Just Rambling...

First off, starting with a picture of the three youngest grands

Enjoying Fireworks from their hotel in Niagara Falls

Christopher, age 7, Alexander, age 2 and Treyson, age 4

Where to start?  What to say??

Ron and I could really use your prayers.  

Some things have gone on that are out of our control

 and we are having to be quiet and wait on the Lord.  

Let me assure y'all we are both fine health wise, 

our children and grandchildren are fine too

so we do not want to alarm you.

BUT 

Your 

I don't know what else to say.

BUT

A Whirlwind of Fun!!!

Sitting here in the motor home trying to decide do I write a blog post or do I just go to bed.  I am tired with a capital T!!

But we sure had fun getting there.

Our friends,

Mike & Chris came into town on Tuesday evening.

We met up with them at Grand Country Music Hall for lunch and then went to see the 

We laughed and laughed.  Having seats in the front row make for a fun show.

And me ~ I forgot to get any pictures :(

After the show we popped over to 

to get some power on

(in layman's terms ~ we each got an adjustment from Dr. Bo)

And then over to the

for some delicious appetizers.

Warning:  be careful the Hot & Honey Wings are HOT!!!!

and then it was back to Grand Country for the 

And what fun we had!!!

Here are a few pictures 

Clarification on this picture ~ Ron was taking the picture, 

not once, not twice, not three times

BUT four times!!!

To get one picture.

Jamie told Chris, I could have drawn it by now ;)

And then the real fun began

BUT

You will have to wait till tomorrow!!

to hear the details!!!

God is so Good!

Good morning from Cedarcreek, MO!!  Oh, you thought I dropped off the face of the earth...well not really....life has been busy, busy, busy and it doesn't seem to be letting up.  As I go through my day I think "oh, I could write a  blog post about that" or "I need to write a blog post to catch everyone up" but alas time gets away from me.  In more ways than one.

The past week I could tell that I was getting overwhelmed and feeling like I just wanted to run away - a warning to me that I need to get my life back in order...for me...that means daily spending time in God's Word ~ why is it when I need it most is it quickly put on the back burner?  get back to exercising ~ in my case, walking for 30 minutes a day, doesn't sound like much but 30 minutes works for me and helps me to feel better about myself;  and drinking more water ~  one thing I have done is quit drinking soda..YEP me, no more soda...so I am back on track to drinking 100 to 125 oz of water a day and for the past week I have been pretty close to reaching that goal - probably  because it has been so hot here lately :)  So tomorrow starts week 4 of no soda pop!  I do have ice tea or iced coffee once or twice a day.  

Now I am setting my alarm for 7 AM - when I sleep till 8:30 or 9:00 I find I just jump into the day, by getting up at 7 I am able to grab a bottle of water and spend 15 to 45 minutes with the Lord and in the Word.  I can't believe how much better my daily life is going.  Not that I was having lots of issues or problems but my emotional being is in a better state.  And that is a good thing.

The topic for this month in my devotion is on 

and the scripture for today was

and once again, God has met me right where I am.  The reminder that my priority needs to be God first with my all of me: my heart, my soul, my mind and my strength - ALL of me.  All of me all the time just not when I have time for God but ALL the TIME!!!

And then to love our neighbors as ourselves.  I was reminded of a statement I was told many years ago when I was trying to be superwoman ~ you know super wife, super mom, super friend, super everything!!  Janice told me "If you don't take care of yourself, how in the world do you think you can take care of your family?"   

I have lots of sticks in the fire right now - working for GUMI Camp USA, keeping our home running, being a wife, mom and grammy, spending time with friends...you know the list goes on and on.  Once again I am so thankful for God's love, mercy and grace with me.  

My question for you today is ~ do you spend time with the Lord each day?  Are you following a Bible reading plan? a Bible study?  

And in closing I want to give a big shout out to the man who blessed us yesterday when Ron was out checking out a backhoe and the alternator just croaked in our car...with only $80 in the bank to last us till payday, June 23rd Ron decided he would just pay with our bank card, knowing our over draw protection would cover the charge and yes we would have to pay $29 for bouncing the payment, this sweet man, who knew nothing of our finanical situation, stepped up and paid for the alternator, $159.  We say THANK YOU, THANK YOU, THANK YOU for blessing us beyond measure!  And we still have gas money for the next week.

God is Good All the Time,

All the Time God is Good!!!

Loving the Sunshine!

Loving the Sunshine!

The weather has been great the last couple of days and should be just as nice through the weekend and most of next week. And that is wonderful.

After a week of computer & internet issues plaguing us for over 2 weeks, Monday morning found me at Staples turning in what I thought was a new laptop because over the weekend we found out it had been sold to someone else first…ummm that is not okay.  After a couple of phone calls and two hours later I had an appointment at Staples for Tuesday morning to get a NEW laptop.

Tuesday morning I spent almost two hours at Staples and walked out with a brand new laptop,  all the paperwork (which was not in the one I brought home last Friday) and happy that Staples did the right thing.  After making a couple of stops and having lunch with a friend it was time to get to back to work on the Grand Opening for GUMI Camp USA.

It is fast approaching and there is much to be done.  The Grand Opening is Memorial Day Weekend, May 23 ~ 25.  Tuesday the power was put in and turned on at the front of the property!! 

The guys arrive from White River Electric!

 And a tree was in the way ~ no problem, let's just tate it out :)

 A little more work and it all comes together!

 Now we are in business!

This week calls have been made to caterers, to local businesses seeking donations for our Silent Auction and confirming Branson & Nashville entertainers for our two nights of music.  Things are definitely hopping here in Cedarcreek.

While working on stuff for GUMI Camp we have also been busy with regular life stuff…getting the new laptop set up, doing laundry ~ oh how I miss having my own washer/dryer but on the other hand it is great to have all the laundry done in just about 2 hours!!!

Being there for friends through prayer as they deal with the death of a loved one, medical and family issues and seeking the Lord in our own daily walk through life.

 

One of the devotions that really spoke to me was “God won’t send us where he is unable to sustain us!  What a glorious Lord!  He who daily bears our burdens also gives us our salvation.  Psalm 68:19.  Powerful and encouraging words for sure.

Today was a first for me…I actually got outside and did some weed eating!!! 

I enjoy being outside, I love beautiful gardens BUT I am not one who likes to work outside and get dirty.  But things are a changing. 

I spent an hour weed eating.  

When I got done I was hot and sweaty, my lower arms felt like Jello and I felt I was covered in dirt and bugs.  But most of all I was pleased with how things were looking…the area I weeded is where we are moving the motor home!!! 

And I am excited about that.  

After I weeded Ron used the brush cutter to clean out a bit more of the area…and now it is ready for us to move the motor home to its new home on Saturday.  

Of course more pictures to come!!

Hope you have had a great week!!

And if the sun is shinging where you are

get out and enjoy it!!!

Craziness to the Nth Degree

That is how I describe life for me the last couple of weeks.  

I like doing the A-to-Z Challenge 

but as you can tell I didn’t keep up with it this year…

for many days I was getting down on myself for not keeping up with it.  

 All the while feeling like I was being pulled in every direction known to man. 

So last weekend I closed myself in and did some regrouping, 

let some things go and spent some time reading and praying…

going to the familiar, 

My Jesus who loves me and cares for me and only expects me to be me and nothing more.  

I was so busy allowing STUFF to overwhelm me that I was losing me in the busyness of life. 

So I gave myself permission to not go anywhere and to slow down and get myself organized. 

 I am so thankful for a hubby who loves me and helps me every chance he gets.   

This weekend he did dishes more often than I can count, 

he helped me with a project that needed to be done.  

 And he made me coffee, fixed me bottles of water and made some good meals…

I am so thankful and blessed to have him in my life.

Along with feeling overwhelmed with so many things on my plate 

things were complicated with a computer that didn’t want work, 

our mifi card deciding to go belly up, a printer that wouldn’t connect with the computer…

you know multiple computer issues…

that just added to my frustration and 

feeling like every way I turned was causing more problems and chaos 

than issues being solved. 

So this morning I decided I needed to stop and opened my daily devotion and this is what it said:

In acceptance there is peace.

The prayer with it said:  Lord, I don’t pray for tranquility or that my problems may cease;

I pray that Your Spirit and love would give me the strength to abide in You

during chaos, craziness and adversity.  Amen.

And as I echoed that prayer I felt the peace of Jesus

just cover me and I knew that all would be okay.

What do you do when you feel overwhelmed?   

Who do you turn to when you need reassurance?

Oh, I also stopped and picked up pizza for lunch…

it always helps to eat good ole tasty pizza and not have to cook dinner J

L is for LIFE

Day 12 of A-to-Z Blog Challenge

L is for LIFE!!

As you know I am participating in the 

A-to-Z Blog Challenge

This is the schedule

we are supposed to be following

And if you LOOK closely you will see that I am supposed to be 

on the letter O

but here I am at

L

which leads me to 

which is the reason I am 4 days behind

but

I have faith I will be caught up by this weekend.

At LEAST I hope so.

LIFE has been crazy busy for me

and it is has only been the last week that I feel 

LIKE I am getting a handle on where and

what I am supposed to be doing.

Sundays, Mondays & Tuesdays are usually 

my crazy making days 

as we are usually gone at least half the day if not all day

Sunday is Sunday School and Church

and being with our church family.

We celebrate being involved and a part of 

our church family.  

When we left Blaine, WA Spring 2010

we thought we would be able to 

stop in at different churches along our travels.

Working with the Carnival,

that didn't happen as we worked every Sunday!

And then we went to Texas

and 

Lone Star Corral,

an Escapee park

where we worked for a year.

While in Texas we attended

First Baptist Church of Hondo

We attended that church for over a year

and yet it never felt like home.

We met some nice people

and enjoyed visiting with the two couples that

befriended us, but we were not a part of that church family.

And then we moved to Branson, MO.

We attended many churches and services

but none were home for us.

And last Fall when we began to see God opening doors for us to move to

We found ourselves passing 

Open Door Community Church

and when we actually moved out here in January,

the first time we walked through the doors we felt LIKE

we were at HOME,

all this to say 

Open Door Community Church

is now a major part of our

LIFE!!!

And we continue to be busy with other 

LIFE activities

Monday finds me usually in Branson for 

Forever Friends

Tuesday finds us both in Branson for my class, 

running errands, having doctor appointments,

grocery shopping...you know LIFE

which LEAVES the 2nd half of the week

to do everything else LIKE

homework, 

GUMI work,

Forever Friends responsibilities

new projects LIKE

being a part of a women's conference in September

Deep Waters Women's Conference

plus the normal things in LIFE

LIKE

doing laundry, preparing meals,

spending time with my hubby,

talking with our kids and grands.

So LIFE has been happening.

Hope you keep checking back

to see where the rest of the 

takes me!!!

Where is 

taking you???

K is for Kindness and Kids!

Day 11 - A to Z Blog Challenge

K is for 

and 

Here is picture that says quite a  bit

and

I did something for someone the other day,

it was no big deal to me

but I found out later it meant 

a whole lot to the other person.

Being kind does not cost money or things,

it is just doing the right thing,

saying the right thing,

and acting in the right manner.

Have you shared some kindness today?

and then

KIDS!!!

Earlier today I was missing my 

Grands

a lot.

This is from Fall 2012

and from Fall 2014

These five grands

are the love of my life.

Even though I don't see them every day

nor talk to them even weekly

they are the five most precious children 

in my life.

I love my grands,

and my boys

and their sweet wives

and I can't wait to see them

whether it is on Facetime or Skype

or to hear their voices on the phone.

I just love my KIDS!!!!

I am also blessed with many

"adopted" kids ~

daughter Sarah,

niece Destiny

grand boys Julian, Emilio and Mateo

grand girls Liberty & Lily

and the list goes on and on !!!

Children,

all children are special.

If you have a child to hug or to share a smile

then please do so!!!

Loving on kids 

is one of the best ways to show

kindness!!!