Happy 43rd Anniversary!!!!

December 20, 1975

Las Vegas, Nevada

February 22, 1976

in the back of our little red truck

we dedicated our lives to the Lord

sharing

we have traveled many roads,

some a bit bumpy

and some a bit smooth

through it all we have trusted the Lord

and as a friend as told me time and again

"HE has never failed you yet!"

and that's the truth

December 22, 2000

Blaine, Washington

Celebrating 25 years of marriage

What a fun celebration that was,

we had 42 guests at our wedding

and 25 years later we had 42 guests celebrating with us!

And here we are today,

December 20, 2018

Gate Guarding just outside of Pecos, TX

Celebrating 43 years of marriage!!!

We have done things we would never have imagined all those years ago...

had babies,

buried our baby son

Celebrated marriages

 &  

and

Family

&

We are so blessed

for wonderful sons,

sweet daughters-in-love's

and five, yes five grandchildren.

We have worked and traveled 

with a carnival

and yes we got tattoos!!

well the ones that wash away!!!

we have sold Christmas trees,

managed campgrounds from Texas to Missouri to Utah

worked with oldies in Oregon and 

teens in Texas

And through it all

our love has stood

and we are so thankful for 43 years together

and look forward to many more!!!!

Happy 83rd Birthday Mom

Happy 83rd Birthday Mom!!!

This picture is very reflective of my mom,

she always had a coffee cup in her hand or in front of her at a table,

It's been just over 15 years since you left us,

some days I think of you

and wish things could have been different between us

and yet other times

I think of fun times we had together,

We had a troubling relationship at times

and yet we laughed and cried together when we needed each other.

So many memories are coming to mind:

going out for breakfast at 2:00 in the morning,

asking for my savings only to find out you knew about the car accident all along,

you standing with us as we said goodbye to Royce,

you standing with us as Jamie was born,

Ron hanging up the phone on you shortly before Brandon arrived,

flying into San Jose when Grandpa died ~ you were not happy that I defied you but at the same time you told me you were glad I was there,

Christmas 1980 ~ you gave Ron a cowboy hat and me 50 $1 bills...it seemed like you gave us the world,

the money you sent each week for six months while Ron was unemployed,

telling me you hope I had a kid just like me...LOL

you forbidding me from driving your car

and how much you loved Ron!!!

Sees Candies....chocolate bordeaux your favorite

and

every Christmas Day

(by the way, we sent a bag to each of the boys family's this year)

I have my bag chilling in the fridge!!

Mom I wish you were 

for just one more phone call,

one more hug

and to share a cup of coffee together

the picture above, last time we had coffee together,

Fall 2014

thank you Aunt Joan for making that visit possible

the visit was awkward at times

but I am so thankful you convinced Mom to come to the ranch.

Happy Birthday Mom!!!

Scouring the Scriptures

For my birthday,

Ron got me

I am so enjoying it....one of the things I like to do when I get a new Bible, 

my last one was 2012....

is to go through my old Bible

and underline passages from that Bible

in my new Bible

also while doing some reading.

Today I ended up in

Numbers 9:23

And when the Cloud went up, they got up and marched. They camped at God’s command and they marched at God’s command. They lived obediently by God’s orders as delivered by Moses.

and I reflected on a conversation I had recently

and she said 

Well, sort of. God called you to that life and you answered His call.

and it got me to thinking, some more...

and then I found Numbers 9:23

and how we live in our little home on wheels (Camper/Tent)

and enjoy traveling around the US,

seeing friends and family

and how sometimes we make plans

and things don't work out according to our plans 

but through it all,

we continue to keep trusting the Lord,

I keep trusting the Lord

and 

He Never Fails Me!!!

My scripture readings this morning were in 

Luke 2:8-20 & Matt. 2:7-12

yet I somehow ended up in

Matthew 7:7

and

Matthew 7:12

and what keeps going through my  mind

is that as long as we (I) keep being aware and 

seeking the Lord

and all that He wants for me

HE will always be with me.

And today

I feel like the Lord has confirmed to me

that I really am where I need to be,

right at this moment

to keep on keeping on...

doing what I do best...

loving on others and just sharing me...

the way the Lord made me!!!

******

and a prayer request...

Ron and I are both fighting colds/coughs,

please pray they don't get any worse

and that we will both feel rested and better.  Thanks.

It's Cold and Having a Cold = NO FUN!!!

Living in Texas we expect warm and hot weather...

...but it is cold here this morning

and yesterday morning and the morning before...

thankfully the days warm up.

Yesterday my reading was in Isaiah 

and again am reminded I am never alone

and that God can take anything

and make it beautiful.

Again,

such a time as this

for me

I'm finding time for me,

to read and write again,

For most of my life,

it seems I have been busy,

and always saying I wish I had more time for me,

and now I have lots of time for me

and for the past several months and for the next six months or so

I have time for me

and I don't want to just squander it away.

My prayer is

"Lord help your love to shine through me,

as I do my job here in Texas,

sharing our lives with the different drivers,

some who live locally and some who are here 

are a ways from home.  Lord help me to share YOU with those

I come into contact with.  

And most of all thank you for blessing me

in so many ways!!!

With a loving husband, 

two great kids and terrific daughters-in-loves,

five grandchildren

and more friends than I can count. Amen!!"

What a Week....

This week has had its ups and downs, 

thankfully more ups then downs...

Wednesday night was a hard night for me,

I tossed/turned for over 13 hours,

woke up chilled so took a nice long hot shower and felt much better afterwards.

I'm fighting a chest cold and I think that was most of the problems.

Hopefully today will be another good day.

Yesterday the wind blew like crazy,

at one point the door slammed my arm and I screamed, thus waking up Ron after only three hours of sleep...he did get in another 3 hour nap later in the day.

I told a friend,

I don't mind wind storms if I'm sitting in a condo at the beach watching the waves crash against the shore

BUT

sitting in our little home on wheels,

rocking and rocking some more is no fun!!!

I am so enjoying my  new Bible and using my pencils and pens.

Yesterday I was reminded 

through 2 Samuel 22: 26~34

which reminds me of

God is ....

faithful,

rescues the humble,

the light in my life,

the one who gives me strength,

and I am able to do all things through HIM!!

...you are my shield

...you are perfect in all ways,

...you never go back on your promises

...you keep me sure footed even in the strong winds just as a deer running through a spring meadow or snowy field.

And I kept thinking of being "surefooted" yesterday every time I walked out the door of the trailer yesterday as the wind was blowing hard most of the day.

And once again, I sit in awesome awe of God and how HE meets me every day wherever I happen to be and for such a time as this.

and then this morning in my devotional from 

1 Chronicles 29:10-19

 

and 

Isaiah 42:1-6

and

And I am reminded that

I need to give God the glory

for everything I have and am.

Without HIM I would be nothing.

Ron and I have been talking a lot lately about our lives,

maybe because our 43rd wedding anniversary is just around the corner...

I know, can you believe it 43 years!!!

We have done much in those 43 years...

...when we first married we had our lives mapped out...

stay in the Air Force and retire after 20 years,

have children, be parents and just live life to the fullest...

...but life has its own agenda and God has other plans....

we have had four boys...losing two of them during pregnancy and shortly after birth,

we travelled to the Netherlands & Germany through the military

and then Ron's dad's cancer returned and he passed away...

...change of plans...we got out of the military and eventually moved back to Blaine, WA

and did all the things I said I would NEVER DO...

....move to Blaine,

live with Ron's mom,

live at the farm,

go to BBBCC

so I learned...don't ever say never!!!

We have been so blessed even through the valley's

...the loss of a child

...the loss of parents

...the loss of jobs

but those valley's have brought us to many mountain tops

...Jamie and his family, Suzanne & Opal

...Brandon and his family, Danalyn, Max, Christopher, Treyson & Alexander

...travels and jobs that we never dreamt about....

....working for Funtastic Shows...who would have thought we would ever work and travel with a carnival??

we have sold Christmas trees,

managed different campgrounds,

worked with oldies and teenagers!!!

and most recently...working in the Oil Fields of Texas!!!

 loving doing the Lord's work wherever He plants us!

And through it all and again this morning,

reminded that God is in control,

no matter how I like to think I am in control!!!

Playing with Blogger and other stuff

I have spent the last three hours (with breaks checking in trucks) trying to update my blog...wanted to make it Christmassy...but couldn't get a background to transfer so thought about going back to Wordpress but it was so confusing so thought...what about a new blog on wix.com???  Well that was even more confusing....

....so I am back at the drawing board...go figure

Yesterday my birthday presents from Ron arrived.  

I told him what I wanted and he paid for them!!!

I've wanted a new Bible for a couple of years and if you know me, colored pens and pencils always make my day.  So I picked out the Inspire Bible which has room for notes on every page and also lots of illustrations to color.  Coloring relaxes me and what better way to color then to color scriptures thus the coloring book to go along with it.  

I have always struggled with studying God's word, like I just don't know the best way to do it and really learn and retain what I read so I got the book Women of the Word, a study guide...so we will see.

Now I have my old Bible, Women of Faith that has daily devotions that I would like to give to someone...yes its used...you can learn a lot about a person about reading what they have written and underlined in their Bible...so if there is someone out there who would like my old Bible, send me a note or write a comment and I will send it to the first one who asks.  Just let me know!!!

Truth Time

I have always struggled with finding TIME to spend in God's Word...but there is no excuse now while we are Gate Guarding

so I have committed, again, to spend time daily in God's Word.

One way I am able to do this is by journaling and blogging what I read and learn.

That's what got me to thinking about changing up my blog...instead of having a home page and a page of Thoughts...but the merge hasn't happened yet...so I'm just going to start today blogging under HOME.

Was my verse for today...just what I am constantly asking God for is PEACE...

...what I read was that I need to be responsible for my own actions, trust in God and His peace will be with me.  I need to remind myself that HE knows the big picture and I wear blinders

which reminded me of an Esther Bible study I started with a friend with the theme

"For such a time as this"

I need to find PEACE where I am right now and in whatever situation I find myself in.  I know this but the reminders this morning has been resounding in my heart and mind.  So I turned the TV off, put on some Christmas music, spent time in God's Word, wrapped gifts for the grands and kids (yes they are still kids in my mind even though they are 38+!!!)  and how blessed we are .... our boys are healthy, have wonderful life mates, beautiful children, some not so little any more and for the most part are healthy!!!  Those are all things to be thankful for.

Time to close for today,

check back tomorrow to see what's flowing through my heart and mind...

...time to go grocery shopping!

Blessings to each of you reading

and remember if you would like my Women of Faith Bible, let me know!!!