Happy Birthday Dad

Happy Birthday Dad

83 Yrs. Young

It is such a blessing to have such a wonderful dad. He is so much fun to be around. I love his youthful attitude. He turns his 83 yrs around to 38 yrs. I wish him many more years!

New Baby Granddaughter

Sophia Lynnette

November 6, 2008

This makes us a total of 14 grandchildren. This is the 5th granddaughter.

I had so much fun watching Isaiah while Beth was in the hospital. The little old grandma and a two yr old makes a great match! We had lots of fun and memorable times!

Some that I'm Thankful For...

Today's blog entries are for some of the things that I'm thankful for. Most people have the things that mean a lot to them and at this time of year we remember those special things.

Think on this little verse that we often sing...

I have a roof up above me

and a good place to sleep

there is food on my table

and shoes on my feet,

you gave me your love Lord,

and a fine family,

Thank you Lord for your blessings on me.

Thanksgiving Blessings for 2008

We Gather Together To Ask The Lord's Blessings

We gather together to ask the Lord's blessings;
He chastens and hastens his will to make known;
the wicked oppressing now cease from distressing
sing raise to his Name, he forgets not his own.

Beside us to guide us, our God with us joining,
ordaining, maintaining his kingdom divine;
so from the beginning the fight we were winning:
thou, Lord, wast at our side: all glory be thine!

We all do extol thee, thou leader triumphant,
and pray that thou still our defender wilt be.
Let thy congregation escape tribulation:
thy Name be ever praised! O Lord, make us free!

Words: Nederlandtsche Gedenckclanck, 1626
Translation: Theodore Baker 1894

Pray For America...

Today, I'm thinking about how important it is to pray for America. I want to encourage you to find a prayer group to pray with, or start one if you haven't already. God hears and answers prayer!

Actual Vacation Bear Pictures..

These are Betty's actual bear pictures. This mama bear was big. They can really be cantankerous, just ask my son Stephen. He did have a bear take out after him years ago. Steve can m-o-v-e! lol!

Thanks for the pictures Betty!

A True Bear Story...

Well, I'll try not to be too embellishing on this story...

When we went to Gatlinburg, Tenn last week with our good friends Betty and Jim Jewett, we decided one morning to get up at the crack of dawn, really before, and go to Cades Cove. We reached Cades Cove before it opened. I was sleeping, but about the time we stopped, I looked over to my right and saw a bear by the road, so I excitedly say bear, then I look to the front and a mother and two baby bear are going into the woods and we all say bear. That was our first bear sighting. (The keep telling me I was sleeping and really didn't see the bear by my door...but, I tell you, I did!)

The big bear story took place later, closer to the middle of our journey through Cades Cove. When you see lots of cars stopped and lots of people out of their vehicles, something big is up. Well, this something big was a big bear and cub. There were lots of people out and lots of people trying to get close to this bear. If you know bears, they don't like to feel threatened! This bear just kept keeping an eye on the people while she sat there with her cub.

Well, Betty is trying to get close to get a picture and Merrill is trying to get close just to get close. This bear just keeps looking around to check out the people... probably, sizing up his meals. I hurt my leg, so I can't run fast and I just started hobbling out of the woods. I'm thinking... if that bear decides to charge can my husband, even as big as he is, fight it off ...or can Betty run fast enough to beat the bear! Of course, Merrill said, "I had to be just fast enough to beat Betty or the other people!" Well, the bear didn't get up while we were there, she just kept looking around frequently. We didn't hear about anyone getting attacked so I assume the bear wasn't hungry! How's that for a true to life bear story?

We've gone to Gatlinburg for years and probably haven't seen a half dozen bear. This trip, I saw six and they saw five. No, I wasn't dreaming!

Note: The bear picture here is not from our trip, but it is like the bears we saw.