While at Calvary Bible College, she organized the "Friends of the Library," and served in many capacities of the Christian Librarians Association, including Vice-President and President. She was honored with having the library at Calvary Bible College named "Hilda Kroeker Library." She was preceded in death by her parents, one brother, one sister, one brother-in-law and one sister-in-law. She is survived by her sisters, Mary Loewen, Martha Fast and Elvira Plett, all of Hillsboro; her brothers, Werner Kroeker, Clovis, Calif., Alvin Kroeker, Sioux Falls, South Dakota, and O.J. Kroeker, Shawnee, Kan.; many nieces and nephews, great-nieces and great- nephews, and many friends locally and across the country. Visitation will be from 6 to 8 p.m. Thursday, Jan. 8, at D.W. Newcomer's Sons Johnson County Chapel, 11200 Metcalf, Overland Park, Kan. The funeral service will be at 10:30 a.m. Friday, Jan. 9, at Mission Road Bible Church, 7820 Mission Road, Prairie Village, Kan. Contributions in her memory may be made to New Hope Children's Home, India. Mail to: College Community Church, 2529 Willow Avenue, Clovis, CA 93612. Fond memories and condolences may be left at www.dwnewcomers.com Arrangements: D.W. Newcomer's Sons Johnson County Chapel, (913) 451- 1860.

I have just arrived back home from traveling to Kansas City for Miss Kroeker's funeral. It was a lovely celebration of her life and ministry. Many testified of her love and interest for her family and for young people. After her parents died she took up their commitment of praying for their children and grandchildren every day. How many of us parents even have that desire today?

Hilda Kroeker

2009-01-06T19:46:00.000-08:00

Miss Hilda Kroeker passed away Sunday and is now enjoying her rewards in heaven. This lady served as the first professionally degreed librarian for Calvary Bible College and Theological Seminary in Kansas City, MO (USA). She served there for well over 20 years. The exact amount now escapes my mind.

I had the privledge of meeting her and visiting with her on a few occasions. Years later, I followed her in the same position (with other intervening librarians.) She did a lot to bring up the quality and level of the library to academic standards. She was a leader and mentor. She advised me on a few occasions and encouraged me on others. One urging was to join the Associaion of Christian Librarians which she had been involved in for many years.

She never married or had children. But she was an asset to many young people that passed through our academic halls of CBCTS. She was at least in her late 70's. She never forget her poise and professionalism. She was a big supporter of the Friends of the Library well into the last years of her life, including during the years that yours truely worked at reviving the comatose organization.

She gave much of herself to the institution and the library, so it was a wonderful day when CBCTS recognized her by naming the library after her. It was the least we could do for her after all she did for us.

New Year's Intentions

2009-01-03T19:23:00.000-08:00

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It has been said that you no longer are to make New Year's Resolutions. Instead, they are to be called Intentions. That's probably a good thing, because that is pretty much what resolutions turn out to be. How many have we made down through the years and never kept? - Maybe not every year. But any year? yeah, we very seldom keep any of them.

So this year, I have some intentions. One of them is to get back to my exercise regimen and healthier eating. I did well for 1 1/2 years and lost xxxxx amout of weight. But when I quit work in May, and began preparing for our "big" move this year, my "routine" and structure fell by the wayside. So I put about 2/3's of the weight back on.

Holidays are the "worst" time to try to diet. I decided that I was going to enjoy the holidays, but as soon as they were over, I was hitting the gym once again. Yesterday, after work I went back to the gym and starting exercising. I walked a mile, carrying some light weights, then worked out on 6 or 7 machines. I put in about 45 minutes of some good exercise.

Already this morning I could tell the difference. Although, having exercised late in the day, I slept very light and woke up about every hour till towards morning. BUT, the good thing was, I woke up (the last time) about an half hour before I usually get up. When I did - I was WIDE AWAKE. Now, you have to understand, I am not a morning person and it takes me awhile to really feel awake and revved.

I'm slow to get started and awake but I'm also slow to wind down at night. It's easy for me to "sleep-in" come morning and it is easy for me to stay up late at night. But today I was wide-eyed and bushy tailed. What did I do? I got up! WOW. That gave me a whole extra half hour in the morning.

I decided to go into work early. As a result, I was able to take an hour for lunch instead of an half hour. Since I did that - I was able to come home during lunch and get some supper cooked for Mike to have when he got up. Maybe he can even take some to work tonight.

Now don't get any bright ideas! I can't promise I'll do that every day. But, my INTENTIONS are to keep up this new routine as much as I can. I don't really have any other planned intentions. But, finishing getting unpacked would probably be a good one to add. But there's also so many other new things I want to get involved in, here in Arkansas that I didn't have the opportunity to do, living in the country in Kansas. So, I don't know how quickly the rest of that unpacking will get done. Well, maybe a year from today, I can an inventory and see just how well my intentions turned out, and just how much of that unpacking I got done.

What about you? Do you even have any? How did you do with your "resolutions" from a year ago? Maybe you ought to make a list of (only) intentions. BTW, there's not as much guilt with having intentions then resolutions if you don't get them done.

A Psalm in my heart

2008-12-31T14:36:00.000-08:00

I have been reading out of a devotional book of the above title. I can't remmeber where I got it. I think that maybe I got it from a book sale when I was at CBC library. It ends the year talking about the last of the Psalms. The last of the Psalms are full of prases to God.

As I end this year and reflect back on what has taken place this year, I, too, praise the Lord. It has been a year full of blessings. Yes there have been uncertain times, stressful times, times of "are we doing the right thing?" But there have also been times of provision, confirmation, and obvious guidance from the Lord. So I'm thankful even for the rough times, because they make you appreciate the good times even more.

We have accomplished what we set out to do this year, (moving); the Lord has provided both of us, my husband and I, with good jobs; we have made some wonderful new friends and the Lord is blessing the ministry we are involved in. We have a nice home to live in, [and it's all on one floor - easier on older people's joints]. :-)

So as we end this year, I praise the Lord, for He is good.
Have you counted your blessings yet?

Blessings

2008-12-29T18:23:00.000-08:00

As I have gotten older, and accumalted more "stuff" - I have come to the conclusion that I don't need "things" to be happy or even for gifts. They just add to the clutter that I don't want to get rid of but don't need. So, I have begun giving gifts that ARE consumable (sorry, Mom). So today was a day full of those kinds of blessings:

I was in the Kansas City area today and had lunch with friends.
SH picked up the tab. (Her Christmas present to us.)(Thank you, SH)
MJS gave me a tin of cashews. (She knows me well - and that's an understatement!) I munched on them, on the way back to Arkansas. (Thank you, MJ)
JR came along but actually provided the transportation! (Thanks, JR. I'm so glad you came with us.)

We had a wonderful time, caught up on news - of family, of friends and of course of CBC - our common link as we all either do or did work there. We had a good time and plan to do it again - soon, we hope.

Then, after a brief moment at my daughter-in-law's house, I headed back to Arkansas. I arrived home about 7, safe and sound. (another blessing.)

Before I left Kansas for KC, my son helped me load my truck with some more 'earthly goods'. His help was most appreciated. (I also stopped by a friend's house the night before and she gave me a treat - some homemade cookies and candy! Ah, a consummable gift! and I munched on them today, too.)

So today was a day full of many blessings! I am a richer woman today than I was yesterday! I am most blessed. To God be praised, "even in the good times" (so to speak).

[Extra two cents worth: why did I say 'even in the good times'? Because - since it's easy to praise God when things are good, we tend to not even acknowledge Him at all. And it's just as important in the good times as it is in the "not so good" times. Ok - that's a little extra sermonette thrown in free. OR maybe it was just rabbit chasing.]

How Great Thou Art

2008-12-28T14:38:00.000-08:00

Today in church, I sang this song with MW. It is a beautiful song and is hard to mess it up. It's message carries the song no matter how you do it. But we did fine. I even played for us as well as sing - something I can't always do! But I did it more in an acommpaniment style - not playing every single note - but chords and "fillers".

I've been playing more lately than I have in years and I've noticed that the Lord is bringing it back to me, more and more. I have alot of music "in me" so I hope that I will have the opportunity here to share it with others. My new friend, MW, is musical too and has even been professional with her music and with clogging. (She's been teaching me the basic steps - what a work out!)

I'm taking my daughter MS back to Kansas tonight. I have really enjoyed having her here this week. The time has gone by very fast. But we have had a good time together and have fun doing things together, too. Of course, shopping was one of them!! But it's been fun.

HOME

2008-12-26T08:10:00.000-08:00

Home! Just what is home? Is home where you were born? Is home where you grew up? Is home where you live now? Is home where your parents are - or were? What qualifies as home?

Much has been written on this simple four letter word. "Home is where the heart is" - "This world is not my home, (I'm just a passing through)" - "I'll be home for Christmas" which ends with: "if only in my dreams."

The word generates a warm fuzzy feeling - most of the time anyway. But what is home? a simple ranch style house? a bungalow built in yesteryears? a trailer? a cabin? a mansion with more rooms than you know what to do with? a cardboard box that once held an appliance? Maybe even a car? Is it anywhere you live? Is it with family? Is it by yourself? Is it with friends, even?

It can be any combination of these. I don't have some epiphinal answer. But I do think that love has a lot to do with what home is. We live in a new (to us) house this Christmas. There are no memories associated with it from the past years, no memories of raising kids here, or of visiting grandparents and other relatives. But to me it is home - it is where we have chosen to live. It's where we are right now.

Chrismas is so asociated with 'Home' - and yesterday is usually spent with family in the home of one of them. But yesterday, I didn't spend it at home. My husband had to work, & none of our kids were here except one. So my daughter, M., and I went to spend the afternoon and evening in someone else's home. We had a wonderful time. We cooked, (beans and cornbread), we ate, we played, we listened to music, we watched TV, we visited, and we went looking at christmas lights after it got dark -again not a typical Christmas day, in many ways. But we were with friends - christian friends, so they really are family...on a more important plane.

About 11 pm we came back to my house - my home - blessed for a wonderful day remembering the birth of our saviour and fellowship with friends, ...in their home. This may not be the answer to the question(s) with which we started. Maybe home IS where the heart is. Home is where you're loved, where you feel safe, where you feel comfortable and wanted. It may not be inside the house where you live - it may be in someone else's. The material with which your home is built is not what is important, either. It's how you feel inside. Inside that home and inside your heart.

Whatever you call home now, remember no matter what kind of home it is, it is temporary. Someday we will be in a 'home' that will never break down, never betray us, never let in robbers or theives, and never cause us to be sick, if we have embraced that babe in Bethlehem as our Saviour. You have a home waiting for you that is permanent and better than any home ever built on earth. But that depends on what you have done about the babe in the manger.

If you haven't done anything about Jesus, you, too, have a home waiting for you - the worse you could ever imagine. It's really not called a home, but it is a real place. However, I hope that you have a home that is bright and fair, waiting for you to arrive. That's why Jesus came at Christmas - so you could live with Him in His house. He tells us He has gone to prepare that home for us. He has plenty of room for you.

Well, we hear "I'll be home for Christmas" this time of year. I was home for Christmas and I hope, wherever you were, you were home - for now.

Welcome to the Arkansas Pilgrim

2008-12-25T08:58:00.000-08:00

Today is Christmas Day, 2008. Today is the first day of my new blog. I have decided to create a new one and not to delete my old one, thus preserving my blogging from my first professional position as librarian at Calvary Bible College and Theological Seminary.

The name is generic and unique enough that I can continue to blog no matter what happens in my professional life. I came up with the name because I grew up in the Ozarks of Arkansas and to where we have returned to live. There is a song associated with the state called Arkansas Traveler. But as a christian, I thought of a similar word that ties the two together: Pilgrim from Pilgrim's Progress whose main character is Christian, therefore -voila- Arkansas Pilgrim!

This blog will allow me to post things connected with my profession, but also give me a broader scope to post personal events, comments, musings on whatever is going on in my head and anything else that comes along. This may be of interest to no one or of interest to more people than in the past.

For now I am posting a poem I wrote recently. As we celebrate Christmas, this is a thought we need to keep in mind. Although this is't a typical Christmas poem, per se' the point of the message applies. I hope you enjoy it. Later on I may add another verse or two. May you have a truely blessed Christmas:

It's not about me, it's all about Him.
It's not what I want, or my latest whim.
It's about Jesus who is holy and true,
Who longs for our praises from me and from you.

He is the one who is worthy of praise;
To God be glory, His anthem we raise.
He loved us so much He gave us His son.
We'll priase Him forever for what He has done.

The glory is His, none of it's mine
His name's forever, mine's for a time.
My heart if sinful, His heart is pure
His way to heaven is holy and sure.

New verse:
So this Christmas time let's worship the Son,
For Christmas is when it all had begun.
God sent His Son to die on the tree.
He made Himself flesh so we might be free.
.................................SG, 2008
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**Here's wishing you a very blessed and merry Christmas.**
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