THIS LAST DAY OF 2010….

Can you believe it! We are on the last day of 2010. Seems like just yesterday I feared Y2K, “the change over from 1999 to 2000.” Funny, I was wondering what would happen at the mid-night stoke, to my “precious computer” that thing that can become my “drug of choice”. Wait a minute, I am telling you too much, just kidding! Hope you don’t mind listening to me and my honesty you will get to see inside of me but I suspect you are identifying with me or you wouldn’t come back….

So let’s talk about this year. What did you do that made a difference? Making a difference in something outside of you that helps another. I like to think it is leaving your footprint behind when you have left this earth. You may never know that one thing you have done that helped another or you may get to know. When it is not about you, you want care to know, you just move on to the next thing of “giving out”.

What did you do for self-improvement this year? I don’t mind telling this one thing about me that makes me feel I accomplished something. I lost 12 pounds! YAY! It was not so hard I practiced putting food in the right perspective. I ate when I was hungry and stopped when I was full. I found out that “diet thinking” makes me get into what we call the “Law of Probation”. You say what is that? Glad you ask, it is when you put a restraint or restriction on something and it will turn around and make you want it. Example, what do you do when you see a “Wet Paint” sign? I know, you just have to touch it. Well this is the way it works in the world of food consumption, you discover what foods good for you, eat them in moderation and you will become the weight for your unique frame. Yes you can even have cake or your favorite Latte but not all the time go for more veggies and fruit, that’s where I got in trouble over the years. So much for that……

This year I enjoyed reading through the One Year Bible again for the third year! It just does something for me, reminding me the world is not going to fall apart that God is the creator and He will hold me in His hand, that He knows what is going on and is not asleep. I see how big He is and as I go through my day I want to help others to know these things. Just yesterday, I was able to help someone who is hurting to know He was caring for them as I shared. I heard Him say in my spirit tell her I love her and give her 20 dollars. As I walked away I saw tears as she said a big Thank You!

So yeah, like yours my year has had some pain, rainy days even real Black Days! I felt like I would not make it sometimes, but I am here to tell you, I did. One thing I have discovered was, it was those days that have the strong potential to build character. Its like when you work out with weights you build muscles. Those heavy things will build the strength to face life’s most difficult challenges as you walk the path of life. One thing for sure we are not alone, our Heavenly Father is with us all the way! I love my life verse He gave me several years ago, it is Psalms 16:11 “You make known to me the path of life; in your presence there is fullness of joy; at your right hand are pleasures forevermore.” Hope you can look back over your year and see accomplishments and maybe look at those defeats with different eyes, don’t let them take you down, let them take you up…..

WORD AROUND HERE IS…..SNOW!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

(This picture will have a special meaning for some of you that have passed through Safe Place House, wanted you to see what a beautiful sight it is right now. Its standing proud of its beauty with the snow all around.)


Sorry I haven’t been here lately. It’s not because I haven’t wanted to. Our trip was great we returned to a few days of regrouping and setting up for a gigantic Christmas with the kids and what do you know? Last Thursday night I started feeling funny and an hour later I was “bonding” with our sofa that became a part of me for the next four days. The next morning Phil began feeling funny and he became as ill as I was with the same stomach bug that we named the “Belly Demon”. So for 4 days we didn’t know if we would live, then we began to think we would and it got worst. Thank goodness for good neighbors that honored our request of Ginger Ale and Soda Crackers. Funny now, you should have seen him place the bags on our porch and running away. After a 6 lb lost for the each of us, we had to think of patching ourselves together and having Christmas, deleting my baking trends for the year! Well we survived that experience as you can see we got up and brushed it off and got on our way operating on half cylinders then back to full throttle as we do!

Then there was the White Christmas of 2010 as it was named around here in these mountains. It started in the afternoon my neighbor said and didn’t quit. Some folk on the highest ridges got 12 inches. We got 5 to 8 in our area total on the ground. We missed the snowball fights and sledding. The tracks and carefully built snowmen showed us, the fun they had while we were gone, when we returned,.

Wonder what is so exciting about a good snowfall? In our areas, the South, it is rare and makes you go rather crazy. We have to go to the store and get milk and bread. The shelves are empty before long. When you walk out of the store usually you can see the TV truck setting up for interviews of what we are buying in case we get stuck in our houses during the “frightful” storm. One year back in 1993 it was truly a bad one, I think they said as much as three feet fell and it was days until people were able to move so I think memories motivate shoppers to store up for the “next” one. Question? Why are bread and milk so important? That makes me wonder. I go for the bag of Snickers and Oreos and HAVE to HAVE Chip and dip. The makings for Chili are a must! You just have to buy that for a “snow in”…..of course!!!

We made it home safely and took lots of pictures. The temps are rising now and melting is on it’s way until another time. Looking out at God’s beauty it hard to believe people don’t know Him and acknowledge Him as our Creator. Now tell me!!! Who could have made these mountains and the beauty of show flakes, making each one unique in it’s own? Sorry folks out there that thing this all happened one day hate to interrupt your party but IT'S HIM! He one day spoke and was created and thank goodness He holds it all together…..

Psalms 8:1 “O LORD, our Lord, how majestic is your name in all the earth! You have set your glory above the heavens.”

WELL WE’RE HOME…

What a great trip we had seeing our wonderful country along the way. Traveling by car you can stop when you want and see things, meeting people in the area. We left Nov. 29th early with our car packed so tight we hardly had room for ourselves. Our Durango did a good job on a long trip like this one. We put 3000+ miles on the ‘ole sista” this time. It was our house the whole way during the day and by night sat waiting for our return to take us where we needed to go.

We finally arrived at Word of Life, Schroon Lake, NY three days after we left the barn. This trip was a real test to see how well Phil would do after the discovery last year of the WG, as we call it. The old stuff lurks around but can’t bring us down. Phil did great the whole way we didn’t see any signs of the disease and haven’t since we have returned home. It was a test to see how well he is doing, because he certainly pushed it hard driving the whole trip, even though I offered to share it. And then being with 52 Missionary couples at their Staff Conference at WOL, which was awesome!!!

We met so many new friends and saw so many sights. For years we made the same trip up and back but something was different this time. You know when life becomes “fragile” and you think you want be able to make it, then your life is renewed and you do it takes on new meaning. The air you breathe takes on a new value, your eyes seems to see clearer, the sense of smell of fresh air is crisp and your feelings become much more positive not allowing negativity to take up any space of what had been so sanitized! No more will I give in to those things that have the tendency to be “anti” to what I believe and have learned the hard way. Life is so unique and who are we to abuse it after our Creator made the choice to place us here on this earth to have LIFE!

So back to the thought, “this earth” One place I just love is my favorite Lighthouse. While traveling in Maine, you can follow Route 9, as it hugs the Coast, all the way down from Portland to Kittery. At one point driving through this “absolutely gorgeous” area, you can see the beautiful Mansions owned by the wealthiest. Then you come upon the famous Nubble Light House. I remember the first time I saw it, I had only seen it on my checks in my checkbook of a selection of famous places in the USA. I was thrilled to stand in front of it and have my picture made. Felt and looked like a “country bumpkin”, I just know it!

I feel like as a gift from my Heavenly Father He takes me back often cause He knows I like it. I can’t count the times we have returned to that spot. I have pictures of it in the snow, decorated for Christmas and even one time we happened up on an Irish Wedding taking place right in front of it’s beauty so we got right in the wedding party as though we knew the people because we all liked this same place and felt a part of the family.

The picture here was taken Dec. 11, 2010. It was our 49th Wedding Anniversary and was my wish to return there. It was so cold, but we got out of our car and as always looked for someone to take our picture. This time it was a young couple that lived near by. I wanted to ask if they lived on one those big houses on the coast but I didn’t. The kind man took our picture as his wife told us how he likes to drive over each day to check on it. Oh! How nice it would be to just get in the car and drive over, hope they don’t take their life for “granite” like we tend to do. That’s the same thing I was taking about earlier, think about it!.....

THE MARRIAGE THAT WOULDN’T QUIT….

On this day December 11, 1961 at about 8:15 pm 49 years ago, Phil and Mary eloped to Conyers, GA. The exciting journey began! It has been an adventure we had no idea would turn out so awesome! Little did we know we would have this life, it just shows how God can take something so messed up and make something beautiful.

We are celebrating today in Maine all day, it will begin in Portland and all the way down to Kittery. We want to visit and sit on a bench we have claimed at Wells Beach looking out over the rocky coast, I will have a Lobster somewhere for lunch (Phil doesn’t care for them) we will drive through the neat little villages, and end with shopping at Kittery Outlet Mall. This area is our favorite place in this wonderful country. I think the Lord knows that and He has made it possible. I feel him smiling down on us and rather pleased I can say!

I have no idea what will be waiting for our 50th year. This one has been a miracle year so how can it be topped? You might want to hang around and watch with us. It will be interesting to see. We are so in love, each day builds on the one to follow. Now believe me, it hasn’t always been that way. One day, we decided to find out how to have a Biblical marriage and put it into action. It certainly has been a marriage that should not have worked, but with God all things are possible. Funny... now we are helping others do the same.

We have no pictures of a wedding. Some of you might know our story, Phil was only 16 when we got married and I was 18, he was still in High School. We attended his High School Jr Sr Dance at the Biltmore Hotel in Atlanta, GA five months after our marriage. So we do have one picture! What a night, we were all decked out, even borrowed our brother in law’s new Corvette…WOW! I wonder if Emmett really realized Phil was just 16 and did he even have a driver’s license yet? That’s scary!!!! So, this is the picture we have claimed for our official wedding picture. You can see how young and innocent we were. It was the beginning of a journey that is still evolving. I know one thing!!! I’m a happy wife, married to a wonderful man!!!

Got to go we have lots to do this day wish you were with us but maybe you will hear about it later…….

WHAT A GREAT TIME…

We are in our 9th day here at Schroon Lake, New York with Word of Life Ministries Staff Conference. Spending time with 52 couples who have committed their lives to going out into churches offering a Club Program to help build the lives of young people and WOW…. can our world use it!!!

Been enjoying their meetings and getting to know each couple and becoming familiar with the region they serve. How impressed we are to see their passion and determination giving to this cause.

As I walk around the premises here it is lovely we are staying in what is called The Inn with an indoor swimming pool the size of a lake. You can’t help but feel Jack Wyrtzen throughout this whole location. What a dream come true, years ago he came in this town and built a place to capture the hearts and lives of young people. He is in Heaven now but I some how feel he is well aware of what is going on. Hard to believe just one man’s vision could evolve into such a dynamic worldwide accomplishment.

The guys and gals serve all year out on the field once a year they all stop and gather, like coming home and have their meetings and loads of fun. Each day you never know what they are going to do in a game or skit. Yesterday I made a video of what took place. They used large pipes for each side to be pulled out into the audience and then threw balls into the crowd that were picked up and put into the pipes to see who could win by getting the most down that homemade shoot. It was wild and I never found out who won but I know it was lots of fun and laughter.

Never put a video here and this is the first so hope it opens for ya!… Here goes!!!

THE PHONE CALL I NEEDED THAT DAY……

Been reading the One Year Bible again this year. Every time I get to this place of reading, I am reminded of the day the phone rang and on the other end was my very good friend, Ann Pyle. Ann went home to Heaven much too early I thought, but Father had His plan and not mine for her. You see, this beautiful lady was very special to all; she was a natural encourager so we enjoyed her presence as she walked out her life here on this earth. Ann was a Pastor’s wife who would tell you like it is, you never had to guess what she was thinking she would just tell you and most of the time she would be right on with what was going on in your life.

The day I got the call was a day I was at my lowest. My husband, Phil had resigned as Pastor of a church that I loved very much. We had spent 8 years building it and developing friendships but he was just totally “burned out” and could not go another day. Little did I know, “it” had become “my life”. It had become my Identity, where I got all my needs met, you could say. Looking back it had become “my god”. God could have become jealous of that, because He wanted to meet all my needs and I was living as if He wasn’t enough. That place made me feel good about myself, they loved me and the more I did for them the more they loved me. The day after Phil resigned I felt like my life support system had been unplugged and I had no direction for “MY LIFE”, and honestly I didn’t. At the time, it was devastating, but now 24 years later it was the best thing that could have happened to get my attention, developing the plan for my future. Certainly one of those Rom 8:28 kinds of things!

Back to the divine phone call, sitting there that day in a deep state of depression, it was truly a God Thing! Ann said, “I don’t want you to say anything, just listen Father wants this Word in you.” I did listen and until this day it is there and I can not tell you how many times I have called someone and said the same thing then reading this Scripture, doing just what Ann was moved to do for me that day.

In fact, I feel Ann would want us to be reminded of this awesome promise here today. To sooth our hearts, to come into a state of rest, trusting Him for whatever is in our path ……

Hush! Don’t say anything just listen, imagine with me hearing Ann’s voice reading……

Psalm 121

1 I look up to the mountains—
does my help come from there?
2 My help comes from the Lord,
who made heaven and earth!

3 He will not let you stumble;
the one who watches over you will not slumber.
4 Indeed, he who watches over Israel
never slumbers or sleeps.

5 The Lord himself watches over you!
The Lord stands beside you as your protective shade.
6 The sun will not harm you by day,
nor the moon at night.

7 The Lord keeps you from all harm
and watches over your life.
8 The Lord keeps watch over you as you come and go,
both now and forever.